Implementing An 802.1X Security Solution - Intermec MobileLAN access WA2XG System Manual

Implementing an 802.1x Security Solution

MobileLAN access WA2XG System Manual
You can implement 802.1x security in your network. The IEEE 802.1x
standard provides an authentication protocol for 802.11 LANs. 802.1x
provides strong authentication, access control, and key management, and
lets wireless networks scale by allowing centralized authentication of
wireless end devices.
Intermec can provide a complete 802.1x security solution. For more
information, see the MobileLAN secure 802.1x Security Solution Installation
Guide (P/N 073134).
The 802.1x authentication process uses a RADIUS server, which is the
authentication server, and access points, which are the authenticators, to
manage the wireless end device authentication and wireless connection
attributes. Extensible Authentication protocol (EAP) authentication types
provide devices with secure connections to the network. They protect
credentials and data privacy. Examples of EAP authentication types
include Transport Layer Security (EAP-TLS) and Tunneled Transport
Layer Security (EAP-TTLS).
To implement 802.1x security, you must have the following:
• An authentication server (RADIUS server), which is software that is
installed on a PC or server on your network or an EAS. The
authentication server accepts or rejects requests from end devices that
want to communicate with the 802.1x-enabled network. For help, see
Chapter 7, "Configuring the Embedded Authentication Server (EAS)."
• An authenticator, which is an access point on your network. The
authenticator receives requests from end devices that want to
communicate with the network and forwards these requests to the
authentication server. The authenticator also distributes the WEP keys
to end devices that are communicating with it.
• Supplicants, which is software that is running on end devices that are
802.1x-enabled. These end devices have a radio that is 802.1x-enabled
and a supplicant (EAP-TLS, EAP-TTLS, or PEAP) loaded on them.
Supplicants request communication with the authenticator using a
specific EAP authentication type. For more information on the
availability of 802.1x-enabled end devices, contact your local Intermec
representative.
• A trusted certificate authority (CA), which issues digital authentication
certificates. Intermec and others can provide the service of acting as a
CA and can issue certificates. For more information, contact your local
Intermec representative.
Chapter 6 — Configuring Security
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