802.1x

[carl_townshend]

Hi all, can anyone give me a quick explanation of what 802.1x is, how it works, and what i need, in the easiest way possible?

thanks

Carl

[Amit Singh]

Hi Carl,

802.1X is a client-server-based access control and authentication protocol that prevents clients from connecting to a LAN through publicly accessible ports unless they are authenticated. The authentication server authenticates each client connected to a switch port before making available any services offered by the switch or the LAN.

You need a Switch which supports 802.1x (All Cisco switches support that ), Cisco ACS AAA Server, 802.1X client supplicant on the host PC.

-amit singh

[carl_townshend]

what kind of client supplicant do you mean here? and do they generally use certificates ?

[Jagdeep Gambhir]

Suplicant in raw terms is your windows network card. That should have dot1x feature. Yes you would need a server certificate on Radius server.