Design a Cisco network around business traffic, physical sites and failure scenarios, with a clear plan for implementation and handover.
Proxar · UK expertise
Wi-Fi and Entra ID authentication
Want staff Wi-Fi without a shared password that everyone knows? We help plan wireless access around your identities and managed devices, including the supporting services needed to make it work.
Entra ID is not a drop-in RADIUS server. The right authentication path depends on your wireless equipment, devices and management setup.
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Check the devices before choosing the method
Cloud-joined, domain-joined and personally owned devices do not always use the same authentication path. Start with how they are managed, the wireless equipment in place and any existing certificate services.
A method that relies on an on-premises computer account may not work unchanged for a cloud-only laptop. Where certificates are used, someone needs to handle issuance, renewal, trust and revocation. Those are continuing responsibilities, not just steps during the initial setup.
Keep staff access separate from exceptions
The design needs to explain the authentication service, supported devices and how profiles and trust settings reach them. It also needs a sensible route for guests and devices that cannot use enterprise authentication.
A meeting-room appliance should not force you to weaken the staff network. Give different device types appropriate connection methods and permissions. Include failure handling, access removal and the services needed to keep authentication working, rather than treating the first successful connection as a finished design.
Employee signing in to use office Wi-Fi with Entra ID authentication · Illustrative image
Test the whole device lifecycle
Check what happens when a device is replaced, a certificate expires or someone leaves. Renewal and removal matter just as much as enrolment. Dependencies on internet access and supporting authentication services should be documented so the helpdesk knows where to look when a connection fails.
Try representative devices before a wider rollout. The test should include receiving the profile, connecting, reaching the right resources and losing access when it is removed. For the wider question of wireless coverage and office layout, see Meraki office designs. Coverage and authentication need to work together, but they are not the same problem.
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“Proxar’s exceptional responsiveness and seamless collaboration with building management and service providers enabled them to deliver a rapid solution that exceeded our expectations.”
Before you decide
Your questions, answered
Can we simply use Microsoft 365 passwords for Wi-Fi?
Do not assume that a Microsoft 365 account alone provides the wireless authentication service. The answer depends on the chosen architecture and supported methods. We need to review devices, wireless equipment and supporting services before recommending how staff should authenticate.
Do cloud-only devices need a different design?
They may. A setup built around on-premises computer accounts cannot be assumed to work unchanged for cloud-joined devices. Review the supported authentication route, device management and any certificate requirements. A pilot with the devices you actually use is more useful than testing only one familiar domain-joined laptop.
What happens when someone leaves the business?
Access removal needs to be part of the design, including any certificates, accounts or device profiles involved. Decide who performs the action and how it is checked. Do not rely on changing a shared password as the only way to control access for an individual.
Can guests and meeting-room devices still connect?
They can be considered through separate access arrangements appropriate to their capabilities and purpose. A guest or appliance should not automatically receive staff permissions. We agree the connection method, permitted resources and lifecycle for each group rather than weakening one network to accommodate everything.
Your next step
Ready to move beyond a shared Wi-Fi password?
Tell us which wireless platform you use and how your devices are joined and managed. We will help identify the authentication options and the supporting work each would need.