Forticlient VPN (free version) on Android disconnecting issue

[Electron]

We're testing a scan-device (Zebra, Android) for our company. 

We use FortiClient VPN Android, the free version so far.

The software works as expected and we can sucessfully connect and user our application. 

But after a while, the connection gets lost, and we would have to re-connect many times a day. 

Is there any way to stop FortiClient from disconnecting, so it always keeps the connection in the background?

For me the reasons for disconnection might be for example:

- device goes to sleeping-mode and Forticlient VPN because of that disconnetcs in the background. 

- VPN ist unused for a while, since there ist no data-flow and Forticlient VPN because of that disconnetcs in the background. 

Your help is much appreciated!

[sharmar]

Hi there, 

You can do the bulletproofing against random disconnect, this article would be helpful for that : https://community.fortinet.com/t5/FortiClient/Troubleshooting-Tip-Bulletproofing-SSL-and-IPsec-Dial-...

However, using latest FCT for the mobile device is always recommended option. 

Thanks

[Markus_M]

It might well be what you said already, Electron. The Android OS will attempt to conserve battery and may cut off things like FortiClient. See to exempt the application from the OS sleeping settings; you should be able to find that with "sleep" or "deep" in the Android settings, Samsung OS will give you these options under those keywords and in the menu of those settings you can choose to exempt apps from sleeping.

Of course, the result will be, if the connection stays up, that the phone will use more battery.

Another reason I can guess is that if you're on data, not wireless, your cell connection may be unreliable and the FortiClient disconnects. 

Best regards,

Markus

[Electron]

I deactivated all kind of power-saving options I found on the device. The result is the same. Even while the device doesn't go to sleeping mode, after a while I does disconnects. 

I installed FortiClient VPN on my Android mobile device (Xiaomi 13) and I just works perfectly. It never looses connection. 

It seems to be a Zebra hardware / software problem, or the hardware and FortiClient VPN don't really get along together. Is there another VPN-Client I could use instead of FortiClient VPN for testing (all our firewalls of course are Fortigate)?

Your help is much appreciated

[Markus_M]

The Android client is a Zebra device? My tests would then to disable the screen timeout and wait for the disconnection to happen while the screen is on; that'd confirm your suspicion.

Get the Xiaomi into the same wireless network as the Zebra; as said FortiClient may disconnect if the connection isn't reliable. I'm not sure Android has useful logs it produces, that would however give a better idea of the problem.

Alternatively you could use IPsec; FortiGate supports it and as far as I know, Android too (hidden somewhere in the "Connections" menu).

Best regards,

Markus