Dell N3200-ON Networking N-Series Switches User Guide version 6.8.0 - Page 249

By default, Dell switches are configured with a method list that contains the methods (in order) 802.1x, MAB as the default methods for all the ports. Dell switches restrict the configuration such that no method is allowed to follow the Captive Portal method, if configured. The authentication manager controls only the order in which the authentication methods are executed. The switch administrator is responsible for implementing the required configuration for the respective methods to authenticate successfully. Authentication Restart Authentication restarts from the first configured method on any of the following events: • Link flap • Authentication fails for all configured methods • Authentication priority (802.1X packet received when a lower priority method is active) 802.1X Interaction By default, 802.1X drops all traffic (other than LLDP/CDP/DHCP/BOOTP) prior to successful 802.1X (or MAB) authentication. If Captive Portal is configured as a method, authentication allows certain traffic types, such as DHCP or DNS, access to the network during the Captive Portal method invocation. Authentication Priority The default authentication priority of a method is equivalent to its position in the authentication list. If authentication method priorities are configured, then methods with the same priority are processed in list order. Authentication priority allows a higher-priority method (not currently running) to interrupt an in-progress authentication of a lower-priority method. Alternatively, if the client is already authenticated, an interrupt from a higher-priority method can cause a client, which was previously authenticated using a lower-priority method, to reauthenticate. For example, if a client is already authenticated using a method other than 802.1X (MAB or Captive Portal) and 802.1X has higher priority than the authenticated method, and if an 802.1X frame is received, then the existing Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting 249