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April 12th, 2022 06:00

Radius Problem: Dell N1524P, Software 6.7.1.9.

We are having an issue with Radius usage for both dot1x, and User Authentication.  We have one radius server that handles logging into the switch directly, this performs 2 Factor authentication as given to us by the security team.  The second radius server we want to set up for dot1x.  We are experiencing a problem with whatever type of radius call is used first completely stops the other radius call from taking place.

For example, immediately after a switch reboot, if we try to ssh into the switch first, that call works, but dot1x will fail:

RADIUS: Server Entry is Null or Could not allocate Radius Packet
Link Up: Gi1/0/1

However, if after a switch reboot, we first use dot1x, then ssh authentication will fail:

server Entry is Null or Could not allocate Radius Packet
radiusRequestInfoProcess: Radius server not selected. Request Type: 1 Requestor: 21, USER_MGR
SSH session : Login to the switch is not successful, User ID: Source IP:

Local port: 22

I have tried changing the order of the radius servers in the configuration, removing and re-adding them, and constantly trying different switch firmware.  The only solution is reload to the switch in order to get it to do what is needed at that moment.

aaa authentication login "defaultList" local
aaa authentication login "radius_local" radius local
ip http authentication radius local
ip https authentication radius local
authentication enable
authentication dynamic-vlan enable
dot1x system-auth-control
aaa authentication dot1x default radius
aaa authorization network default radius
radius server auth
name "server1"
usage authmgr
key 7
exit
radius server auth
name "server2"
usage login
key 7
exit
line ssh
login authentication radius_local
exit

Test port:

show running-config interface gi1/0/1

storm-control broadcast action trap
storm-control multicast action trap
spanning-tree portfast
spanning-tree guard root
switchport mode general
authentication host-mode single-host
authentication event fail action authorize vlan 5
authentication event no-response action authorize vlan 5
authentication timer reauthenticate 600
dot1x timeout quiet-period 10
dot1x timeout tx-period 10
authentication order dot1x
authentication priority dot1x
switchport port-security

 

 

 

Moderator

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8.4K Posts

April 12th, 2022 13:00

Coobal,

 

I am researching the issue, but wanted to confirm a couple things with you. 

 

Was this working on a previous version, or is this a new configuration?

If you review this article, where these steps performed?

Lastly, would you confirm if you have anything seperating the Radius servers, as that would be required.


 

8 Posts

April 13th, 2022 04:00

Hello Chris,

A similar article is what I followed initially for switch management. We have that working with MS 2fa authentication on about 30 Dell N1500 switches across my company.  We want to add dot1x as well, using another a second radius server.  I can confirm that it doesn't work with 6.6.0.2 (what is on the majority of the switches, as well as the last three iterations of the released software.  looking through the release notes on 6.7.1.9, i see that this is still an unresolved issue since 6.5.3.6:

Patch Release 6.5.3.6
Description/Summary
Radius server not selected based on usage type, when Radius servers are configured with different group names

User Impact
When using one radius server with type 802.1x and another with type login, authentication occasionally fails.
This is a legacy issue from previous builds.

Workaround

None.
To be fixed in a future release.

Moderator

 • 

8.4K Posts

April 13th, 2022 06:00

Coobal,

 

I apologize for that oversight, I wasn't personally aware of it. If you like you can private message me the svc tag and I can see about pushing this up. 

 

Let me know.

 

 

8 Posts

April 13th, 2022 09:00

Thank you, Chris.  I have sent the private message to you.

Moderator

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8.4K Posts

April 13th, 2022 10:00

Coobal, 

 

I have submitted it, I will let you know what I find as soon as possible. 

 

Thank you. 

 

Moderator

 • 

8.4K Posts

April 19th, 2022 06:00

Coobal, 

 

I apologize, I contacted you via private message a few days ago requesting some logs and other details. Would you look for the message and let me know if you got it, and if you can upload the requested details?

 

Thank you.

 

 

 

 

8 Posts

April 19th, 2022 06:00

Good morning, Chris,

Have you heard anything back from Dell regarding this?

Thank you.

8 Posts

April 19th, 2022 10:00

Hi Chris,

I found your message in my junk folder - i'll get the logs to you.

6 Posts

April 20th, 2022 03:00

Hi Coobal, 

i received feedback from Tech Support - there is an issue with the "name" line in the radius configuration which causes this problem. 

If you remove "name" from all radius server contexts it starts working as expected:

radius server auth
name "server1"
usage authmgr
key 7
exit
radius server auth
name "server2"
usage login
key 7
exit
line ssh
login authentication radius_local
exit

 

 

Benjamin

8 Posts

April 20th, 2022 05:00

Good morning, BenjiShi,

I tested your changes - it worked, until the switch reloaded.  I found out just removing the name (with a "no name" with a copy run start didn't save between reboots. The name would return once the reload completed.  I tested this scenario twice since long power outages are not unheard of here.  I had to remove all radius servers from the config and re-add them without the name option.

 

 

6 Posts

April 20th, 2022 06:00

Hi Coobal, 

i will try to verify that behaviour. When i look at the running config after using  "no name" it shows as: 

radius server auth xx.xx.xx.xx
name "Default-RADIUS-Server"
timeout 20
attribute 6 mandatory
usage login

We deploy aaa settings via ansible and overwriting the name with name "Default-RADIUS-Server" manually also seems to work, even after reboot. So no need to use no name. Would you mind to confirm this?

I'm testing an a N1524 with Firmware Version N1500v6.7.1.9. 

 

8 Posts

April 20th, 2022 07:00

If i get a chance later today, i'll test this out.

17 Posts

March 15th, 2023 02:00

How are people finding this.
I have had the same issue and have just updated to 6.7.1.20, which lists it as fixed yet I still seem to get dot1x going to the wrong server, even after reboot/ and name changes.
If I list the servers the currently selected server is that used with our MFA and our dot1x fails.

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