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Prasanna27
Prasanna27
New Member
August 1, 2025
Question

Configuring FortiLink and how this can be managed from firewall

  • August 1, 2025
  • 2 replies
  • 780 views

Team,

I need a clarification on how this fortilink can be used. I have fortigate rugged series 70F model. It has 4 Lan ports and 2 WAN Ports with FortiOS 7.0.11. In my case, HA configuration is required. For this, 2 ports can be utilized. As per customer's requirement 16 Channels I have to consider in Rugged series firewall. Since it has port limitations thought of using Fortilink as port extension. 

Use cases:

1. Whether these add on switch FSR-424F-POE will act as firewall.

2. How this can be configured?

3. How will this handle failover?

 

Any inputs would be appreciated!!!

2 replies

AEK
SuperUser
AEK
SuperUser
August 3, 2025

Hi Prasanna

 

The FortiSwitch will not act as firewall strictly speaking, but it will forward all inter-VLAN traffic to the FortiGate (through FortiLink) for filtering by the FGT itself, via the configured firewall rules.

 

For redundancy you connect the FortiSwitch to both HA nodes.

If you have one single switch then you need minimum two cable, like this example:

  • FGT1/port1 --- FSW/port23
  • FGT2/port1 --- FSW/port24
  • In this case your FortiLink is composed by only one port (port1 in this example)

In case FGT1 goes down, FGT2 will be the primary and will manage the FortiSwitch automatically.

Hope it helps.

AEK
    Prasanna27
    Prasanna27Author
    New Member
    August 4, 2025

    Thanks, it helps a lot. Please share if you have any reference link and document to configure and test

    ebilcari
    Staff
    ebilcari
    Staff
    August 4, 2025

    For configuration you can refer to this section of the FortiLink Guide, the topology section and the community articles like this one.

    Emirjon
      Rhill
      Rhill
      Explorer
      August 4, 2025

      Hello Prasanna27,

       

      If you are just looking for a way to utilize that fortilink port as a regular port, go into the Interfaces section, select fortilink, and hit "x" next to the port to remove it from fortilink.  Then you can use that port interface for whatever you need. 

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