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CCNA Network Services and Security Practice Question
Drag and drop the following steps into the correct order to configure AAA with a RADIUS server and 802.1X port authentication on a Cisco IOS-XE switch.
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mistake is omitting the global 'dot1x system-auth-control' command, which is required to enable 802.1X system-wide before configuring interface-level authentication.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Enter global configuration mode and enable AAA globally using the 'aaa new-model' command.
Start by entering global configuration mode and enabling AAA with 'aaa new-model'. Next, create an authentication method list using 'aaa authentication dot1x default group radius' to define the method for 802.1X. Then, configure the RADIUS server parameters using 'radius-server host' and 'radius-server key' so the switch knows where to send authentication requests; note that the method list can reference the 'radius' group even before the server is specified. Finally, enable 802.1X system-wide with the global command 'dot1x system-auth-control' to activate 802.1X globally. This order ensures each prerequisite is met before the next step.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Enter global configuration mode and enable AAA globally using the 'aaa new-model' command.
Why this is correct
This is the first step because 'aaa new-model' enables AAA on the switch, which is required before any AAA configuration can be applied.
- ✓
Configure the RADIUS server parameters using the 'radius-server host' and 'radius-server key' commands.
Why this is correct
This is incorrect because the RADIUS server must be configured after enabling AAA globally, but before creating the authentication method list. However, the correct order places this step after enabling AAA and before creating the method list.
- ✓
Create an authentication method list using the 'aaa authentication dot1x default group radius' command.
Why this is correct
This is incorrect because the authentication method list should be created after the RADIUS server is configured, not before. The method list references the RADIUS server group, so the server must be defined first.
- ✓
Enable 802.1X system-wide using the 'dot1x system-auth-control' global configuration command.
Why this is correct
This is incorrect because applying 802.1X to the interface is the final step, after all AAA and RADIUS configurations are complete. Doing it earlier would result in authentication failures.
Quick reference
AAA Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Port(s) | Encryption | Transport | Primary Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RADIUS | 1812 / 1813 | Password only | UDP | Network access control |
| TACACS+ | 49 | Full packet | TCP | Device administration |
| Diameter | 3868 | Full session | TCP / SCTP | Carrier / mobile networks |
| 802.1X | — | EAP-based | Layer 2 | Port-based access control |
TACACS+ encrypts the entire packet; RADIUS only encrypts the password field — a key exam distinction.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Configuring AAA with TACACS+ and RADIUS on IOS XE
Key term
CAN
A CAN (Controller Area Network) is a robust vehicle bus standard designed to allow microcontrollers and devices to communicate with each other without a host computer.
Key term
AAA
AAA (Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting) is a security framework that controls who can access a network, what they are allowed to do, and tracks what they did.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 200-301 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 200-301 exam.