network access server

network access server

A device that functions as an access control point for users in remote locations connecting to a company's internal network or to an ISP. Also called a "media gateway" or a "remote access server" (RAS), a network access server (NAS) may include its own authentication services or rely on a separate authentication server. A NAS may be a dedicated server or a software service within a regular server. See network access control and authentication.

NAS Access Control
A network access server (NAS) often relies on a separate authentication server such as RADIUS or Diameter for obtaining authorization to allow or deny access to the network. See RADIUS and Diameter.