WiFi certification system does not operate in isolation, and it needs to work with the network ' s access equipment to complete it."Identify users and control access"The WiFi certification system is the most common access device in business, hotels, campuses, etc., and its interface with the WiFi certification system directly determines whether authentication works properly and whether strategies are accurate to send out. See how WiFi certification systems interface with AC/BRAS equipment and issues requiring attention during implementation.
Why do you need to get AC/BRAS?
WiFi certification system does not control network traffic directly, it is responsible for authentication and strategy calculations, but actually implements them"Release"or"Reject"It's access.——AC or BRAS. After the user has been connected to WiFi, AC/BRAS reoriented the uncertified traffic to the authentication portal; after the user certification was adopted, the WiFi certification system informed the user that it had released and sent out a bandwidth and time-to-time strategy; when the user went offline, the AC/BRAS recovered network resources. Therefore, there is a need for reliable communication mechanisms between the WiFi certification system and AC/BRAS in order to complete the certification process. The smoothness of the connection directly affects users’ online experience and system stability.
RADIUS standard agreement is the basis for the connection.
WiFi certification system interfaces with AC/BRAS, most commonly RADIUS (tele-certification dial-up user service) agreements. RADIUS is a standard industry accreditation, authorization, billing agreement supported by the majority of AC and BRAS. Through RADIFUS, AC/BRAS sends authentication information from users (user name, password, etc.) to WiFi certification systems, which verify back to authentication results and authorization strategies (bandwidth, time length, VLAN, etc.), while starting to charge fees. The standardization of the RADIUS certification system allows for connecting equipment from different manufacturers without having to develop interfaces separately for each device. It is important to note that the RADIUS attributes are not supported by different manufacturers and their private expansion, and that the interface requires confirmation of whether key properties are interoperable.
Portal reoriented and connected.
In addition to RADIUS certification, the Portal certification site requires AC/BRAS to support Portal re-orientation and Portal protocols. After the user has access to WiFi, AC/BRAS requests that the user's HTTP/HTTPS be redirected to the Portal page of the WiFi authentication system; after the user completes the authentication on Portal, the system informs AC/BRAS about release through Portal. Portal re-direction is the most problematic part of deployment: a wrong re-direction address configuration, an interception by browser of HTTPS and incompatibility with the Portal version of the Protocol will result in authentication pages not pop up or be certified without access to the Internet. Redirection under HTTPS also involves certificate and browser strategies that need special treatment. The combination should be verified gradually by link: whether the re-direction is normal first, whether the authentication is passed and whether the final release is effective.
Multi-producer equipment compatibility
There is often a mix of multi-producer equipment in the actual network, such as AC is another brand, BRAS is another brand, and switchboard is the third brand. WiFi certification systems need to be able to match different manufacturers’ equipment, which depends on good support for standard agreements and suitability for the private characteristics of each manufacturer. Mainstream vendors (Hunging, H3C, Sharp, Cisco, etc.) are usually better connected, but some small producers or older equipment may have compatibility problems. The selection should confirm whether the system supports current network equipment brands and models, requiring manufacturers to provide compatible certificates or field tests where necessary."If you support RADIUS, you'll be able to connect.", the only test of compatibility is actual interconnectivity.
Contact points and common pits
WiFi authentication system interfaces with AC/BRAS, and several common pits require particular attention: first, the RADIUS key is inconsistent and the shared keys of the AC/BRAS and the certification system configuration must be fully aligned or failure to authenticate; second, the IP address configuration error, where the RADIFUS server on the AC/BRAS is configured, must be the actual address of the authentication system; third, Portal recalibration address error, resulting in page popping; fourth, attribute mapping mismatches, such as the uncoupled units of bandwidth properties (Kbps vs Mbps), leading to policy errors; The first call is recommended for basic connectivity tests (ping, port testing), and then for the gradual validation of authentication, authorization, billing.
Sidewalking does not affect the current network
In terms of deployment, WiFi certification systems are usually deployed by side, i.e. the system is connected to a network on a bypass basis and not by serial link to data access roads. Users have no access to the system, only interacting with it when authentication takes place, and AC/BRAS direct release after certification has been adopted. The advantage of side deployment is that no disruption to existing network structures will result in full-network breakdown (a escape strategy could be configured) and deployment and maintenance would be simpler. For old network adaptations, bypass deployments are particularly valuable, and no major changes need to be made to existing networks to introduce authentication capabilities. It is important to note that, under side road deployments, AC/BRAS must support standard Portal and RADIUS agreements, which are prerequisites for side road deployment.
Interface open and expanded
In the long term, WiFi certification systems should also be well-connected and expanded. Besides docking with AC/BRAS, the system may need to interface with AD domain, OA systems, PMS, a cartoon, third party audit platforms, etc. The selection of protocol standards, clear interfaces, and architecture open systems can significantly reduce long-term maintenance costs and subsequent difficulty of matching. System upgrades should support smooth migration and avoid affecting normal authentication during upgrading.
The interface between WiFi certification and AC/BRAS equipment is key to the normal functioning of the entire certification system. Certification authorization billing through RADIUS standard agreements, re-direction and release through Portal protocols, reduced impact on the network by side deployments. Central to this connection is support for standard protocols and detailed interfacing validation. Predeployment confirmation of equipment compatibility, step-by-link validation during alignment, continuous monitoring of the docking status after back-up are essential steps to ensure a stable operation of the system.