FortiGate
FortiGate Next Generation Firewall utilizes purpose-built security processors and threat intelligence security services from FortiGuard labs to deliver top-rated protection and high performance, including encrypted traffic.
rsondal
Staff
Staff
Article Id 275149
Description

This article describes why SSL VPN fails at 10% due to an issue with the network connection to the FortiGate.

Scope FortiGate.
Solution
  1. If the SSL VPN is behind NAT, it will fail at 10%. For this issue, it is necessary to do a port forwarding rule for the SSL VPN port and point it to the FortiGate WAN interface IP on the ISP modem. See Technical Tip: SSL VPN behind NAT for more information on this.
  2. Verify that internet connectivity is working on the remote user's end:

 

1.JPG

 

  1. Verify to be able to telnet the SSL VPN server IP on the SSL VPN port on the remote system.

 

2.JPG

 

  1. Verify that the SSL VPN configuration on FortiClient is correct:

 

3.JPG

 

  1. Verify the external public IP is not getting denied by the firewall locally in the policy. Check the screenshot below for how to locate the local in policy on FortiGate:

 

4.JPG

 

  1. Verify to use the server certificate in SSL VPN settings in FortiGate:

 

5.JPG

 

  1. Verify that there is a firewall policy with an Interface and an SSL VPN tunnel interface:

 

6.JPG

 

  1. Verify there is no open VIP for all the ports on the firewall with the same external IP, and also no VIP with a forward port to the same SSL VPN port:

 

7.JPG

 

8.JPG

 

  1. Sometimes, if a source address is defined in the SSL VPN settings and the Source negate option is enabled in the VPN setting on the CLI, then the process will also fail at 10%. Disabling source-address-negate will make it pass this 10% fail error.

                

config vpn ssl setting

    set source-address-negate disable

end

 

  1. Verify the setting 'Restrict access' is set to 'Allow access from any host'. If it is set to 'Limit access to specific host', Verify the client's public IP is allowed.

 

Screenshot 2024-12-17 092021.jpg

 

  1. If FortiGate is operating in NGFW policy-based mode and no SSL VPN process is found when running 'diagnose sys tcpsock | grep ssl', the issue could be with a missing SSL Inspection & Authentication policy as per the following article: Technical Tip: SSL VPN is not working when FortiGate is on NGFW Policy-based.

  2. Verify that the SSL VPN is enabled.
     enable.PNG

     

  3. If the remote gateway is a DDNS domain, ensure that the hostname is being resolved to the correct public IP. Check it using nslookup via Command Prompt. If the DDNS configured in the FortiGate resolves to the firewall's old public IP, which has been updated already, refer to this KB article: Troubleshooting Tip: FortiGuard DDNS IP update fails.

  4. If the virtual interface (for example, ssl.root when SSL VPN is configured on the root VDOM) is down, users will experience connectivity failures. Ensure that the virtual interface status is set to 'up'. This setting is visible in the CLI, and by default, the status is 'up'.

config system interface

    edit "ssl.root" 

        set vdom "root"

        set status down
        set type tunnel
        set alias "SSL VPN interface"
        set snmp-index 14

    next

end

 

 

All these reasons can cause SSL VPN to fail at 10%. Verify all these are correct, and if it still does not work, feel free to open a TAC support case if it requires any further help.

 

Related article: 

Troubleshooting Tip: SSL VPN Troubleshooting