Patent ID: 6874090

Claim:
A user authentication method for a communication network having a plurality of nodes, the method comprising: entering on a first node first user identification information; transmitting to an authentication agent on a second node communicating with the first node over a LAN link the first user identification information; relaying from the authentication agent to an authentication server the first user identification information; comparing on the authentication server the first user identification information with user identification information in a database of user identification information; and transmitting from the authentication server to the authentication agent, if the first user identification information matches user identification information in the database of user identification information, notification information notifying the authentication agent that a user on the first node has been authenticated whereupon the authentication agent authorizes transmission on the second node of packets in data flows involving the first node, wherein the first user identification information is transmitted to the authentication agent as part of a MAC-based authentication flow between an authentication client on the first node and the authentication agent.