MAC Authentication Bypass

OcNOS-SP : Layer 2 Guide : Layer 2 Configuration : MAC Authentication Bypass

MAC Authentication Bypass (MAB) is used for a non-authenticating device (a device without an 802.1X supplicant running on it) connecting to a network with 802.1X enabled. Since there is no supplicant to answer the EAP identity requests from the authenticator (switch, wireless controller, etc.) the authenticator will generate the authentication request for the endpoint using the endpoint's MAC address as the username/password for the Access-Request message.

Note: Multicast address is not accepted for host address of radius-server.

Topology

MAB Topology

Configuration

Switch Configuration for MAC Authentication Bypass (MAB)

Switch#configure terminal	Enter configure mode
Switch(config)#bridge 1 protocol ieee vlan-bridge	Create bridge 1
OcNOS(config)#commit	Commit candidate configuration to be running configuration
Switch(config)#port-security disable	Disable port security
Switch(config)#dot1x system-auth-ctrl	Enable dot1x authentication globally
Switch(config)#auth-mac system-auth-ctrl	Enable MAC authentication bypass globally
Switch(config)#radius-server dot1x host 10.1.1.1 key 0 testing123	Specify the host IP and key with string name between radius server and client.
Switch(config)#commit	Commit transaction
Switch(config)#interface xe0	Configure interface xe0
Switch(config-if)#switchport	Enable switch port on interface.
Switch(config-if)#bridge-group 1	Associate bridge to an interface.
Switch(config-if)#switchport mode access	Configure port as access
Switch(config-if)#dot1x port-control auto	Enable authentication (via Radius) on port (xe0)
Switch(config-if)#dot1x mac-auth-bypass enable	Enable MAC authentication bypass on interface
OcNOS(config)#commit	Commit candidate configuration to be running configuration
Switch(config)#interface xe9	Configure interface xe9
Switch(config-if)#ip address 10.1.1.2/24	Set the IP address on interface xe9
Switch(config-if)#commit	Commit transaction
Switch(config-if)#end	Exit config mode.

Validation

Verify MAB on Switch

Switch#show mab all

Global MAC Authentication Enabled

RADIUS server address: 10.1.1.1:1812

Next radius message id: 4

RADIUS client address: not configured

MAB info for interface xe0

Dot1x timer: Expired

MAB Authentication Enabled

Supplicant name: 00:07:E9:A5:3D:FA

Status: MAC Authorized

Last rejected MAC:

Configuration

MAC Authentication Configuration

Switch#configure terminal	Enter configure mode
Switch(config)#bridge 1 protocol ieee vlan-bridge	Create bridge 1
Switch(config)#port-security disable	Disable port security
Switch(config)#dot1x system-auth-ctrl	Enable dot1x authentication globally
Switch(config)#auth-mac system-auth-ctrl	Enable MAC authentication bypass globally
Switch(config)#radius-server dot1x host 10.1.1.1 key 0 testing123	Specify the host IP and key with string name between radius server and client.
Switch(config)#commit	Commit transaction
Switch(config)#interface xe0	Configure interface xe0
Switch(config-if)#switchport	Enable switch port on interface.
Switch(config-if)#bridge-group 1	Associate bridge to an interface.
Switch(config-if)#switchport mode access	Configure port as access
Switch(config-if)#auth-mac enable	Enable MAC authentication on interface
OcNOS(config)#commit	Commit candidate configuration to be running configuration
Switch(config)#interface xe9	Configure interface xe9
Switch(config-if)#ip address 10.1.1.2/24	Set the IP address on interface xe9
Switch(config-if)#commit	Commit transaction
Switch(config-if)#end	Exit config mode.

Note: When AUTH-MAC is enabled on the interface MAC-AUTH bypass cannot be enabled and vice-versa.