Wireless/Redundant Edge Services xl Module Management and Configuration Guide WS.02.xx and greater

5-4
Web Authentication for Mobile Users
Overview
After a station successfully receives an IP address and associates with the
WLAN, the station enters the Web-Auth state. (See Figure 5-2.) In this state,
the station can access only the network devices that you have added to the
Web-Auth Allow list. This list includes the IP address of any device that you
want unauthenticated users to be able to access. (When you add the IP address
of a device to the Allow list, that device is publicly available: it can be accessed
by any user. For more information, see “Allow List” on page 5-8.)
Associating with the WLAN is the first step. A mobile user must then open a
Web browser and attempt to access a valid URL that can be reached through
your company’s network. The Wireless Edge Services xl Module intercepts
this request and redirects the user’s Web browser to the Web-Auth login page,
which prompts the user to enter a username and password.
When the user enters a username and password, the Wireless Edge Services
xl Module submits these login credentials to the RADIUS server. If the
RADIUS server verifies the user’s login credentials, the login attempt is
successful, and the module displays the Web-Auth welcome page. At this
point, the user’s station enters the authentication state, and the mobile user
can access the network resources to which he or she has rights. (You can
control access to network resources through the RADIUS server or through
ProCurve Identity Driven Management [IDM]. For information about
ProCurve IDM, visit the ProCurve Networking Web site at
http://www.procurve.com .)
In addition to reporting that the login was successful, the Web-Auth welcome
page includes a
Disconnect link. When the user no longer needs to access your
company’s network services, he or she can click this link to end the session.
(The
Disconnect link is provided for the user’s convenience. The user does not
need to keep the Web-Auth welcome page open or use this link to disconnect
from your network services.)
If the user enters an invalid username and password, the RADIUS server
denies access, and the Wireless Edge Services xl Module displays the
Web-Auth failed page. In this case, the user’s station remains in the unauthen-
ticated state, and the user can access only the devices that you have added
to the Allow list.