System, method and apparatus for providing multiple access modes in a data communications network
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- at a network access device communicably coupled to a network,sensing a user device coupled to a port of the network access device;
if authentication of a physical address of the user device is successful, determining if the user device supports a protocol used by the network to validate the identity of a user of the user device;
if the user device supports the protocol, validating the identity of the user according to the protocol; and
providing the user device with limited network access if the user device does not support the protocol.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system, method and apparatus for providing multiple access modes in a data communications network includes a network access device having a plurality of input ports, a plurality of output ports, and a switching fabric for routing data received on the plurality of input ports to at least one of the plurality of output ports. Control logic within the network access device is adapted to determine whether a user device coupled to one of the plurality of input ports supports a user authentication protocol used by a host network. If the user authentication protocol is not supported, then the input port to which the network access device is coupled is placed in a semi-authorized access state that limits access to a pre-configured network accessible via the host network.
155 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
at a network access device communicably coupled to a network, sensing a user device coupled to a port of the network access device; if authentication of a physical address of the user device is successful, determining if the user device supports a protocol used by the network to validate the identity of a user of the user device; if the user device supports the protocol, validating the identity of the user according to the protocol; and providing the user device with limited network access if the user device does not support the protocol. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A network access device comprising:
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a switching fabric for routing data received on one or more of input ports of the device to one or more output ports of the device; and control logic configured to; sense a user device coupled to a port of the network access device; if authentication of a physical address of the user device is successful, determine; if the user device supports a protocol used by the network to validate the identity of a user of the user device; if the user device supports the protocol, validate the identity of the user according to the protocol; and provide the user device with limited network access if the user device does not support the protocol. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method comprising:
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at a network access device communicably coupled to a network, sensing a user device coupled to a port of the network access device; authenticating a physical address of the user device; if authentication of the physical address is successful, allowing the user device limited access to a network via the network access device if it is determined that the user device is unable to communicate using a particular user authentication protocol, the user authentication protocol comprising a protocol to validate the identity of a user of the user device; and if the user device supports the user authentication protocol, validating, by the network access device, the identity of the user according to the user authentication protocol. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A network access device comprising:
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a memory; a switching fabric configured to route data received on one or more input ports of the device to one or more output ports of the device; and control logic configured to; sense a user device coupled to a port of the network access device; authenticate a physical address of the user device; if authentication of the physical address is successful, allow the user device limited access to a network via the network access device if it is determined that the user device is unable to communicate using a particular user authentication protocol, the user authentication protocol comprising a protocol to validate the identity of a user of the user device; and if the user device supports the user authentication protocol, validate, by the network access device, the identity of the user according to the user authentication protocol. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification