Using RADIUS for Authentication

Remote Authentication Dial In User Service (RADIUS) is a protocol used by SonicWall security appliances to authenticate users who are attempting to access the network. See Using RADIUS for Authentication. The RADIUS server contains a database with user information, and checks a user’s credentials using authentication schemes such as Password Authentication Protocol (PAP), Challenge-handshake authentication protocol (CHAP), Microsoft CHAP (MSCHAP), or MSCHAPv2.

Using RADIUS for Authentication

While RADIUS is very different from LDAP, primarily providing secure authentication, it can also provide numerous attributes for each entry, including a number of different ones that can be used to pass back user group memberships. RADIUS can store information for thousands of users, and is a good choice for user authentication purposes when many users need access to the network.