Overview This documentation serves to address some common issues of troubleshooting the FortiClient Virtual Private Network (VPN) application that employees must use to access the Guilford County Network. This document may be modified at any time to include additional troubleshooting guidance that could help resolve new problems that may arise in the future. These procedures may be utilized in any order that may seem effective to resolve the issue(s). However, the connection percentages of which the FortiClient stops at may serve as a reliable indication of what the issue may be. Please refer to the following stages of failure below: FortiClient SSL VPN Failure Stages • • • • •
10% – Local PC or Local Network issue 40% – Application or Fortigate causing the error, may be caused by the local machine/network setup 45% – Problem with Multifactor Authentication (Approve the authentication) 80% – Username or Password issue 98% – Corruption of services – resolved by reinstalling FortiClient
Scenarios Outdated Client Version Check to see if the FortiClient application is up to date with the latest version. Click on the informational tab and review the versioning. For a list of the available versions for different devices, please refer to the official downloads page of the service provider. Link: Product Downloads | Fortinet Product Downloads | Support
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Resolution: If the client version is out of date, please have it reinstalled or updated to the latest version to ensure that the application is aligned with the most secure updates and operating effectivity. The latest version of the application may be downloaded from the shared repository of secure applications which is found at the following link: \\gchvhost01\source\FortiClient
Internet Connectivity Assess the internet connectivity of the user and verify that they are connected. 1.
Click on the search bar at the bottom left corner of the screen and type “Network Status”
2.
Verify the connectivity
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Resolution •
•
If the user is not connected, ensure that they are able to connect to their local WIFI network in case they may have been disconnected or their internet may not be available. o Ask the user to check if they have internet access on their other devices at home o Move to a different area of the house or building where WIFI is available. The user may also attempt to connect directly to the network using an ethernet/network cable.
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Incorrect Username/Password Ensure that the user is inputting the correct username and password. The username must only contain the username and NOT the email address.
Resolution: If the username is correct, then verify that the password is also correct. The password must be the same credentials that the user uses to log into their computer. If the user has any doubt on whether they have typed it correctly, then they can double-check by clicking on the eye icon next to the password box.
Low Bandwidth There must be sufficient bandwidth for the VPN to work properly. If the user is experiencing slow internet speeds, then a speed test should be performed to assess the connection. To perform one, simply go into Google.com and search “Speed Test”. Once the results are completed, it will display the connectivity speeds.
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Resolution If the results indicate that the internet connection is slow, then the user may take additional steps to attempt to enhance the connection speed. • • •
Directly connect to the internet using a network cable Move into an area of the house or building with better connectivity Switch between 5G & 2G wireless connection based on the user’s proximity to the network o 2G if the user is far from the internet source o 5G if the user is closer to the internet source
Incorrect Settings The configuration of the FortiClient VPN must correct in order for it to work properly. Resolution Check the configurations and make sure that all fields are configured correctly as required. 1. Set the VPN Name to ‘guilfordcounty’ 2. Edit the selected connection
V1.0
** A new screen with the settings editor will prompt up as follows:
3. Verify the Connection Name is ‘guilfordcounty’
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4. Set the remote gateway as ‘vpn.guilfordcountync.gov’ o For additional troubleshooting, replace the Remote Gateway information with the following IP addresses directly, incase one of the IP’s are down: ▪ 165.166.201.162 ▪ 66.162.203.18 ▪ 74.231.148.194 5. Enable ‘Customize Port’ option and set the value to 10443 6. Save the settings
Conclusion Troubleshooting the FortiClient VPN may be performed through various methods, depending on the context and situation. By utilizing the VPN failure stages guidelines, it can assist with deducing the issues and defining a resolution method. If none of the aforementioned procedures and techniques resolved the FortiClient VPN issues, then please refer to the official manual documentation on the FortiClient documents library for specific issues and unique cases. Link to FortiClient Documents Library: Introduction | FortiClient 7.0.8 (fortinet.com)