Avaya Wireless AP-3 User Manual

Avaya Wireless AP-3 User’s Guide                                                                                 4-97

IEEE 802.1x is a standard that provides a means to authenticate and 
authorize network devices attached to a LAN port. A port in the context of 
IEEE 802.1x is a point of attachment to the LAN, either a physical 
Ethernet connection or a wireless link to an Access Point. 802.1x requires 
a 

 server and uses the Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) 

as a standards-based authentication framework, and supports automatic 
key distribution for enhanced security. The EAP-based authentication 
framework can easily be upgraded to keep pace with future EAP types.

Popular EAP types include:

EAP-Message 
Digest 5 (MD5)

Username/Password-based authentication; 
does not support automatic key distribution

EAP-Transport 
Layer Security (TLS)

Certificate-based authentication (a 
certificate is required on the server and 
each client); supports automatic key 
distribution