FortiClient VPN Connections

Hello,

Do you receive any error message when it does not connect?
Also, could you confirm your Remote Desktop Manager and FortiClient version?

Best Regards,

Hello Etienne

We are using version 2021.2.23.0 and FortiClient 6.4.6.1658.

These are the entry settings:


RDM opens the FortiClient, but doesn't fill in any entry information. It doesn't prompt an error, it just only opens the client.

In the VPN Name field, it shows the alphabetically first entry that is know in the FortiClient.

With kind regards,
Nick

Hello,

Could you try to launch Remote Desktop Manager as Administrator in order to see if the issue persist?

Best Regards,

Hello Etienne

The first issue that we encounter that I forgot to mention is that RDM wants us to rename the FortiClient.exe to FortiSSLVPNclient.exe, which bricks the quick connections via the icon in the task bar.

When running as Administrator, it behaves exactly the same.

It wouldn't be a solution either, since "Run as Administrator" is starting the application as another user. We use the integrated security option (domain accounts, easier user management) to authenticate and RDM will use the user that is launching the application to authenticate. The accounts that have local admin privileges don't have access to the database.

With kind regards,
Nick

Hello Nick,

Since we are not a Fortinet/Forticlient customer, it's not possible for us to contact them directly through their support channel, but maybe you could help. Unfortunately, the last customers that I spoke with were not able to help us get the information that we need.

Do you have a command line that is working outside RDM that we could use to verify/validate the one that we have in our code?

Best regards,

Hello James

Sure, we can try if Fortinet will help us.

If you mean starting a VPN-connection with CLI, it is not officially supported. Receiving support for this matter will be impossible.

We can test your code, we have it currently working via command line.

With kind regards,
Nick

Hello,

Sorry for the late reply.

To be honest, I was expecting this kind of response that CLI is not supported by Fortinet anymore

If Fortinet is not supporting the CLI, how did you make it work outside RDM via a command line?

Best regards,

Hello Jeff

Online you can find guides how you can get it working. I need to look it up. The one that implemented it, is now out of office and I don't have access to the documentation (different team).

In general, Fortinet doesn't provide support on free products, as explained on their forum, it doesn't matter if you try via CLI or GUI. You can't receive support.
I'm not certain if one would receive support for a CLI implementation if they pay for the FortiClient.

Regardless, one thing to note regarding most guides for CLI implementation, the name of the executable is not "FortiSSLVPNclient.exe" but "FortiClient.exe" now.

With kind regards,
Nick

Hello,

Unfortunately, since we are not using this product internally at Devolutions, we are not able to get answers on their forum as you explain.

All the customers that I have spoken with we're not able to provide us the proper information on the command line since most of our customers doesn't seem to have a support plan with Fortinet.

It's not a problem for us to adapt our code to the proper command line, but we need someone from our community that provide us a working command line that we could adapt in our application.

Best regards,

Hello Jeff

I think you might misunderstood what I wanted to say when I referred to their forum. The link was an explanation to what to do and what they don't support.

We are happy to help, but we don't know what information you are looking for. We have the command line working (mostly our Linux users that use it) and are happy to help.

The first thing that we've noticed regarding the current implementation, is that RDM is looking for a non-existing executable.

With kind regards,
Nick

Hello,
I just found the procedure, it works with FortiClient 7.0.2 and RDM 2021.2.25.0
ForticlientTools can be downloaded from the fortinet website (https://support.fortinet.com/Download/FirmwareImages.aspx)
Info: https://think.unblog.ch/en/how-to-use-forticlient-vpn-post-login-script/

Regards,

J-Fr.

@balcaenjf - Thank you for your post. Indeed, the https://think.unblog.ch/en/how-to-use-forticlient-vpn-post-login-script/ link seems to be accurate and our engineering department confirmed that this is what we've done in RDM.

@Nick - It's possible to change the executable to use in RDM by going in File -> Options -> Path -> Configure Installation Path. In that area, it would be possible for you to override the executable for FortiClient or FortiSSL

Best regards,

Hello Jeff

Unfortunately, we are unable to get it working.

RDM is only able to launch the FortiClient, but unable to connect to the VPN.

@balcaenjf, are you using the VPN-only client?

With kind regards,
Nick

Hello,

@Nick, You don't have to rename the forticlient.exe file, you must download ForticlientTools from the Fortinet site. In RDM, I specified the path to the FortiSSLVPNClient.exe







Regards,

Hello Balcaenjf

It seems that we did it in fact incorrectly.

Thank you for your explanations. We tried it again and this time we were successful. Thanks!

With kind regards,
Nick

Hello,

Thanks to both of you for your feedback.

Merry Christmas and happy new year!

Best regards,

Good morning and thank you very much in advance.

I could really use the FortiClientTools_7.zip so I can use it with RDM.
I have a free fortinet account but not a paid one so I can't download it.
As I have seen in the forum, you do have FortiClientTools. Would you be so kind as to send it to me please?
I would thank that very much.
I apologize for the inconvenience.

Thanks.

Hello

I would love to share them with you, but I'm unable to upload the .zip-file to this post or send it via DM.

