Web and MAC Authentication

Overview

Note

Note

A proxy server is not supported for use by a browser on a client device that accesses the network through a port configured for web authentication.

In the login page, a client enters a username and password, which the switch forwards to a RADIUS server for authentication. After authen- ticating a client, the switch grants access to the secured network.

Besides a web browser, the client needs no special supplicant soft- ware.

MAC Authentication

The MAC Authentication (MAC-Auth) method grants access to a secure network by authenticating devices for access to the network. When a device connects to the switch, either by direct link or through the network, the switch forwards the device’s MAC address to the RADIUS server for authentication. The RADIUS server uses the device MAC address as the username and password, and grants or denies network access in the same way that it does for clients capable of interactive logons. (The process does not use either a client device configuration or a logon session.) MAC authentication is well- suited for clients that are not capable of providing interactive logons, such as telephones, printers, and wireless access points. Also, because most RADIUS servers allow for authentication to depend on the source switch and port through which the client connects to the network, you can use MAC-Auth to “lock” a particular device to a specific switch and port.

802.1X port-access, Web authentication, and MAC authentication can be configured at the same time on the same port. A maximum of 32 clients is supported on the port. (The default is one client.)

Web and/or MAC authentication and MAC lockdown, MAC lockout, and port- security are mutually exclusive on a given port. If you configure any of these authentication methods on a port, you must disable LACP on the port.

Concurrent Web and MAC Authentication

Web authentication and MAC authentication can be configured at the same time on a port. It is assumed that MAC authentication will use an existing MAC address. The following conditions apply for concurrent Web and MAC authen- tication:

A specific MAC address cannot be authenticated by both Web and MAC authentication at the same time.

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