Setting The Switch-To-Client Frame-Retransmission Number; Enabling Multiple Hosts - Cisco 4500M Software Manual

Chapter 31 Understanding and Configuring 802.1X Port-Based Authentication

Setting the Switch-to-Client Frame-Retransmission Number

In addition to changing the switch-to-client retransmission times, you can change the number of times
that the switch sends EAP-Request/Identity and other EAP-Request frames to the client before restarting
the authentication process. The number of EAP-Request/Identity retransmissions is controlled by the
dot1x max-reauth-req command; the number of retransmissions for other EAP-Request frames is
controlled by the dot1x max-req command.
You should change the default values of these commands only to adjust for unusual circumstances such
Note
as unreliable links or specific behavioral problems with certain clients and authentication servers.
To set the switch-to-client frame-retransmission numbers, perform this task:
Command
Step 1
Switch# configure terminal
Step 2
Switch(config)# interface
interface-id
Step 3
Switch(config-if)# dot1x max-req
count
or
Switch(config-if)# dot1x max-req
count
Step 4
Switch(config)# end
Step 5
Switch# show dot1x all
Step 6
Switch# copy running-config
startup-config
To return to the default retransmission number, use the no dot1x max-req and
no dot1x max-reauth-req global configuration command.
This example shows how to set 5 as the number of times that the switch retransmits an
EAP-request/identity request before restarting the authentication process:
Switch(config)# dot1x max-reauth-req 5

Enabling Multiple Hosts

You can attach multiple hosts to a single 802.1X-enabled port as shown in
In this mode, only one of the attached hosts must be successfully authorized for all hosts to be granted
network access. If the port becomes unauthorized (reauthentication fails or an EAPOL-logoff message
is received), all attached clients are denied access to the network.
OL-6696-01
Purpose
Enters global configuration mode.
Enters interface configuration mode and specifies the interface to be
enabled for max-reauth-req and/or max-req.
Specifies the number of times that the switch retransmits an EAP-request
frame of a type other than EAP-request/identity to the client before
restarting the authentication process.
Specifies the number of times that the switch retransmits an
EAP-request/identity frame to the client before restarting the
authentication process.
The range for count is 1 to 10; the default is 2.
Returns to privileged EXEC mode.
Verifies your entries.
(Optional) Saves your entries in the configuration file.
Software Configuration Guide—Release 12.2(25)EW
How to Configure 802.1X
Figure 31-4 on page 31-11.
31-21