Specifications

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Catalyst 2970 Switch Software Configuration Guide
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Chapter8 Configuring 802.1X Port-Based Authentication
Configuring 802.1X Authentication
Upgrading from a Previous Software Release
In Cisco IOS Release 12.1(14)EA1, the implementation for 802.1X changed from the previous release.
Some global configuration commands became interface configuration commands, and new commands
were added.
If you have 802.1X configured on the switch and you upgrade to Cisco IOS Release 12.1(14)EA1 or
later, the configuration file will not contain the new commands, and 802.1X will not operate. After the
upgrade is complete, make sure to globally enable 802.1X by using the dot1x system-auth-control
global configuration command. If 802.1X was running in multiple-hosts mode on an interface in the
previous release, make sure to reconfigure it by using the dot1x host-mode multi-host interface
configuration command.
Configuring 802.1X Authentication
To configure 802.1X port-based authentication, you must enable AAA and specify the authentication
method list. A method list describes the sequence and authentication methods to be queried to
authenticate a user.
The software uses the first method listed to authenticate users. If that method fails to respond, the
software selects the next authentication method in the method list. This process continues until there is
successful communication with a listed authentication method or until all defined methods are
exhausted. If authentication fails at any point in this cycle, the authentication process stops, and no other
authentication methods are attempted.
To allow per-user ACLs or VLAN assignment, you must enable AAA authorization to configure the
switch for all network-related service requests.
Beginning in privileged EXEC mode, follow these steps to configure 802.1X port-based authentication.
This procedure is required.
Command Purpose
Step 1
configure terminal Enter global configuration mode.
Step 2
aaa new-model Enable AAA.
Step 3
aaa authentication dot1x {default}
method1 [method2...]
Create an 802.1X authentication method list.
To create a default list that is used when a named list is not specified in
the authentication command, use the default keyword followed by the
methods that are to be used in default situations. The default method list
is automatically applied to all interfaces.
Enter at least one of these keywords:
• group radius—Use the list of all RADIUS servers for authentication.
• none—Use no authentication. The client is automatically
authenticated by the switch without using the information supplied by
the client.
Step 4
dot1x system-auth-control Enable 802.1X authentication globally on the switch.