Standalone MAB Support

Standalone MAC Authentication Bypass (MAB) is an authentication method that grants network access to specific MAC addresses regardless of 802.1X capability or credentials. As a result, devices such as cash registers, fax machines, and printers can be readily authenticated, and network features that are based on authorization policies can be made available.

Before standalone MAB support was available, MAB could be configured only as a failover method for 802.1x authentication. Standalone MAB is independent of 802.1x authentication.

Finding Feature Information

Your software release may not support all the features documented in this module. For the latest caveats and feature information, see Bug Search Tool and the release notes for your platform and software release. To find information about the features documented in this module, and to see a list of the releases in which each feature is supported, see the feature information table.

Use Cisco Feature Navigator to find information about platform support and Cisco software image support. To access Cisco Feature Navigator, go to www.cisco.com/​go/​cfn. An account on Cisco.com is not required.

Information About Configuring Standalone MAB

Standalone MAB

MAC Authentication Bypass (MAB) uses the MAC address of the connecting device to grant or deny network access. To support MAB, the RADIUS authentication server maintains a database of MAC addresses for devices that require access to the network. MAB generates a RADIUS request with a MAC address in the Calling-Station-Id (attribute 31) and with a Service-Type (attribute 6) 10. After a successful authentication, the Auth Manager enables various authorization features specified by the authorization policy, such as ACL assignment and VLAN assignment.

How to Configure Standalone MAB Support

Enabling Standalone MAB

Ports enabled with the Standalone MAB feature can use the MAC address of connecting devices to grant or deny network access. Perform the steps described in this section to enable standalone MAB on individual ports.

Before You Begin

Before you can configure standalone MAB, the device must be connected to a Cisco Secure ACS server and RADIUS authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) must be configured.


Note

Standalone MAB can be configured on devices with switched ports only; it cannot be configured on devices with routed ports.


Note

If you are unsure whether MAB or MAB Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) is enabled or disabled on the switched port, use the default mabor default mab eap commands in interface configuration mode to configure MAB or MAB EAP.

SUMMARY STEPS

    1.    enable

    2.    configure terminal

    3.    interface type slot / port

    4.    switchport

    5.    switchport mode access

    6.    authentication port-control auto

    7.    mab

    8.    end


DETAILED STEPS
     Command or ActionPurpose
    Step 1 enable


    Example: 
    Device> enable
     

    Enables privileged EXEC mode.

    • Enter your password if prompted.

     
    Step 2 configure terminal


    Example: 
    Device# configure terminal
     

    Enters global configuration mode.

     
    Step 3 interface type slot / port


    Example: 
    Device(config)# interface Gigabitethernet 1/2/1
     

    Enters interface configuration mode.

     
    Step 4 switchport


    Example: 
    Switch(config-if)# switchport
     

    Places interface in Layer 2 switched mode.

     
    Step 5 switchport mode access


    Example: 
    Device(config-if)# switchport mode access
     

    Sets the interface type a as nontrunking, nontagged single VLAN Layer 2 interface.

     
    Step 6 authentication port-control auto


    Example: 
    Device(config-if)# authentication port-control auto
     

    Configures the authorization state of the port.

     
    Step 7 mab


    Example: 
    Device(config-if)# mab
     

    Enables MAB.

     
    Step 8 end


    Example: 
    Device(config-if)# end
     

    Exits interface configuration mode and returns to privileged EXEC mode.

     

    Troubleshooting Tips

    The following commands can help troubleshoot standalone MAB:

    • debug authentication

    • debug mab all

    • show authentication registrations

    • show authentication sessions

    • show mab

    Configuration Examples for Standalone MAB Support

    Example: Standalone MAB Configuration

    The following example shows how to configure standalone MAB on a port. In this example, the client is reauthenticated every 1200 seconds and the connection is dropped after 600 seconds of inactivity. 

    Device> enable
Device# configure terminal
Device(config)# interface GigabitEthernet 1/2/1
Device(config-if)# switchport
Device(config-if)# switchport mode access
Device(config-if)# switchport access vlan 2
Device(config-if)# authentication port-control auto
Device(config-if)# mab
Device(config-if)# authentication violation shutdown 
Device(config-if)# authentication timer restart 30 
Device(config-if)# authentication periodic 
Device(config-if)# authentication timer reauthenticate 1200 
Device(config-if)# authentication timer inactivity 600

    Additional References

    Related Documents

    Related Topic

    Document Title

    Cisco IOS commands

    Cisco IOS Master Command List, All Releases

    Authentication commands

    Cisco IOS Security Command Reference

    IEEE 802.1x—Flexible Authentication

    Securing User Services Configuration Library

    MIBs

    MIB

    MIBs Link

    • CISCO-AUTH-FRAMEWORK-MIB

    • CISCO-MAC-AUTH-BYPASS-MIB

    • CISCO-PAE-MIB

    • IEEE8021-PAE-MIB

    To locate and download MIBs for selected platforms, Cisco IOS software releases, and feature sets, use Cisco MIB Locator found at the following URL:

    http:/​/​www.cisco.com/​go/​mibs

    RFCs

    RFC

    Title

    RFC 3580

    IEEE 802.1x Remote Authentication Dial In User Service (RADIUS)

    Technical Assistance

    Description

    Link

    The Cisco Support and Documentation website provides online resources to download documentation, software, and tools. Use these resources to install and configure the software and to troubleshoot and resolve technical issues with Cisco products and technologies. Access to most tools on the Cisco Support and Documentation website requires a Cisco.com user ID and password.

    http:/​/​www.cisco.com/​cisco/​web/​support/​index.html

    Feature Information for Standalone MAB Support

    The following table provides release information about the feature or features described in this module. This table lists only the software release that introduced support for a given feature in a given software release train. Unless noted otherwise, subsequent releases of that software release train also support that feature.

    Use Cisco Feature Navigator to find information about platform support and Cisco software image support. To access Cisco Feature Navigator, go to www.cisco.com/​go/​cfn. An account on Cisco.com is not required.
    Table 1 Feature Information for Standalone MAB Support

    Feature Name

    Releases

    Feature Information

    Standalone MAB Support

    12.2(33)SXI

    15.2(2)T

    This feature grants network access to devices based on MAC address regardless of 802.1x capability or credentials.

    The following commands were introduced or modified: authentication periodic, authentication port-control, authentication timer inactivity, authentication timer reauthenticate, authentication timer restart, authentication violation, debug authentication, mab, show authentication interface, show authentication registrations, show authentication sessions, and show mab.