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Can't connect to IPsec VPN in Windows 11

Forum|Forum|4 years ago
December 30, 2021
39 replies
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I wasn't able to connect to an IPsec VPN through FortiClient VPN (7.0.2.0090 free) when updated to Windows 11 (build 22000), SSL VPNs were working fine. When I downgraded to Windows 10 (21h2 build 19044.1415) the IPsec VPN started working again.

This is the error that I got on FortiClient

And this is the log that I exported

12/28/2021 4:02:55 PM	info	sslvpn	date=2021-12-28 time=16:02:54 logver=1 id=96602 type=securityevent subtype=sslvpn eventtype=status level=info uid=19AEBE88942A48F59578C42AA765D590 devid=FCT8003159070034 hostname=DESKTOP-5BJFTJ3 pcdomain=N/A deviceip=192.168.224.1 devicemac=<redacted> site=N/A fctver=7.0.2.0090 fgtserial=FCT8003159070034 emsserial=N/A os="Microsoft Windows 11 , 64-bit (build 22000)" user=bueno msg="SSLVPN service started successfully" vpnstate=  12/28/2021 4:03:04 PM	info	system	date=2021-12-28 time=16:03:03 logver=1 id=96823 type=systemevent subtype=system eventtype=status level=info uid=19AEBE88942A48F59578C42AA765D590 devid=FCT8003159070034 hostname=DESKTOP-5BJFTJ3 pcdomain=N/A deviceip=192.168.224.1 devicemac=<redacted> site=N/A fctver=7.0.2.0090 fgtserial=FCT8003159070034 emsserial=N/A os="Microsoft Windows 11 , 64-bit (build 22000)" user=bueno msg="Checking for updates"  12/28/2021 4:04:26 PM	info	ipsecvpn	date=2021-12-28 time=16:04:25 logver=1 id=96566 type=securityevent subtype=ipsecvpn eventtype=status level=info uid=19AEBE88942A48F59578C42AA765D590 devid=FCT8003159070034 hostname=DESKTOP-5BJFTJ3 pcdomain=N/A deviceip=192.168.224.1 devicemac=<redacted> site=N/A fctver=7.0.2.0090 fgtserial=FCT8003159070034 emsserial=N/A os="Microsoft Windows 11 , 64-bit (build 22000)" user=bueno msg="loc_ip=192.168.100.2 loc_port=500 rem_ip=<vpn-external-ip> rem_port=500 out_if=0 vpn_tunnel=RS IPsec action=negotiate init=local mode=aggressive stage=1 dir=outbound status=success Initiator: sent <vpn-external-ip> aggressive mode message #1 (OK)" vpntunnel="RS IPsec"  12/28/2021 4:04:38 PM	warning	ipsecvpn	date=2021-12-28 time=16:04:37 logver=1 id=96561 type=securityevent subtype=ipsecvpn eventtype=error level=warning uid=19AEBE88942A48F59578C42AA765D590 devid=FCT8003159070034 hostname=DESKTOP-5BJFTJ3 pcdomain=N/A deviceip=192.168.224.1 devicemac=<redacted> site=N/A fctver=7.0.2.0090 fgtserial=FCT8003159070034 emsserial=N/A os="Microsoft Windows 11 , 64-bit (build 22000)" user=bueno msg="No response from the peer, phase1 retransmit reaches maximum count" vpntunnel="RS IPsec" locip=192.168.100.2 locport=500 remip=<vpn-external-ip> remport=500

This is a log exported after a successful connection (in W10)

12/30/2021 8:24:23 AM	info	ipsecvpn	date=2021-12-30 time=08:24:22 logver=1 id=96566 type=securityevent subtype=ipsecvpn eventtype=status level=info uid=19AEBE88942A48F59578C42AA765D590 devid=FCT8003159070034 hostname=DESKTOP-5BJFTJ3 pcdomain=N/A deviceip=<my-external-ip> devicemac=<redacted> site=N/A fctver=7.0.2.0090 fgtserial=FCT8003159070034 emsserial=N/A os="Microsoft Windows 10 , 64-bit (build 19041)" user=bueno msg="loc_ip=192.168.100.2 loc_port=4500 rem_ip=<vpn-external-ip> rem_port=4500 out_if=0 vpn_tunnel=CIEE-RS action=negotiate init=local mode=quick stage=2 dir=outbound status=success Initiator: sent <vpn-external-ip> quick mode message #2 (DONE)" vpntunnel=CIEE-RS

In this log the loc_port and rem_port are different (4500, in the other log it's 500), also the deviceip is my external IP, not a local IP (that doesn't look like an IP that my machine would be using).

I don't know if that's causing the problem, but it's all I can find.

Does anyone have any tips?

FortiClient

Best answer by SkepticSensei

I figured out the issue. It is a Windows 11 Ethernet driver issue.

Wifi connects to VPN, Ethernet via USB to Eth adapter works.

I downgraded to Win10 Realtek 10.54 driver version.

That fixed the issue for me.

Realtek PCIe FE / GBE / 2.5G / Gaming Ethernet Family Controller Software - REALTEK

let me know if this works for anyone else.

