Shared Devices & Using M365 Accounts; Authentication Issues w/SSSO After Login

Question

We currently have 10 carts with 32 laptops in each cart. When a teacher brings a cart to the classroom, each student gets a laptop, logs on to the device using his Azure school account, and then launches an apps page with SSSO links to other sites (Canvas, Zoom, FlintAI, M365 apps, etc.). When students try to log in at the same time using these devices, the access points become overwhelmed with authentication issues. Students can use a different cart during the day in a different room, and the same issues will occur on a different access point. Is there a way to configure a policy to use PFT properly so that the authentication part does not flood the Wi-Fi network on that AP/port?

Answer 1

To address the authentication issues you are experiencing with multiple students logging in simultaneously on shared devices, consider implementing the following strategies:

1. Seamless Single Sign-On (SSSO): Ensure that SSSO is properly configured to minimize the number of authentication requests made to the network. This can help reduce the load on access points when multiple devices attempt to authenticate at the same time. SSSO allows users to access applications without needing to enter their credentials repeatedly, which can alleviate some of the authentication traffic.
2. Network Configuration: Review your network configuration to ensure that it can handle the simultaneous connections. This might involve optimizing your Wi-Fi access points and ensuring they are capable of managing high traffic loads. You may also want to consider increasing the bandwidth or adding more access points to distribute the load more evenly.
3. Device Management Policies: Implement policies that manage how devices connect to the network. For example, you could stagger the login times or limit the number of concurrent connections per device to reduce the peak load on the network.
4. Use of Preferred Microsoft Entra Tenant Name: If applicable, configuring the preferred Microsoft Entra tenant name can streamline the sign-in process and reduce the likelihood of authentication errors during peak usage times.
5. Monitoring and Analytics: Utilize network monitoring tools to analyze traffic patterns and identify bottlenecks during peak usage times. This data can help you make informed decisions about network upgrades or changes to authentication strategies.

These strategies can help improve the authentication experience for students using shared devices and reduce the strain on your Wi-Fi network during peak login times.

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References:

• Design authentication and credential strategies
• Configure federated sign-in for Windows devices