802.1x Wireless

Question

When we use 802.1x for wired we can choose the authentication will be based on 'user' or 'computer' or 'user or computer'. But for wireless why there no option like that?

Answer 1

Wireless does have that capability in Windows 802.1X profiles.

For 802.1X profiles, the Authentication Mode setting supports:

• User or computer authentication
• Computer authentication
• User authentication
• Guest authentication

In Windows, machineOrUser is the default for 802.1X.

For wireless specifically, Microsoft’s wireless deployment guidance also describes the same client authentication choices in wireless network policies:

• User re-authentication: uses computer credentials before sign-in, then user credentials after sign-in
• Computer only
• User authentication

So the option is not unique to wired 802.1X. Wireless supports equivalent authentication modes as well.

If the option is not visible in a particular UI, that is a limitation of that management interface or profile type, not a limitation of 802.1X wireless itself.

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• Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) for network access
• Wireless Access Deployment Planning