### Configuring Local User Authentication via AAA
This tutorial will guide you through the steps to configure Local User Authentication using the Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) framework on a Cisco router or switch. AAA is a powerful tool that helps in managing user access to network devices.
#### Prerequisites
- Access to a Cisco device (router or switch).
- Basic understanding of CLI (Command-Line Interface) commands.
- Ensure that you have the necessary privileges to make configuration changes.
### Step 1: Access the Device
First, connect to your device using a terminal emulator (like PuTTY, Tera Term, etc.) and enter privileged EXEC mode.
```plaintext
Router> enable
Router#
```
### Step 2: Enter Global Configuration Mode
From privileged EXEC mode, enter global configuration mode.
```plaintext
Router# configure terminal
Router(config)#
```
### Step 3: Enable AAA
Before configuring local user authentication, you must enable the AAA framework on your device.
```plaintext
Router(config)# aaa new-model
```
### Step 4: Create Local Users
You will need to create local user accounts that will be used for authentication. Use the `username` command to define a new user and assign a password.
```plaintext
Router(config)# username admin privilege 15 secret AdminPassword
Router(config)# username user1 privilege 1 secret User1Password
Router(config)# username user2 privilege 1 secret User2Password
```
In the above commands:
- `admin` is a user with the highest privilege level (15).
- `user1` and `user2` are standard users with a lower privilege level (1).
- The `secret` keyword encrypts the password.
### Step 5: Configure Authentication Method
To use local user accounts for authentication, you need to configure an authentication method list. In this case, we will create a method list that uses local authentication.
```plaintext
Router(config)# aaa authentication login default local
```
This command specifies that the default login authentication method is local, which means it will check the local user database for credentials.
### Step 6: Apply AAA Authentication to Console and VTY Lines
To enforce the AAA authentication you configured, apply it to the console and VTY (Virtual Terminal) lines.
#### Configure Console Line
```plaintext
Router(config)# line con 0
Router(config-line)# login authentication default
Router(config-line)# exit
```
#### Configure VTY Lines
```plaintext
Router(config)# line vty 0 4
Router(config-line)# login authentication default
Router(config-line)# exit
```
The VTY lines are used for remote access (SSH or Telnet), and we are applying the same authentication method to them.
### Step 7: Save the Configuration
To ensure your changes are not lost after a reboot, save the configuration.
```plaintext
Router(config)# end
Router# write memory
```
or
```plaintext
Router# copy running-config startup-config
```
### Step 8: Testing the Configuration
Now that you have configured local user authentication via AAA, it’s time to test it.
1. **Access the Console**: If you are connected via the console, you should be prompted for the username and password.
```plaintext
Username: admin
Password: AdminPassword
```
2. **Access via VTY (SSH/Telnet)**: If accessing remotely, initiate a connection (e.g., using an SSH client) and provide the username and password.
3. **Verify Privileges**: After logging in, you can verify your privilege level using the `show privilege` command.
```plaintext
Router# show privilege
```
### Step 9: Troubleshooting
If you encounter issues:
- Ensure that AAA is enabled by checking with:
```plaintext
Router# show running-config | include aaa
```
- Check your user configurations with:
```plaintext
Router# show running-config | include username
```
- Confirm line configurations for console and VTY lines:
```plaintext
Router# show running-config | section line
```
### Conclusion
By following these steps, you have successfully configured local user authentication via AAA on your Cisco device. This setup enhances the security of your device by controlling user access and leveraging the AAA framework. Always remember to keep user accounts and passwords secure, and regularly review your configurations.
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