User's Manual

ZyAIR B-2000 Wireless LAN Gateway with 4-Port Switch
Wireless LAN Security Setup 4-3
4.3 Network Authentication
Before a wireless client can communicate on your network through your ZyAIR, it must be authenticated
by the ZyAIR or your network.
4.3.1 EAP
EAP is an authentication protocol designed originally to run over PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol) frame in
order to support multiple types of user authentication. By using EAP to interact with an EAP-compatible
RADIUS server, the access point helps a wireless client and a RADIUS server to perform mutual
authentication.
4.3.2 RADIUS
RADIUS is based on a client-sever model that supports authentication, authorization and accounting. The
access point is the client and the server is the RADIUS server. The RADIUS server handles the following
tasks:
• Authentication
Determines the identity of the users.
• Authorization
Determines the network services available to authenticated users once they are connected to the
network.
• Accounting
Keeps track of the client’s network activity.
RADIUS is a simple package exchange in which your ZyAIR acts as a message relay between the wireless
client and the network RADIUS server.
Types of RADIUS Messages
The following types of RADIUS messages are exchanged between the access point and the RADIUS server
for user authentication:
• Access-Request
Sent by an access point requesting authentication.
• Access-Reject
Sent by a RADIUS server rejecting access.