ZyXEL Communications P-870HN-5xb Support Notes page 76

point-to-point connection characteristics, and of preventing access to that port in
case of the failure of authentication process.
The IEEE 802.1x authentication is a client-server architecture delivered with the
EAPOL (Extensible Authentication Protocol over LAN). The authentication server
authenticates each client connected to an Access Point (for Wireless LAN) or switch
port (for Ethernet) before accessing any services offered by the Wireless AP. The
802.1x contains tree major components:
1. Authenticator:
The device (i.e. Wireless AP) facilitates the authentication for supplicant
(Wireless client) attached on the Wireless network. Authenticator controls the
physical access to the network based on the authentication status of client. The
authenticator acts as an intermediary (proxy) between the client and authentication
server (i.e. RADIUS server), requesting the identity information from the client,
verifying that information with the authentication server and relaying a response to
the client.
2. Supplicant:
The station (i.e. Wireless client) is being authenticated by an authenticator
attached on the Wireless network. The supplicant requests access to the LAN
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P-870HN-5xb Support Notes