What is 802.1X?

What is 802.1X?

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The 802.1X standard, defined by IEEE, is designed to enhance the security of wireless local area networks (WLANs) that follow the IEEE 802.11 standard. 802.1X provides an authentication framework for wireless LANs. It allows a user to be authenticated by a central authority. It uses the Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) that works on Ethernet, Token Ring, or wireless LANs to exchange messages for the authentication process.

When a user requests access to an access point, the access point changes the user's status to an unauthorized state. It allows the client to send only an EAP start message. The access point returns an EAP message requesting for the user's identity. The client returns the identity, which is then forwarded by the access point to the authentication server. The authentication server uses an algorithm (multiple algorithm is possible) to authenticate the user and then returns an accept or reject message to the access point. If the access point receives an accept message, it changes the user's status to the authorized state, which allows normal traffic to take place. In case of rejection, the client is disallowed to access the network.

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