Managing Certificates

To configure certificates, take the following steps:

  1. Certificate Signing Request
    • Country name — The two-letter ISO abbreviation of the name of the country
    • State or Province name — The name of the State/Province
    • Locality name (city) — The name of the city
    • Organization name — The name of the organization
    • Organizational Unit name — The name of the unit within the organization
    • Common name — Click the value you want to assign as the common name of the wireless AP (see Credential Parameters for credential parameters and values).
    • Email address — The email address of the organization
      • Key Size — If the email address key size is different from the default value shown, you can change it by selecting a new value from the drop down menu.
  2. Click Generate Certificates. The AP 802.1x Multi-edit progress window is displayed, which provides the status of the configuration process. Once complete, the File Download dialog is displayed.
  3. Click Save. The Save as window is displayed.
  4. Navigate to the location on your computer that you want to save the generated certificate_requests.tar file, and then click Save.

    The certificate_requests.tar file contains a certificate request (.csr) file for each AP.

  5. Do one of the following:
    • For each certificate request, generate a certificate using the third-party Certificate Authentication application. This method produces a certificate for each wireless AP. Once complete, zip all the certificates files (.cer) into one .zip file.
    • Use one of the certificate requests and generate one certificate using the Certificate Authentication application. This method produces one certificate that can be applied to all APs.
  6. Bulk Certificate Upload

  7. Click Browse. The Choose file window is displayed.
  8. Navigate to the location of the file (.zip or .cer), and then click Open. The name of the file is displayed in the PFX, CER or ZIP Archive box.
  9. Click Upload and Set certificates. Once complete, the Settings updated message is displayed in the footer of the Wireless Assistant.

    The 802.1x EAP-TLS authentication configuration is assigned to the APs. The APs can now be deployed to 802.1x enabled switch ports.

  10. PEAP Authentication

    PEAP authentication uses user ID and passwords for authentication. To successfully configure 802.1x authentication of a wireless AP, the AP must first be configured for 802.1x authentication before the AP is deployed on an 802.1x enabled switch port.

  11. In the Username drop-down list, click the value you want to assign as the user name credential:
  12. In the Password drop-down list, click the value you want to assign as the password credential.
    Click to expand in new window

    Credential Parameters

    Parameter Value
    Name The name of the wireless AP, which is assigned on the AP Properties tab. The AP name can be edited.
    Serial The serial number of the AP. This setting cannot be edited.
    MAC The MAC address of the AP. The setting cannot be edited.
    Other Click to specify a custom value. A text box is displayed. In the text box, type the value you want to assign as the user name credential.
  13. To save your changes, click Save.

    The 802.1x PEAP authentication configuration is assigned to the AP. The AP can now be deployed to an 802.1x enabled switch port.