802.1x wired profile

Yes—remove the previous user-authentication wired profile before deploying the new computer-authentication profile.

The conflict is expected when multiple Intune configuration policies target the same wired 802.1X settings. In Intune, if multiple policies configure the same area, conflicts can occur, so all places where the setting was configured should be checked.

Recommended deployment path:

1. Create the new computer-authentication wired profile from a working computer-auth configuration.
   • Export the wired profile XML from a device already configured correctly:

      netsh lan export profile folder=.
   

   • Use the exported XML as the basis for the new profile.
2. Remove or unassign the old user-authentication policy.
   • Do this before broadly assigning the new computer-authentication policy.
   • This avoids both profiles trying to configure the same wired 802.1X settings at the same time.
3. If certificate-based authentication is being used for computer authentication, deploy the required certificate profiles to the same device group.
   • For certificate-based wired profiles, deploy the wired network profile, certificate profile, and trusted root profile to the same groups.
4. Assign the new profile to device groups if moving to computer authentication.
   • Computer authentication is device-based, so device targeting is the appropriate deployment model.
5. Validate on a small pilot group first.
   • Because enforcing 802.1X with incorrect settings can block network access, test on a few devices before wider rollout.

Important caution: If 802.1X is set to Enforce and the new policy does not match the network configuration, the device can lose internet access and may require manual removal of the policy from the device.

Using the same existing policy to switch from user authentication to computer authentication is not the safest approach when the current deployment is already showing conflicts. A clean replacement—old policy removed, new policy deployed—is the safer path.

References:

• Common questions, answers, and scenarios with policies and profiles in Microsoft Intune
• Enable 802.1x wired authentication
• Add and use wired networks settings on your devices in Microsoft Intune
• Add wired network settings for Windows devices in Microsoft Intune