This feature provides the ability to control access to your IPv4 networks. (This feature does not support IPv6 networks.) You can divide a network into segments for unauthenticated, authenticated and guest users, and the DHCP server assigns clients to the appropriate segment based on their MAC addresses and authentication credentials.

For example, you can divide a network into one or more production segments for valid employees and systems, a guest segment with access only to the Internet and/or limited public servers, and a quarantine segment with access to a captive portal only. A captive portal is a web page that can provide an option to register as an authenticated user or as a guest.

On a member DHCP server, configure DHCP ranges for each access level — quarantine, authenticated, and guest — and create MAC address filters for the DHCP ranges. You can use DHCP options and Access Control Lists (ACLs) on your routers and firewall policies to define the appropriate services for each access level. On another Grid member, configure the captive portal and specify the authentication server group that authenticates the users. You can configure an authentication server group for external servers running RADIUS, LDAP, or Active Directory (AD).

When a DHCP client first sends a request for an IP address, the DHCP server offers an IP address from the quarantine range and directs the client to the captive portal, where the user can register either as an authenticated user or as a guest. When users sign in as guests or are successfully authenticated, the member automatically adds their MAC addresses to the appropriate MAC address filters and assigns addresses out of the appropriate address range.

This section includes the following topics:

Related topic

DHCP Authentication Process

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