Authentication

Authentication is the process of identifying an individual, usually based on a username and password. Authentication is based on the idea that each individual user will have unique information that sets him or her apart from other users.

When a NAS receives a connection request from a user, it authenticates the request by sending an authentication request to its RADIUS server. The request packet contains information used to identify the user and to describe the type of connection the user is trying to establish.

When authentication information a user has provided (e.g. his password) is correct, a RADIUS server is able to authenticate a connection request and returns authentication response accepting the user.

When a RADIUS server is unable to authenticate a connection request, it returns a response to its client (the NAS) rejecting the user. This makes the NAS to terminate access negotiations.

If initial authentication conditions are met, but additional input is needed from the user, the RADIUS server returns a challenge packet to its client (the NAS). So the NAS will prompt the user for more authentication data and provide it to the server until the server makes decision either to accept or reject the user.

ClearBox Server has built-in support for ASCII, PAP, CHAP, MS-CHAP, MS-CHAPv2, ARAP, EAP-MD5 and SIP-Digest.

See how to set authentication settings.