RADIUS Server - Wireless Authentication NPS on Windows 2019
Network access control software
Network security software
- Features
- Ease of use
- Ease of management
- Quality of support
- Affordability
- Market presence
Take the quiz to check if RADIUS Server - Wireless Authentication NPS on Windows 2019 and its alternatives fit your requirements.
Contact the product provider
Free Trial
Free version unavailable
Small
Medium
Large
- Education and training
- Public sector and nonprofit organizations
- Banking and insurance
What is RADIUS Server - Wireless Authentication NPS on Windows 2019
RADIUS Server - Wireless Authentication NPS on Windows 2019 refers to using Microsoft Network Policy Server (NPS) on Windows Server 2019 to provide RADIUS-based authentication, authorization, and accounting for Wi‑Fi and other network access services. It is typically used by IT teams to enforce 802.1X/EAP authentication against Active Directory and apply network policies for users and devices. The solution is commonly deployed on-premises and integrates with Windows Server roles and certificate services for EAP-TLS/PEAP scenarios.
Native Windows and AD integration
NPS integrates directly with Active Directory for user and group-based authorization without requiring third-party identity connectors. It supports common enterprise Wi‑Fi authentication methods such as PEAP and EAP-TLS when paired with a PKI. This makes it a practical fit for organizations standardizing on Windows Server and AD for identity and access control.
Standards-based RADIUS and 802.1X
NPS implements RADIUS and works with a wide range of wireless controllers, access points, and VPN/network devices that support 802.1X. It can centralize authentication and policy decisions across multiple network access devices. This standards alignment helps reduce vendor lock-in at the network edge compared with proprietary access control mechanisms.
Policy-driven access control
NPS provides Network Policies and Connection Request Policies to control who can connect, from where, and using which authentication methods. It can apply constraints based on AD groups, NAS identifiers, time of day, and other RADIUS attributes. It also supports RADIUS accounting logs that can be forwarded to SIEM or log management tools for audit trails.
Limited endpoint posture capabilities
NPS focuses on authentication and authorization and does not provide broad device posture assessment, remediation workflows, or deep device visibility on its own. Organizations that need continuous device compliance checks typically require additional endpoint management or NAC tooling. This can make it less suitable for environments seeking unified access control plus device health enforcement.
Operational complexity for certificates
Secure enterprise Wi‑Fi deployments often require certificate lifecycle management (server certificates and, for EAP-TLS, client certificates). Designing PKI, automating enrollment, and handling renewals and revocation adds administrative overhead. Misconfiguration of EAP methods, trust chains, or RADIUS shared secrets can lead to difficult-to-troubleshoot authentication failures.
Windows Server dependency and scaling
NPS runs on Windows Server and inherits Windows patching, hardening, and availability requirements. High availability typically requires multiple NPS servers, load distribution, and careful configuration consistency across nodes. Compared with some cloud-managed access control offerings, this increases infrastructure management and may limit rapid multi-site rollout without additional automation.
Plan & Pricing
| Plan | Price | Key features & notes |
|---|---|---|
| Essentials | Not listed on Microsoft official site (pricing via Volume Licensing / resellers) | Small-business edition; includes Network Policy Server (NPS) when NPAS role is installed; evaluation available (180-day). |
| Standard | Not listed on Microsoft official site (pricing via Volume Licensing / resellers) | Core-based licensing (sold in 2-core packs); requires Windows Server CALs; minimum of 16 core licenses per server; includes NPS as a built-in role (Network Policy and Access Services). |
| Datacenter | Not listed on Microsoft official site (pricing via Volume Licensing / resellers) | Core-based licensing for highly virtualized datacenters (unlimited VMs); requires Windows Server CALs; includes NPS as a built-in role. |
Notes:
- Microsoft does not publish a separate SKU price for "Network Policy Server (NPS)" — it is included in Windows Server and is licensed via the Windows Server edition you deploy.
- Microsoft directs customers to contact a reseller or Microsoft representative for specific Windows Server 2019 pricing; pay-as-you-go (Azure/Arc) offers per-core rates on Microsofts Windows Server pricing page.
Seller details
Microsoft Corporation
Redmond, Washington, United States
1975
Public
https://www.microsoft.com/
https://x.com/Microsoft
https://www.linkedin.com/company/microsoft/
