VPN disconnects by Screensaver or screen lock

[JoeMoe]

Hi,

does anyone found a solution, to hold the VPN up and running when the screen is locked?

OS: MacOS Sequoia 15.4 and MacOS Sequoia 15.5

FortiClient: VPN 7.4.3.1761

I had to install the newest FortiClient VPN version after a firewall upgrade as the older versions running in some connection problems.

The older versions were stable and connected when the screen was locked. With the new version, the VPN disconnect each time the screen locks.

In fortitray.log it is good to see, a message is send to forticlient and immediately after the message, the ssl-vpn is disconnecting.

20250508 14:55:24.613 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] AppDelegate.swift:390 System is locked/sleep
20250508 14:55:24.620 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] AppDelegate.swift:404 System is going to sleep
20250508 14:55:24.646 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:INFO] VpnManager.swift:2163 Check VPN Connect without Reauth
20250508 14:55:24.657 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] VpnManager.swift:2174 VPN Connection without reauthentication enabled, timeout: 60
20250508 14:55:24.676 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] VpnManager.swift:2189 VPN Information saved.
20250508 14:55:24.690 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] VpnManager.swift:1808 Stop current VPN

The network connection is still open and stable. During the screen is locked, I sent a ping without any lost.

Any ideas are welcome.

Jörg

[CDavis]

What would be nice is for Fortinet to release the free version of the 7.4.4 client that fixes this issue.   C'mon already.   

[CDavis]

Since Fortinet appears to NOT be releasing the Free VPN  client that fixes this, does anyone know of any compatible Windows or Mac clients for Fortigate IPSec VPNs since the free one isn't being updated any longer?    

[CDavis]

Well, there was a Free Mac VPN Client release on 12/15/2025, but it doesn't fix the Screen Lock drop tunnel problem.  7.4.3.6667 was released yesterday, but I just tested it and it still drops the IPSec VPN tunnel.  We need a fixed version.  This is marked as solved, it is NOT.   This has been broken for over 6 months now.   Disappointing.

[funkylicious]

can confirm that the latest 7.4.3 version has this issue.

previously had 7.4.1 and didnt experienced it.

[funkylicious]

maybe someone knows why this happens on 7.4.3 where in 7.4.1 this wasnt a issue, but after the upgrade to this version w/o changing any settings system wise it started, based on these logs

20251217 09:57:45.436 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] AppDelegate.swift:379 System is locked/sleep
20251217 09:57:45.436 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] AppDelegate.swift:393 System is going to sleep
20251217 09:57:45.436 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:INFO] VpnManager.swift:2163 Check VPN Connect without Reauth
20251217 09:57:45.437 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] VpnManager.swift:2174 VPN Connection without reauthentication enabled, timeout: 60
20251217 09:57:45.450 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] VpnManager.swift:2189 VPN Information saved.
20251217 09:57:45.457 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] VpnManager.swift:1808 Stop current VPN
20251217 09:57:45.457 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] VpnManager.swift:1811 Current VPN COMPANY
20251217 09:57:45.457 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] sslvpn_bridge.mm:605 VPN session stop
20251217 09:57:45.457 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] vpnconnection.mm:1028 VPN Process is not running.
20251217 09:57:45.459 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] VpnManager.swift:1134 On VPN status change: TunnelRunning -> Disconnecting
20251217 09:57:45.459 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:INFO] VpnManager.swift:1305 VPN disconnecting
20251217 09:57:45.567 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] VpnManager.swift:831 VPN tunnel provider Main status changed: Disconnecting
20251217 09:57:45.567 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] VpnManager.swift:1134 On VPN status change: Disconnecting -> Disconnecting
20251217 09:57:45.567 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:INFO] VpnManager.swift:1305 VPN disconnecting
20251217 09:57:46.625 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] VpnManager.swift:831 VPN tunnel provider Main status changed: Disconnected
20251217 09:57:46.627 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] VpnManager.swift:1134 On VPN status change: Disconnecting -> NotConnected
20251217 09:57:46.628 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:INFO] VpnManager.swift:1184 VPN disconnected
20251217 09:57:46.629 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] VpnManager.swift:958 On VPN session end
20251217 09:57:46.633 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:INFO] VpnManager.swift:981 Uninstall WINS
20251217 09:57:46.634 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] VpnManager.swift:1004 Waiting for VPN session to end
20251217 09:57:46.635 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] sslvpn_bridge.mm:613 VPN session wait until finished
20251217 09:57:46.639 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] VpnManager.swift:1006 VPN session ended
20251217 09:57:46.639 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] VpnManager.swift:1021 On VPN disconnected
20251217 09:57:46.639 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] VpnManager.swift:1039 System sleep disconnect enabled
20251217 09:57:46.644 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:INFO] VpnManager.swift:986 Config firewall policy succeeded

[CDavis]

The person on the forum from Fortinet said it was fixed in 7.4.4 so I didn't expect it to be in this new version of 7.4.3, but I was willing to be surprised.  I don't expect this to be fixed until a version of 7.4.4 or higher comes out with a Free VPN update.  In truth, I believe the first announcement Fortinet made that said the free vpn client is going away.  I'm working on alternative clients that work with the Fortigate IPSec VPN but I may have to look at a different VPN server solution.  Shame too, we just made the jump to the Fortigate VPN based IPSec server a year or 2 ago.  After years of seeing the free VPN client available, we make the jump and it goes away.   Sigh.  That's the kind of timing that makes me ready to retire.     ;)