Rockwell Automation 1783-WAPxxx Stratix 5100 Wireless Access Point User Manual - Manual (Page 320)

320 Rockwell Automation Publication 1783-UM006A-EN-P - May 2014
Chapter 10 Configure an Access Point as a Local Authenticator
You can configure your access points to use the local authenticator when they
cannot reach the main servers, or you can configure your access points to use the
local authenticator or as the main authenticator if you don’t have a RADIUS
server. When you configure the local authenticator as a back-up to your main
servers, the access points periodically check the link to the main servers and stop
by using the local authenticator automatically when the link to the main servers is
restored.
Configuring a Local
Authenticator Follow these guidelines when configuring an access point as a local authenticator:
• Use an access point that does not serve a large number of client devices.
When the access point acts as an authenticator, performance can degrade
for associated client devices.
• Secure the access point physically to protect its configuration.
Configuration Overview
You complete four major steps when you set up a local authenticator:
1. On the local authenticator, create a list of access points authorized to use
the authenticator to authenticate client devices. Each access point that uses
the local authenticator is a network access server (NAS).
If your local authenticator access point also serves client devices, you must
enter the local authenticator access point as an NAS. When a client
associates to the local authenticator access point, the access point uses itself
to authenticate the client.
2. On the local authenticator, create user groups and configure parameters to
be applied to each group (optional).
3. On the local authenticator, create a list of up to 50 LEAP users, EAP-
FAST users, or MAC addresses that the local authenticator is authorized
to authenticate.
You don’t have to specify the type of authentication that you want the local
authenticator to perform. It automatically performs LEAP, EAP-FAST, or
MAC-address authentication for the users in its user database.
4. On the access points that use the local authenticator, enter the local
authenticator as a RADIUS server.
IMPORTANT The access point you use as an authenticator contains detailed authentication
information for your wireless LAN so you can secure it physically to protect its
configuration.