In Eric Geier’s “Discovering the Advanced Client Settings of 802.1X,” the author breaks down an overview of the nature and attributes of 802.1X authentication, which is necessary to connect with most networks. The primary crux of the article is to showcase for the reader advanced client settings that go beyond simply entering a and password, particularly as they are found in the GUI of Windows. Most of this relates to the PEAP Properties able to be found and manipulated within Windows, which allows users to validate server certificates, connect to certain servers, prevent users from authorizing new servers, enable Fast Reconnect, Identity Privacy, and Network Access Policy Protection services, and more. These settings also allow the user to select trusted root certificate authorities, disconnect the user if serves do not present cryptobinding TLVs and so on. The article itself serves as an instructive guide to unlocking the more advanced settings for 802.1X authorization in Windows, allowing users to divide their authentications between user, computer and guest. The article also discusses enabling WPA2 security methods to activate Fast Roaming settings for 802.11 authentications.
This article is extremely closely related to the topic of Port-Based Access Control (802.1X) in Chapter 5. While the chapter itself instructs us on exactly how 802.1X authentication works, Geier’s article instructs readers on the ways in which to implement these features through the context of a Windows GUI. With these advanced settings tips, we are better able to fend off attackers who wish to hijack our Internet and seize our information, which is pointed out to be the primary purpose of port-based access control. Presumably, all of the advanced settings determine how your computer interacts with the authenticator and authentication server mentioned in the chapter. While the chapter notes that switch cost, consistency, reduced management cost and rapid changes are the four major benefits that a central authentication server can provide, Geier showcases the ways in which you can bring about those benefits through simple changes in network settings through your Control Panel in Windows. By offering more gearchecks and protective measures for users to further complicate access from outside, 802.1X authentication advanced settings allow the user to better protect themselves from privacy invasion, data theft, and more.
Geier’s article itself is largely instructive rather than relaying news; instead of All of these contribute to the reader/user having a much greater grasp of the capabilities of 802.1X settings that are more advanced than they may realize from the default settings created for a more user-friendly experience. While those are shown to be perfectly valid for most users, those who want to customize their authentication settings in a regular desktop or laptop setting are able to do so effectively with the content of this article. Geier helpfully provides in-depth, lengthy explanations of each advanced PEAP (Protected EAP) setting, as well as where to find them. While I was aware of the generalized 802.1X settings available in Windows up to this point, the article itself was tremendously helpful in illuminating the different options available to me, and why exactly they would benefit me. While this article is more generally informative than analytical, not exactly shedding light on a new issue, it serves its own purpose well as a means to arm otherwise casual computer users with more ways to customize their experience.
Works Cited
Geier, Eric. “Discovering the Advanced Client Settings of 802.1X.” WindowsNetworking.com.
