Wired AutoConfig

General Information

None at this time.

Windows 8

Default Description

The Wired AutoConfig (DOT3SVC) service is responsible for performing IEEE 802.1X authentication on Ethernet interfaces. If your current wired network deployment enforces 802.1X authentication, the DOT3SVC service should be configured to run for establishing Layer 2 connectivity and/or providing access to network resources. Wired networks that do not enforce 802.1X authentication are unaffected by the DOT3SVC service.

Additional Information

None at this time.

Default Startup Type

Service Names

Service Name (registry): dot3svc

Display Name: Wired AutoConfig

Default Path and Command Line Options

C:\Windows\system32\svchost.exe -k LocalSystemNetworkRestricted

Log On As

Account: Local System account

Dependencies

Note: No dependencies are listed for any service in the WDP build I used to draft this information.

Windows 7

Default Description

The Wired AutoConfig (DOT3SVC) service is responsible for performing IEEE 802.1X authentication on Ethernet interfaces. If your current wired network deployment enforces 802.1X authentication, the DOT3SVC service should be configured to run for establishing Layer 2 connectivity and/or providing access to network resources. Wired networks that do not enforce 802.1X authentication are unaffected by the DOT3SVC service.

Additional Information

I include this service in the following group of services:

• CNG Key Isolation
• Extensible Authentication Protocol
• Wired AutoConfig (not required for Wireless Networks)
• WLAN AutoConfig

WLAN AutoConfig, if set to Manual, will not start automatically if you use a hardware switch (such as those on laptops to turn on and off the wireless network card). If you require wireless connectivity on your computer, keep the listed services above on the default values as well as place WLAN AutoConfig into Automatic. If you do not have a wireless card installed on the system, or do not require authentication on your wired network card, the group of services can safely be disabled.

Default Startup Type

Service Names

Service Name (registry): dot3svc

Display Name: Wired AutoConfig

Default Path and Command Line Options

C:\Windows\system32\svchost.exe -k LocalSystemNetworkRestricted

Log On As

Account: Local System account

Dependencies

What service Wired AutoConfig needs to function properly:

• Extensible Authentication Protocol(S, HB, HP, P, U, E)
  • CNG Key Isolation(S, HB, HP, P, U, E)
    • Remote Procedure Call (RPC)(S, HB, HP, P, U, E)
      • DCOM Server Process Launcher (S, HB, HP, P, U, E)
      • RPC Endpoint Mapper (S, HB, HP, P, U, E)
  • Remote Procedure Call (RPC)(S, HB, HP, P, U, E)
    • DCOM Server Process Launcher (S, HB, HP, P, U, E)
    • RPC Endpoint Mapper (S, HB, HP, P, U, E)
• NDIS Usermode I/O Protocol (S, HB, HP, P, U, E)
• Remote Procedure Call (RPC)(S, HB, HP, P, U, E)
  • DCOM Server Process Launcher (S, HB, HP, P, U, E)
  • RPC Endpoint Mapper (S, HB, HP, P, U, E)

What other service require Wired AutoConfig to function properly:

• None (S, HB, HP, P, U, E)

Windows Vista

Default Description

This service performs IEEE 802.1X authentication on Ethernet interfaces.

Additional Information

This service is in the following group of services:

• CNG Key Isolation
• Extensible Authentication Protocol
• Wired AutoConfig
• WLAN AutoConfig

WLAN AutoConfig, if set to Manual, will not start automatically if you use a hardware switch (such as those on laptops to turn on and off the wireless network card). If you require wireless connectivity on your computer, keep the listed services above on the default values as well as place WLAN AutoConfig into Automatic. If you do not have a wireless card installed on the system, or do not require authentication on your wired network card, the group of services can safely be disabled.

Default Startup Type

Service Names

Service Name (registry): dot3svc

Display Name: Wired AutoConfig

Default Path and Command Line Options

C:\Windows\system32\svchost.exe -k LocalSystemNetworkRestricted

Log On As

Account: Local System Account

Dependencies

What service Wired AutoConfig needs to function properly:

• Extensible Authentication Protocol(HB, HP, B, U)
  • CNG Key Isolation(HB, HP, B, U)
    • Remote Procedure Call (RPC)(HB, HP, B, U)
      • DCOM Server Process Launcher (HB, HP, B, U)
  • Remote Procedure Call (RPC)(HB, HP, B, U)
    • DCOM Server Process Launcher (HB, HP, B, U)
• NDIS Usermode I/O Protocol (HB, HP, B, U)
• Remote Procedure Call (RPC)(HB, HP, B, U)
  • DCOM Server Process Launcher (HB, HP, B, U)

What other service require Wired AutoConfig to function properly:

• None (HB, HP, B, U)

Windows XP

Default Description

This service performs IEEE 802.1X authentication on Ethernet interfaces.

Additional Information

New with XP Service Pack 3. If you do not require authentication on your network (most home networks will not), you can safely disable this service.

Default Startup Type

Service Names

Service Name (registry): Dot3svc

Display Name: Wired AutoConfig

Default Path and Command Line Options

C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe -k dot3svc

Log On As

Account: Local System Account

Dependencies

What service Wired AutoConfig needs to function properly:

• Extensible Authentication Protocol Service(H, M, P, T)
  • Remote Procedure Call (RPC) (H, M, P, T)
• NDIS Usermode I/O Protocol (H, M, P, T)

What other service require Wired AutoConfig to function properly:

• None (H, M, P, T)

Additional Reading

• CNG: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb204775(VS.85).aspx
• EAP: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extensible_Authentication_Protocol
• IEEE 802.11: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_802.11
• IEEE 802.1X Authentication: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/802.1x
• VPN: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_private_network