Technical Tip: How to fix the issue of FortiClient losing its connection when switching users on a shared computer

To address this issue, it is needed to adjust the configuration related to user verification and invitation codes in FortiClient EMS.

Solution Steps

1. Disable User Verification:

In FortiClient EMS, ensure that the invitation code used does not have any user verification method enabled. This means setting the verification type to 'None'.
This configuration allows FortiClient telemetry to remain connected to EMS regardless of which user logs in.

Go to 'Endpoints -> Invitations', add or edit an invitation code, and mark the option 'None' at the 'Verification Type' option.

Example on the picture below:

2. Use Bulk Invitation Code:

Create a new invitation code and select 'Bulk' as the type. This allows multiple users to connect using the same code without requiring individual verification.
Ensure that the invitation code is configured with 'Verification Type: None' to avoid requiring user authentication.

3. Configure EMS Settings:

Navigate to the EMS server settings and ensure that 'Enforce invitation-only registration for' is set to 'None', to allow connections without an invitation code.
This setting can be found under 'System Settings -> EMS Settings'.

Additional Considerations:

Persistent Connection:

Ensure that the 'Use persistent connections' option is enabled in EMS settings. This allows FortiClient to maintain a connection without renegotiating the TLS connection at every keep-alive interval.

Notes: This feature requires FortiClient 7.2.1 and EMS 7.2.1. If either FortiClient or EMS is on a version older than 7.2.1, FortiClient and EMS establish a non-persistent connection.

Shared Environment:

In environments where computers are shared among multiple users, it is crucial to avoid configuring any user specific verification to ensure seamless connectivity.

By following these steps, it will be possible to maintain a persistent connection for FortiClient across different user logins on the same computer.