Configuring general 802.1X operation

These steps enable 802.1X authentication, and must be done before configuring 802.1X VLAN operation.

Procedure

Enable 802.1X authentication on the individual ports you want to serve as authenticators. (The switch automatically disables LACP on the ports on which you enable 802.1X.) On the ports you will use as authenticators with VLAN operation, ensure that the port-control parameter is set to auto (the default). (See Enable 802.1X authentication on selected ports.) This setting requires a client to support 802.1X authentication (with 802.1X supplicant operation) and to provide valid credentials to get network access.
```
aaa port-access authenticator <port-list> control auto
```
Activates 802.1X port-access on ports you have configured as authenticators.
Configure the 802.1X authentication type. Options include:
```
aaa authentication port-access <local|eap-radius|chap-radius>
```
Determines the type of RADIUS authentication to use.
If you selected either eap-radius or chap-radius for step 2, use the radius host command to configure up to three RADIUS server IP address(es) on the switch.
```
radius host <ip-address>
```
Adds a server to the RADIUS configuration.
```
[key <server-specific key-string>]
```
Optional. Specifies an encryption key for use with the specified server. This key must match the key used on the RADIUS server. Use this option only if the specified server requires a different key than configured for the global encryption key The tilde (~) character is allowed in the string. It is not backward compatible; the “~” character is lost if you use a software version that does not support the “~” character.
```
radius-server key <global key-string>
```
Specifies the global encryption key the switch uses for sessions with servers for which the switch does not have a server-specific key. This key is optional if all RADIUS server addresses configured in the switch include a server- specific encryption key. The tilde (~) character is allowed in the string, for example, radius-server key hp~switch. It is not backward compatible; the “~” character is lost if you use a software version that does not support the “~” character.

Default: Null

The no form of the command removes the global encryption key.
Activate authentication on the switch.
```
aaa port-access authenticator active
```
Activates 802.1X port-access on ports you have configured as authenticators.
Test both the authorized and unauthorized access to your system to ensure that the 802.1X authentication works properly on the ports you have configured for port-access.

NOTE:

If you want to implement the optional port-security feature on the switch, you should first ensure that the ports you have configured as 802.1X authenticators operate as expected. Then see Option for authenticator ports: configure port-security to allow only 802.1X-authenticated devices .

After you complete steps 1 and 2, the configured ports are enabled for 802.1X authentication (without VLAN operation), and you are ready to configure VLAN Operation.