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29-2
Software Configuration Guide—Release 12.2(25)SG
OL-7659-03
Chapter 29 Understanding and Configuring 802.1X Port-Based Authentication
Understanding 802.1X Port-Based Authentication
• Authentication Initiation and Message Exchange, page 29-3
• Ports in Authorized and Unauthorized States, page 29-4
• Using 802.1X with VLAN Assignment, page 29-5
• Using 802.1X Authentication for Guest VLANs, page 29-6
• Using 802.1X with Authentication Failed VLAN Assignment, page 29-7
• Using 802.1X with Port Security, page 29-8
• Using 802.1X with RADIUS-Provided Session Timeouts, page 29-9
• Using 802.1X with RADIUS Accounting, page 29-10
• Using 802.1X with Voice VLAN Ports, page 29-12
• Supported Topologies, page 29-13
Device Roles
With 802.1X port-based authentication, network devices have specific roles. Figure 29-1 shows the role
of each device, which is described below.
Figure 29-1 802.1X Device Roles
•
Client—The workstation that requests access to the LAN, and responds to requests from the switch.
The workstation must be running 802.1X-compliant client software.
Note For more information on 802.1X-compliant client application software such as Microsoft
Windows 2000 Professional or Windows XP, refer to the Microsoft Knowledge Base article
at this URL: http://support.microsoft.com
• Authenticator—Controls physical access to the network based on the authentication status of the
client. The switch acts as an intermediary between the client and the authentication server,
requesting identity information from the client, verifying that information with the authentication
server, and relaying a response to the client. The switch encapsulates and decapsulates the
Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) frames and interacts with the RADIUS authentication
server.
When the switch receives EAPOL frames and relays them to the authentication server, the Ethernet
header is stripped and the remaining EAP frame is reencapsulated in the RADIUS format. The EAP
frames are not modified or examined during encapsulation, and the authentication server must
Client
Workstations
Supplicants
Authenticator
Authentication
server
94158
Catalyst 4500 Network
Access Switch
RADIUS