Automatic Authentication

By default, if Web Authentication is enabled, hosts must log in and enter authentication credentials in order to gain access to the network. If a re-authentication period is configured, the host will be asked to re-enter authentication credentials once the re-authentication period ends.

You can configure Web Authentication to authenticate a host when the user presses the Login button. When a host enters a valid URL address, Web Authentication checks the list of blocked MAC addresses. If the host's MAC address is not on the list and the number of allowable hosts has not been reached, after pressing the Login button, the host is automatically authenticated for the duration of the configured re-authentication period, if one is configured. Once the re-authentication period ends, the host is logged out and must enter the URL address again.

Note: Automatic authentication is not the same as permanent authentication. (Refer to Permanently Authenticated Hosts.) You must still specify devices that are to be permanently authenticated even if automatic authentication is enabled.

Syslog messages are generated under the following conditions:

  • Automatic authentication is enabled.
  • Automatic authentication is disabled.
  • A MAC address is successfully authenticated.
  • Automatic authentication cannot occur because the maximum number of hosts allowed has been reached.

In this section:

  1. Configuring Automatic Authentication
Parent topic: Web Authentication Mode Configuration