Questions on Routing and Networks

[justin0530]

Can anyone help me solve the following; I am curious about how routers use "logging" systems to authenticate when someone is on the network. Does this vary between different vendors, or is there a universal protocol that vendors today use for "authenticating" different devices on the LAN?

Thanks

 

[Lexluethar]

Tracking is usually done locally on the router using simple text files or if secure, an encrypted text file. Higher end routers can be setup to forward logs to other servers / pc's or be setup for NAP which can send authentication requests to a NAP server which will then allow or deny the credentials.

 

[justin0530]

So is a "log" the same thing as a "packet", and how does the router register those packets? I'm also wondering...how does a network controller interact with packets sent via IP/ethernet from a device? Does the network controller directly communicate with the router once the packet is received and granted access or does it communicate via some type of API or gateway?

Thanks