When VLAN tagging is configured per user, multiple users can be associated to the same SSID, but their traffic is tagged with different VLAN IDs. This configuration is achieved by authenticating wireless devices or users against a customer-premise RADIUS server, which can return RADIUS attributes that convey the VLAN ID that should be assigned to a particular user’s traffic.
In order to perform per-user VLAN tagging, a RADIUS server must be used with one of the following settings:
MAC-based access control (no encryption)
- WPA2-Enterprise with 802.1x authentication
A per-user VLAN tag can be applied in 3 different ways:
- The RADIUS server returns a Tunnel-Private-Group-ID attribute in the Access-Accept message, which specifies the VLAN ID that should be applied to the wireless user. This VLAN ID could override whatever may be configured in the MCC (which could be no VLAN tagging, or a per-SSID VLAN tag). To have this VLAN ID take effect, “RADIUS override” must be set to “RADIUS response can override VLAN tag” under the Configure tab on the Access Control page in the “VLAN setup” section.
- The RADIUS server returns a group policy attribute (e.g., Filter-ID) in the Access-Accept message. The group policy attribute specifies a group policy that should be applied to the wireless user, overriding the policy configured on the SSID itself. If the group policy includes a VLAN ID, the group policy’s VLAN ID will be applied to the user.
- On the Client Details page, a client can be manually assigned a group policy. If the group policy includes a VLAN ID, the group policy’s VLAN ID will be applied to the user.