User Authentication

Planned for general release in the first quarter of 2000, KarlNet's ISP Base Station and Firewall products will have support for username and password authentication of wireless users to a centralized RADIUS server.

Similar functionality is currently available in our firewall product, with username and password lists stored in the firewall itself. KarlNet is now extending that capability in its wireless products to centralize the password list in RADIUS servers, the de facto standard for ISP's worldwide for user authentication.

For the wireless products, the ISP Base Station and remote client determine at radio connection time whether to accept connections to each other using the System Access Pass Phrase. After this initial connection, the user opens a login program stored on their computer and enters their username and password. The login program sends its username and CHAP password to the Base Station, which queries the RADIUS server with the user's login name and password. The RADIUS server forms a reply based on the username, CHAP password, and other configuration information stored in its database, and the Base Station accepts or kills the connection depending on the reply.

Wireless user authentication by username and password can be used in conjunction with other authentication mechanisms, including wireless station authentication by MAC Address.