802.1x

[Uptown_hr]

Many questions on 802.1x.

1. How do you use it.
2. Do you need to download a program.
3. Do you need a hardware that supports it.
4. Does server side and client side both need it.
5. How does it authenticate - Is it like a username and password logon?

[simulator]

802.1x is a Port Based Access mechanism.
In all probability this is going to be part of the standard in the coming years.

It would be good to know the context in which you are asking these questions.

1. How do you use it.
To give a brief explanation, 802.1x when working in conjunction to wireless will run above the 802.11 MAC layer. So you should have a MAC layer that facilitates and enables this. Also in most cases you might need a light weight radius server for Authentication and beyond.


2. Do you need to download a program
I am not totally sure, but when you buy any of the newer Cisco APs 802.1x support is incorporated.


3. . Do you need a hardware that supports it.

YES

4. Does server side and client side both need it.
What in your opinion are the server and client ? If you are talking about AP and Station, yes they both need it.


5. . How does it authenticate - Is it like a username and password logon?
Yeah and much much more. It can use certificates for client side auth and Server side auth.
There are a bunch of other protocols that are used in conjunction to .1x. EAP ( extensible authenticaiton protocol ), TLS ( Transport Layer Security ), TTLS ( Tunneled Transport Layer Security ) ..etc


If you explain in a little bit more detail about what you are trying to do I can be more helpful.

S.

[Uptown_hr]

The reason I am asking if both client and server side need the 802.1x protocol is because I am trying to set up hot spots and this will not work if old 802.11b pc cards will not work with my access point or gateway. So let me make one thing clear, the authentication will not work if only my access point or gateway supports 802.1x and the client side pcmcia card does not support 802.1x?

[jtparker]

802.1x most certainly requires a software client on the computer that is connecting to the 802.11 access point. This client may be bundled as a part of the OS, or it may be obtained and installed separately.

Windows XP includes a bundled 802.1x client. There are two companies that I know of that will sell you one for other versions of Windows -- Meetinghouse and Funk Software.

There are at least a couple Open Source clients available for Linux. To my knowledge, the only client available for the Mac OS is integrated with the driver for one or more of the Cisco 802.11 PCMCIA cards.

If you want to add some security to 802.11 without requiring that a software client be installed, you have to consider several things, such as:

1) There will be no way to encrypt the data that is transported by the WLAN. Encryption will always require some form of software client. Of course, encryption applied by SSL-secured web connections will still work -- it's just that you won't be able to provide any "blanket" encryption.

2) Authentication is possible using some form of "universal" client. It is possible to devise a scheme that uses the web browser as an authentication client. Technically speaking, a software client is required, it's just that, in this case, that client is the web browser, which we assume is already installed on virtually everyone's computer.

So, if you don't want to require users to install and configure a client to access your WLAN, you are limited to authentication only, without encryption, and you would have to use something like a web browser as the authentication client.