Thanks for the clarification Jason. Here is what the (WLC) Design and Features 
FAQ says:
 
The User Idle Timeout: When a user is idle without any communication with the 
LAP for the amount of time set as User Idle Timeout, the client is 
deauthenticated by the WLC. The client has to reauthenticate and reassociate to 
the WLC. It is used in situations where a client can drop out from its 
associated LAP without notifying the LAP. This can occur if the battery goes 
dead on the client or the client associates move away.
 
The Session Timeout is the maximum time for a client session with the WLC. 
After this time, WLC de-authenticates the client, and the client goes through 
the whole authentication (re-authentication) process again. This is a part of a 
security precaution to rotate the encryption keys. If you use an Extensible 
Authentication Protocol (EAP) method with key management, the rekeying occurs 
at every regular interval in order to derive a new encryption key. Without key 
management, this timeout value is the time that wireless clients need to do a 
full reauthentication. 
 
I am pulling back the my original suggestion as it was based on older version 
of this document where it said:
The code has been changed for Controller version 4.0, where, if you configure a 
Layer 2 security with static Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP), Cisco Key 
Integrity Protocol (CKIP), or Wi−Fi Protected Access (WPA1+WPA2) PSK, the 
controller automatically sets the session timeout to 0. 
 
Well this is no longer applicable – don’t know exactly when it changed but at 
least is not true in 7.0.116
 
Anyways from all above I would suggest User Idle Timeout is way to go, as WLAN 
Session Timeout applies to all associated clients whether active or not, while 
the User Idle Timeout only to inactive ones.
Of course be aware of the potential issues Jason mentioned.
 
--- On Sun, 7/22/12, Jason Boyers <[email protected]> wrote:


From: Jason Boyers <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [OSL | CCIE_Wireless] Web authentication timeout
To: "Oliver Jancevski" <[email protected]>
Cc: "Manolo Encelan" <[email protected]>, 
"[email protected]" <[email protected]>
Received: Sunday, July 22, 2012, 1:39 PM



Technically, the User Idle Timeout applies to all users.  So, by default, if a 
MAC address doesn't send traffic for 300 seconds, that device is removed from 
the Client list and would require a reauthentication when reconnecting.  You 
can increase that timeout to try to cover the scenario you are describing.  
There are 2 things to keep in mind eith this.  The longer the timeout value, 
the more clients are held in the list.  So, you increase the risk that you will 
max out on clients for the WLC.   Second, iPads (and possibly iPhones) send an 
active deauthentication when they go to sleep or hibernate.  So, they will be 
removed.
As Oliver said, there is also the WLAN Session timeout, which requires a 
reauthentication at the timeout value.  So, adjust that value to also be 
greater than the expected time that the clients will not be on the network.  
This value is for all authentication types, but Open simply continues as is, 
while PSK will negotiate a new PTK at that time (without client intervention.)
Jason Boyers 
On Jul 22, 2012 11:03 AM, "Oliver Jancevski" <[email protected]> wrote:






First, I took liberty to change the subject ;-)
 
Depending what kind of authentication you are using for guest access, there are 
following timers on the WLC itself that you can increase:

1. Open/PSK - User Idle Timeout - (Contoller>General). Default is 5min
 
2. EAP - Session Timeout - (WLAN>Advanced). Default it 30min. In this case the 
shorter of two takes presedence.
 
Aditionally if adding guest user on the WLC verify Guest Account timeout, or 
specific EAP timer on the AAA server.
 
Regards,
Oliver 

--- On Sun, 7/22/12, Manolo Encelan <[email protected]> wrote:


From: Manolo Encelan <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [OSL | CCIE_Wireless] AAA override and HREAP
To: "Victor Platov (viplatov)" <[email protected]>, "Anton L. Vinokurov" 
<[email protected]>, "[email protected]" 
<[email protected]>
Received: Sunday, July 22, 2012, 7:40 AM


Hi all,

Got a quick question regarding the authentication of a user to WLC using the 
web authentication.

Scenario: Using smartphone, customer already connected to the network.  After 
going out for a while and leave the network user will be again asked to 
re-insert his username and password.  

Do we have a way to make the smartphone reconnect to the network without the 
authentication again like a normal laptop?  Tried several times with iphones, 
samsung and blackberry with NO luck.  Tried to check the controller if we can 
tweak.


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