Would you like to learn how to configure an APC UPS to use Freeradius as the authentication server? In this tutorial, we are going to show you how to authenticate the APC UPS users using a Freeradius server installed on a computer running Ubuntu Linux.

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Tutorial - FreeRadius Server Installation on Ubuntu Linux

• IP - 192.168.15.10
• Operacional System - Ubuntu 19
• Hostname - FREERADIUS

On the Linux console, use the following commands to install the FreeRadius service.

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Now, we need to add FreeRadius clients to the clients.conf;.

Locate and edit the clients.conf.

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Add the following lines at the end of the clients.conf file.

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In our example, we are adding 1 client device:

The device was named APCUPS and has the IP address 192.168.15.11.

Now, we need to add FreeRadius users to the USERS configuration file.

Locate and edit the Freeradius users configuration file.

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Add the following lines at the end of the file

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In our example, we are adding 2 user accounts.

The user account named Admin will have administrative permission over the APC UPS.

The user account named Bruno will have read-only permission over the APC UPS.

Restart the Freeradius server.

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Test your radius server configuration file.

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You have finished the Freeradius installation on Ubuntu Linux.

Freeradius Authentication Test

Test your radius authentication locally using the following commands:

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Here is the command output:

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As you can see, the username Bruno will receive read-only permission on the APC UPS web interface.

Test the user account named Admin.

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Here is the command output:

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As you can see, the username Admin will receive Administrative permission on the APC UPS web interface.

APC UPS - Radius Authentication on FreeRadius

First, we need to access the APC UPS web interface.

Open your browser and enter the IP address of the APC UPS.

On the login screen, use the default username and default password.

• Default Username: apc
• Default Password: apc

APC UPS Web interface

After a successful login, you will be sent to the APC UPS Dashboard.

APC UPS Dashboard

Access the Configuration menu, access the Security menu.

Access the Remote users menu and select the Radius option.

apc radius menu

Select the primary Radius server.

apc radius server

On the RADIUS Server settings area, perform the following configuration:

• Radius Server - 192.168.15.10
• Port - 1812
•  Secret - The Radius Client shared secret (kamisama123)
•  Reply Timeout - 1 Second

You need to change IP address of the Radius server.

You need to change the secret.

To test the Radius authentication, select the test option and enter a user account from the Freeradius server.

apc radius authentication

After testing the Radius authentication successfully, select the Skip test and apply option.

apc radius authentication configuration

Access the Configuration menu, access the Security menu.

Access the Remote users menu and select the Authentication option.

apc radius authentication menu

Select the option: Radius, then local authentication option.

Click on the Apply button to finish the Radius authentication configuration.

apc radius authentication method

First, the UPS will try to authenticate the users using the Radius server.

If the Radius server is offline, the system will authenticate using the local user accounts.

Congratulations! You have configured the UPS authentication to use the FreeRadius database.

APC UPS - Radius Authentication Test

After finishing the Radius configuration, you should log off the APC web interface.

Try to login using the admin user and the password from the Freeradius database.

On the login screen, use the admin user and the password from the FreeRadius database.

• Username: admin
• Password: Enter the FreeRadius password.

APC UPS Web interface

If your test succeeds, you will be sent to the APC UPS Dashboard.

APC UPS Dashboard

Congratulations! Your APC UPS Radius server authentication on FreeRaadius was sucessfully configured.