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Catalyst 3750 SwitchSoftware Configuration Guide
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Chapter10 Configuring IEEE 802.1x Port-Based Authentication
Understanding IEEE 802.1x Port-Based Authentication
•Multiple-hosts mode with open authentication–Any host can access the network.
•Multiple-authentication mode with open authentication–Similar to MDA, except multiple hosts can
be authenticated.
For more information see the “Configuring the Host Mode” section on page10-46.
Using Voice Aware 802.1x Security
You use the voice aware 802.1x security feature to configure the switch to disable only the VLAN on
which a security violation occurs, whether it is a data or voice VLAN. When an attempt to authenticate
the data client caused a security violation in previous releases, the entire port shut down, resulting in a
complete loss of connectivity.
You can use this feature where a PC is connected to the IP phone. A security violation found on the data
VLAN shuts down only the data VLAN. The traffic on the voice VLAN continues without interruption.
For information on configuring voice aware 802.1x security, see the “Configuring Voice Aware 802.1x
Security” section on page10-41.
802.1x Supplicant and Authenticator Switches with Network Edge Access Topology (NEAT)
The Network Edge Access Topology (NEAT) feature extends identity to areas outside the wiring closet
(such as conference rooms). This allows any type of device to authenticate on the port.
•802.1x switch supplicant: You can configure a switch to act as a supplicant to another switch by
using the 802.1x supplicant feature. This configuration is helpful in a scenario, where, for example,
a switch is outside a wiring closet and is connected to an upstream switch through a trunk port. A
switch configured with the 802.1x switch supplicant feature authenticates with the upstream switch
for secure connectivity.
Once the supplicant switch authenticates successfully the port mode changes from access to trunk.
•If the access VLAN is configured on the authenticator switch, it becomes the native VLAN for the
trunk port after successful authentication.
You can enable MDA or multiauth mode on the authenticator switch interface that connects to one more
supplicant switches. Multihost mode is not supported on the authenticator switch interface.