Web Management Guide

Chapter 11 | Security Measures
Configuring 802.1X Port Authentication
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port can become unauthorized for all hosts if one attached host fails re-
authentication or sends an EAPOL logoff message.
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MAC-Based – Allows multiple hosts to connect to this port, with each host
needing to be authenticated.
In this mode, each host connected to a port needs to pass authentication.
The number of hosts allowed access to a port operating in this mode is
limited only by the available space in the secure address table (i.e., up to
1024 addresses).
◆ Max Count – The maximum number of hosts that can connect to a port when
the Multi-Host operation mode is selected. (Range: 1-1024; Default: 5)
◆ Max Request – Sets the maximum number of times the switch port will
retransmit an EAP request packet to the client before it times out the
authentication session. (Range: 1-10; Default 2)
◆ Quiet Period – Sets the time that a switch port waits after the Max Request
Count has been exceeded before attempting to acquire a new client.
(Range: 1-65535 seconds; Default: 60 seconds)
◆ Tx Period – Sets the time period during an authentication session that the
switch
waits before re-transmitting an EAP packet. (Range: 1-65535; Default: 30
seconds)
◆ Supplicant Timeout – Sets the time that a switch port waits for a response to
an EAP request from a client before re-transmitting an EAP packet.
(Range: 1-65535; Default: 30 seconds)
This command attribute sets the timeout for EAP-request frames other than
EAP-request/identity frames. If dot1x authentication is enabled on a port, the
switch will initiate authentication when the port link state comes up. It will
send an EAP-request/identity frame to the client to request its identity,
followed by one or more requests for authentication information. It may also
send other EAP-request frames to the client during an active connection as
required for reauthentication.
◆ Server Timeout – Sets the time that a switch port waits for a response to an
EAP request from an authentication server before re-transmitting an EAP
packet.
(Default: 0 seconds)
A RADIUS server must be set before the correct operational value of 10 seconds
will be displayed in this field. (See “Configuring Remote Logon Authentication
Servers” on page 238.)
◆ Re-authentication Status – Sets the client to be re-authenticated after the
interval specified by the Re-authentication Period. Re-authentication can be
used to detect if a new device is plugged into a switch port. (Default: Disabled)