With kind regards,
Nick

@Nick,

Could you send your zip file at service@devolutions.net

I will ask to my team to validate and post it here.

Maybe its something we need to unlock with our engineering departement.

Best regards,

Hello Jeff

No problem 🙂
I had to send it via WeTransfer since the zip-file is 40MB.

With kind regards,
Nick

Hello Nick,

I would be very grateful if you could send me the FortiClientTools_7.zip to my email or via wetransfer as you see fit.

My email is: pdcrdmlocal@gmail.com

Thank you very much in advance.

Hello,
Here is the link containing the latest version of the fortinet vpn client (FortiClientTools_7.0.7.0345.zip).
Cordially

https://we.tl/t-fFLoXXmuM5

J-Fr.

Hello,
Here is the link containing the latest version of the fortinet vpn client (FortiClientTools_7.0.7.0345.zip).
Cordially

https://we.tl/t-fFLoXXmuM5

J-Fr.

Thanks a lot.
Very friendly

Hello,
Here is the link containing the latest version of the fortinet vpn client (FortiClientTools_7.0.7.0345.zip).
Cordially

https://we.tl/t-fFLoXXmuM5

J-Fr.

Any chance you can upload again, the link has expired and I also need the tools.

Greatly appreciated, thanks

Hi Everybody,

With Windows 11 many RDM installs stop working due to incompatibility with FortiSSLVpnClient.exe as described here:
https://community.fortinet.com/t5/Fortinet-Forum/FortiClient-SSLVPN-Windows-11-routes-problem/m-p/223503/emcs_t/S2h8ZW1haWx8dG9waWNfc3Vic2NyaXB0aW9ufEw3WUJYSzdSMjJKSk5EfDIyMzUwM3xTVUJTQ1JJUFRJT05TfGhL#M199480

Fortinet does not provide a solution. Unfortunately FortiClientTools is not officially supported by them.
The only workaround is to set up each connection locally in FortiClient.exe. 😒

We have several techicians that are no more able to connect easly to our customers, and we see no way out.
Does someone have a valid workaroud?

Thank you.
regards.
Stefano

Hello Stefano,

Thank you for adding this information to this thread.

Unfortunately, according to the information I have found on that matter, our hands are tied and there is not much with can do about this in RDM.
If we are lucky, maybe someone else from the community will be able to bring some newfound light to this thread.

Best regards,

😢👍

Hello,

I have the following:


I am not able to choose the session (whereas several are configured) and it is always using the last one used (and connecting both the GUI and console at the same time).

As a consequence, I have conflicts and it does not work at all.

Any idea?

Note: I am using Forti version 7.X and RDM in last Enterprise version.

Hello,

What type of Data Source you are currently using? Also, would it be possible for you to provide me screenshots of the configuration of your Forticlient entry? I would like to see every tab that does not use its default values. These screenshots can be sent to me via private message.

Best regards,

Hello,

The Data SOurce of Remote Desktop Manager is a SQL Server database.

In FortiClient 7.0.7.X, I have several VPNs declared:


In RDM, only one session visible:


Regards

Hello,

According to the information I have found on that matter, the command line we use to populate this dropdown only returns the FortiClient VPN profiles found on your local machine. Since this dropdown is empty for you, it means that the command hasn't been able to pick anything.

Best regards,

Hello,

It seems I am not the only one in this case as I read a lot of posts regarding RDM/Forticlient uncompatibilities with the last versions.

Will a solution be available soon? Can it be investigate on Devolutions side?

Thanks for your feedback.

Regards

@ymisser,

Our Forticlient integration is based on a command line that was provided to us a few years ago. Our integration is not based on the app installed on your computer. Since we are not a Fortinet customer, it's not possible for us to test their new releases or to contact their support department. I have asked a few times to some of our clients to contact them and provide us some feedback on if the command line is still available and if yes, is there some documentation that they can provide us. Unfortunately, each time, I am not able to get the proper feedback.

That being said, are you able to provide us a working command line for Forticlient?

Best regards,

Hi Stefano,

i had the same issue with the FortiClient version > 7.x. You can try to install the older version. In my setup, it helped to use the version 6.0.10 of the FortiClient itself. I did not have to change the FortiTools version...
The reason for it, that the newer version of FortiClient did not set the local routes for split tunneling, if VPN is connected.

Regards,
Vladimir.

Hi Everybody,

With Windows 11 many RDM installs stop working due to incompatibility with FortiSSLVpnClient.exe as described here:
https://community.fortinet.com/t5/Fortinet-Forum/FortiClient-SSLVPN-Windows-11-routes-problem/m-p/223503/emcs_t/S2h8ZW1haWx8dG9waWNfc3Vic2NyaXB0aW9ufEw3WUJYSzdSMjJKSk5EfDIyMzUwM3xTVUJTQ1JJUFRJT05TfGhL#M199480

Fortinet does not provide a solution. Unfortunately FortiClientTools is not officially supported by them.
The only workaround is to set up each connection locally in FortiClient.exe. 😒

We have several techicians that are no more able to connect easly to our customers, and we see no way out.
Does someone have a valid workaroud?

Thank you.
regards.
Stefano

Hello Vladimir,

Thank you for your answer!

Best regards,