Debbie_FTNT

Staff & Editor

Hey jfbueno,

in the non-working snippet, there is this:

msg="No response from the peer, phase1 retransmit reaches maximum count"

that indicates your FortiClient is not getting a response from whatever VPN server it is trying to reach. Can you do the following?
- google "what is my IP" on the client to figure out your public IP
- on the VPN server, capture traffic for that public IP and port 500/4500 (IPSec VPN should start at port 500 and then move to 4500 if NAT is detected, as it should be in your case)
- that should give you some idea where establishing the tunnel breaks down

jfbuenoAuthor

Explorer

Hey, Debbie.

Since this is a third-party VPN where I am an external contractor I will contact them and try to run these tests on the VPN server.

Thanks!

rikasobe

New Member

@jfbueno @Debbie_FTNT We have same problem, but we detect that it only happens when use wired network, with wireless network it works correctly. Did you solve the problem?

Debbie_FTNT

Staff & Editor

Hey rikasobe,

I haven't heard back from jfbueno, and I did not encounter this issue myself, I just offered a troubleshooting suggestion based on the debug output jfbueno provided. If you get the same 'no response from remote peer', that usually indicates that the initial packets get lost somewhere, and I would suggest troubleshooting this as a possible network issue (ie VPN does not reach remote VPN server or response does not make it back).

If you get a different error, you might want to open a ticket with Fortinet Technical Support (if the VPN server is a FortiGate or your FortiClients are managed by EMS) or a new forum post.

Hope that helps!

mdilena

Visitor III

Hi all,

just encountered this issue myself today, I started working for a company that uses forticlient vpn and, under Windows 11 and same build number, it cannot connect through ethernet, while Wi-Fi works correctly.

Did anyone find a solution to this yet, which doesn't require downgrading to Win 10 as I can't do that?

Thank you!

SkepticSensei

Explorer

Downgrade your Ethernet driver to a windows 10 driver.

That worked for me.

armandoa

New Member

I have the same problem. It seems to be a problem with windows 11. Any update? Thanks.

SkepticSenseiAnswer

Explorer

I figured out the issue. It is a Windows 11 Ethernet driver issue.

Wifi connects to VPN, Ethernet via USB to Eth adapter works.

I downgraded to Win10 Realtek 10.54 driver version.

That fixed the issue for me.

Realtek PCIe FE / GBE / 2.5G / Gaming Ethernet Family Controller Software - REALTEK

let me know if this works for anyone else.

jfbuenoAuthor

Explorer

I updated the same machine, got the same problem and this hack really solved it. Thank you!

mdilena

Visitor III

Thanks @SkepticSensei , I just downgraded to 10.54 and everything started working!

BillWabo

Visitor III

Fortinet know the problem.

Fortinet Answer: "...there will be no fix from the forticlient side as this is not a forticlient issue.This issue is with Realtek drivers and a drivers update might fix the issue.To avoid this issue, try not to use the latest Realtek driver, it has the bug, just use the driver that comes with Windows and that should work."

There is a new Driver from Realtek 2023/02/24 version 124.011 , 1125.011 , 1166.011 , 1168.011 and it's not fixed.

I tried to contact Realtek about it... no answer...So good luck to reach Realtek about it!

Windows 10 driver on windows 11 works fine.

gs1

Visitor III

wow... just wasted half a day because of this. thanks @SkepticSensei for the workaround. absolutely crazy that this still is an issue and nobody cares :(

dfeifer

New Member

Just ran in to this problem with a brand new intel AX211 so this is more than just a realtek issue.

Going to have to try setting up a windows native ipsec policy on our 301E to see if ruling out forticlient makes a difference. 2 Lenovo laptops next to each other on the same network. same forticlient version 7.0.8. intel ac9560 connects with no issue. ax211 will not.

I am starting to move my userbase to autopilot and I definitely need the vpn to be dependable and work.

oh, and this is probably the 5th time in the past month or two that I have run in to this. This is just the first time that installing the manufacturers drivers over oem hasn't worked.

sysram

New Member

Hi

We could solve that problem with the Realtek USB GbE Family Controller by Downgrading to the Win10 driver 10.54.

But now I have the same problem with Realtek PCIe GbE Family Controller.
I tried the 10.54 driver, but it did not solve the problem.
I also tried FortiClient 7.0.2, 7.0.7 and 7.0.9 -> always the same problem.
Over WiFi it works perfectly.

Any other idea how to solve it?

dfeifer

New Member

Yea, this is getting really annoying. Especially when you are getting new computers with new hardware that only has windows 10/11 combo drivers available. I swear it is some form of change or update to the IPsec stack that Fortinet isn't taking in to account that doesn't exist in the older drivers. Especially since I am having this issue across multiple vendors. Realtek/Intel/Qualcomm

VincentCA

Visitor III

Yeah, and I'm using Killer wifi network adapter. And just like you, others in my workplace are using other vendors like Realtek/intel/qualcomm...
I don't mind using SSL, but I can't get split tunneling to work with that setup and the Fortinet team couldn't get it to work for me either.

goneriding

Explorer

I thought the driver was our problem but it ended up being Cisco Umbrella Roaming Client. The driver change update would reset the adapter and fix temporarily. I hope this helps someone else.

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