3Com 3CRWX120695A Reference Manual page 325

Configuring and Managing Access Rules for Network Users
Authentication Types
MSS provides the following types of authentication:
IEEE 802.1X — If the network user's network interface card (NIC)
supports 802.1X, MSS checks for an 802.1X authentication rule that
matches the username (and SSID, if wireless access is requested), and
that uses the Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) requested by
the NIC. If a matching rule is found, MSS uses the requested EAP to
check the RADIUS server group or local database for the username
and password entered by the user. If matching information is found,
MSS grants access to the user.
MAC — If the username does not match an 802.1X authentication
rule, but the MAC address of the user's NIC or Voice-over-IP (VoIP)
phone and the SSID (if wireless) do match a MAC authentication rule,
MSS checks the RADIUS server group or local database for matching
user information. If the MAC address (and password, if on a RADIUS
server) matches, MSS grants access. Otherwise, MSS attempts the
fallthru authentication type, which can be Web, last-resort, or none.
(Fallthru authentication is described in more detail in "Authentication
Algorithm" on page 326.)
Web — A network user attempts to access a web page over the
network. The WX switch intercepts the HTTP or HTTPS request and
serves a login Web page to the user. The user enters the username
and password, and MSS checks the RADIUS server group or local
database for matching user information. If the username and
password match, MSS redirects the user to the web page she
requested. Otherwise, MSS denies access to the user.
Last-resort — A network user requests access to the network,
without entering a username or password. MSS checks for a
last-resort authentication rule for the requested SSID (or for wired, if
the user is on a wired authentication port). If a matching rule is found,
MSS checks the RADIUS server group or local database for username
last-resort-wired (for wired authentication access) or
last-resort-ssid, where ssid is the SSID requested by the user. If the
user information is on a RADIUS server, MSS also checks for an
authorization password (3Com by default).
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