NETGEAR WGE111 Wireless LAN, Wired Network with Optional 802.1x Port Based Network Access Control

User Manual for the NETGEAR 54 Mbps Wireless PC Card WG511

WPA Authentication: Enterprise-level User Authentication via 802.1x/EAP and RADIUS

Wireless LAN

Wired Network with Optional 802.1x Port Based Network Access Control

	WPA enabled
WPA
enabled	Access Point
wireless	using
client with	pre-shared key
“supplicant”	or
	802.1x

Figure C-3: WPA Overview

TCP/IP

Ports Closed

Until

TCP/IP

Ports Opened

After

Authenticated

RADIUS Server

Login

Authentication

Certificate

Authority

(for

example

Win Server,

VeriSign)

IEEE 802.1x offers an effective framework for authenticating and controlling user traffic to a protected network, as well as providing a vehicle for dynamically varying data encryption keys via EAP from a RADIUS server, for example. This framework enables using a central authentication server, which employs mutual authentication so that a rogue wireless user does not join the network.

It is important to note that 802.1x does not provide the actual authentication mechanisms. When using 802.1x, the EAP type, such as Transport Layer Security (EAP-TLS), or EAP Tunneled Transport Layer Security (EAP-TTLS), defines how the authentication takes place.

Note: For environments with a Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS) infrastructure, WPA supports Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP). For environments without a RADIUS infrastructure, WPA supports the use of a pre-shared key.

Together, these technologies provide a framework for strong user authentication.

Windows XP implements 802.1x natively, and several NETGEAR switch and wireless access point products support 802.1x.

C-12 Wireless Networking Basics