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dchan
Staff
Staff
February 12, 2010

Technical Note : How to use "set peer-interface" in Transparent Mode

  • February 12, 2010
  • 0 replies
  • 3199 views
Description
The related KB article "Asymmetrical packet forwarding in Transparent mode" explains that the FortiGate unit should forward asymmetrical packets as long as there is a session match. However, it may occur that the session is not created even if packets can be seen being forwarded from vlanXX_inside to vlanXX_outside.

Diagram
PC1 = 1.1.1.10/24
|
DMZ = 1.1.1.1/24
|
FGT1 (NATmode)
|
WAN2
vlanXX = 2.2.2.1/24
vlanYY = 3.3.3.1/24|
|
TRUNK
|
|
DMZ (VLan interfaces, vlanXX_inside, vlanYY_inside)
|
FGT2 (TP mode)
|
WAN2 (Vlan interfaces, vlanXX_outside, vlanYY_outside)
|
Trunk
|
|
Cisco (L3Switch)
vlanXX= 2.2.2.2/24

vlanYY= 3.3.3.3/24
Debug flow
-----------> NEW SESSION CREATED.
id=20085 trace_id=120 func=resolve_ip_tuple_fast line=2832 msg="vd-root received a packet(proto=1, 1.1.1.10:512->2.2.2.2:8) from vlanXX_inside."
id=20085 trace_id=120 func=resolve_ip_tuple line=2931 msg="allocate a new session-006bbf7a"

-----------> PACKET FORWARDED
id=20085 trace_id=120 func=__if_queue_push_xmit line=208 msg="send out via dev-vlanXX_outside, dst-mac-00:1e:f7:42:1d:80"

-----------> PACKET RETURNS ON vlanYY
id=20085 trace_id=121 func=resolve_ip_tuple_fast line=2832 msg="vd-root received a packet(proto=1, 2.2.2.2:512->1.1.1.10:0) from vlanYY_outside."

-----------> PACKET DROPPED.
When this happens the bridging table will only show the source MAC address binding to the "vlanXX_inside" interface but the destination MAC address is not bound to the "vlanXX_outside" interface.

Scope

FortiGate in Transparent Mode.


Solution
Use the interface setting: "set peer-interface"

For example:
config system interface
edit vlanXX_inside
   set peer-interface vlanXX_outside
next
edit vlanXX_outside
   set peer-interface vlanXX_inside
next
This command will allow the FortiGate unit to select an interface to be used when it cannot find the destination MAC address in the local bridge table. A fuller explanation of this command is given in the CLI guide.

The session problem should be resolved once this command has been entered to bind both vlanXX_inside and vlanXX_outside interfaces.

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Technical Note : Asymmetrical packet forwarding in Transparent Mode

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