Configuring 802.1x Wired Authentication

802.1x is an IEEE Standard Switch-Port Authentication which provides assurance that a person behind an Endpoint Device is who they claim to be. In the wired environment, this is a physical port on a switch. In a wireless environment, it is an association with an Access Point(AP).In Port-Based Authentication, an Endpoint Device attempting to connect to a network (supplicant) will attempt to connect to an access point (authenticator)which will request authentication using EAP messages before communication with any other internal network devices can start. You can configure the Policy Server to authenticate users access through 802.1x.

Step 1. Create Node Group for Authentication by 802.1x

  1. Go to Policy in top panel.
  2. Go to Group > Node in the left Policy panel.
  3. Click Tasks > Create New Group for Policy
  4. Enter ID as 802.1x Authentication.
  5. Find Condition section in the Node Group window. Click Add.
  6. Enter in the Following:
    • Criteria: IP
    • Operator: is one of subnet
    • Value: (Network Subnet)
  7. Click Save.
  8. Click Apply in the top right. Click Close.

Step 2. Create Node Policy for 802.1x Authentication

  1. Go to Policy in top panel.
  2. Go to Policy > Node Policy in the left Policy panel.
  3. Click Tasks > Create. Complete steps in Node Policy Wizard.
  4. On General tab. Enter ID as 802.1x Authentication.
  5. On Node Group tab. Select 802.1x Authentication Node Group and move it to Selected column.
  6. On Policy Preferences tab. Enter in desired Options.
  7. On Agent Action tab. Select Configuring 802.1X Wired Authentication and move to Selected column.
  8. On Anomaly Definition tab. (Nothing required on this tab)
  9. Click Finish.
  10. Click Apply in the top right. Click Close.

Step 3. Configure 802.1X Wired Authentication Plugin

  1. Go to Policy in top panel.
  2. Go to Policy > Node Policy > Agent Action in the left Policy panel.
  3. Find and click Configuring 802.1X Wired Authentication.
  4. Add Conditions and Agent Actions.
  5. Click Update.
  6. Click Apply in the top right. Click Close.

(Steps below are optional to use an existing Node Policy if you prefer not to create a new one)

Step 4. Assign Agent Action to Node Policy

  1. Go to Policy in top panel.
  2. Go to Policy > Node Policy in the left Policy panel.
  3. Find and click Node Policy name.
  4. Find Agent Action section. Click Assign.
  5. Locate Configuring 802.1X Wired Authentication and move to Selected column.
  6. Click Add.
  7. Click Apply in the top right. Click Close.

Remove Agent Action from Node Policy

  1. Go to Policy in top panel.
  2. Go to Policy > Node Policy in the left Policy panel.
  3. Find and click Node Policy name.
  4. Find Agent Action section. Locate Configuring 802.1X Wired Authentication and click Delete far right.
  5. Click Apply in the top right. Click Close.