Authentication Process; Port-Based Network Access Control - D-Link DES-3526 Manual

Client
The Client is simply the workstation that wishes to gain access to the LAN or switch services. All
workstation must be running software that is compliant with the 802.1x protocol. For users running
Windows XP, that software is included within the operating system. All other users are required to
attain 802.1x client software from an outside source. The Client will request access to the LAN and or
Switch through EAPOL packets and, in turn will respond to requests from the Switch.

Authentication Process

Utilizing the three components stated above, the 802.1x protocol provides a stable and secure way of
authorizing and authenticating users attempting to access the network. Only EAPOL traffic is allowed
to pass through the specified port before a successful authentication is made. This port is "locked"
until the point when a Client with the correct username and password (and MAC address if 802.1x is
enabled by MAC address) is granted access and therefore successfully "unlocks" the port. Once
unlocked, normal traffic is allowed to pass through the port. The D-Link implementation of 802.1x
allows network administrators to choose between two types of Access Control used on the Switch,
which are:
Port-Based Access Control – This method requires only one user to be authenticated per port by
1.
a remote RADIUS server to allow the remaining users on the same port access to the network.
MAC-Based Access Control – Using this method, the Switch will automatically learn up to
2.
sixteen MAC addresses by port and set them in a list. The Switch using a remote RADIUS
server before being allowed access to the Network must authenticate each MAC address.

Port-Based Network Access Control

The original intent behind the development of 802.1x was to leverage the characteristics of point-to-
point in LANs. Any single LAN segment in such an infrastructures has no more than two devices
attached to it, one of which is a Bridge Port. The Bridge Port detects events that indicate the
attachment of an active device at the remote end of the link, or an active device becoming inactive.
These events can be used to control the authorization state of the Port and initiate the process of
authenticating the attached device if the Port is unauthorized. This is the Port-Based Network Access
Control.
DES-3526 / DES-3526DC Fast Ethernet Layer 2 Switch
Figure 6- 70. Client
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