AD and WLAN authentication

[oneirishpollack]

We currently have a 4402, AD, and an ACS server.

I would really like to authenticate staff/faculty on the employee WLAN using their existing AD accounts.

How hard, easy, or possible is this? Any drawbacks to using Windows AD versus a local DB on the wireless lan controller or the ACS?

What are the big picture steps it it makes sense to do it this way (using AD).

Thanks.

[George Stefanick · Accepted solution]

Big picture -- use AD as your means of authentication of your users within your wireless network.

When doing local accounts on ACS it can be a burden to the admin having to manage ACS account of the users. And when they leave someone will have to disbale their account.

On the WLC you will have limitations and the WLC isnt designed for such a task especially for large deployments. Also if you ever want to do AD radius attributes, you will have the pieces in place to do so in the future with AD.

It is pretty easy to set up. You will create a relationship between your ACS server and your AD. Depending on the version of ACS will depending how its configured, of course.

Almost all enterprises use AD for wireless user authentication.

I hope this helps ...

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