I've cross checked the knowledge base multiple ways on this issue, and I'm can't tell if this is a setting or a firmware issue or just hard coded.
Firmware is 7.2.11 on a Fortigate 80e
I use the CLI console from the GUI often. Mainly I use it to SSH to switches and work in that manner. I do this because of company policies. But there is a very annoying feature that I can't seem to resolve. If the CLI Console in the GUI is idle for 50 seconds, I lose my connection. I have to press enter to start again. This can be very annoying when I'm connected to another device and trying to work. I've confirmed this with a stop watch and it will end the session 50 seconds after typing has stopped.
Is there a setting for this? Or was this just poor thinking by the engineers?
I think it's on the switch side you're SSHing into. Have you compared with a direct SSH into the same switch (not from the FGT but from your machine routed through the FGT)? I think it would still time out in 50 sec on idle.
Toshi
Created on 09-10-2025 06:49 AM Edited on 09-10-2025 06:52 AM
No its not. I sat at the command prompt without connecting to anything. And 50 seconds later, it kicked me out.
Edit: I further tested by entering commands for 1 minute then stopped. And at 1:50 I was kicked off. So I confirmed its a 50 second idle timer on the CLI Console.
Created on 09-10-2025 08:17 AM Edited on 09-10-2025 08:18 AM
Generally console timer is separated from SSH session timer, like cisco switches.
Toshi
I understand. But can anyone confirm the 50 seconds is hard coded into the FortiOS and there is no setting option for it?
At least it doesn't happen to my home 40F with 7.4.8. I SSHed into Cisco CBS350.
you can try set via Gui
Setting= > Idle time out
you can set 1 to 480 Minute
That was the first place I looked but its already set to 60 minutes.
Besides, if that timer times out, it would kick off the admin user from the GUI. And the user need to re-log in to the GUI.
This issue does not happen to me on the same platform and OS (FortiGate-80E v7.2.11,build1740). The remote session is maintained active until the time-out expired on the remote-host.
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