FortiGate WiFi controller 1+1 fast failover example

This example uses a simple network topology to set up 1+1 fast failover between FortiGate WiFi controllers. The primary and secondary FortiGates must be routed into subnets and NAT must not be done on the traffic. The FortiAP must be able to reach both the primary and secondary FortiGates.

The following takes place in the event of a failover:

1. The primary FortiGate syncs the wireless configuration to the secondary FortiGate.
2. If the primary FortiGate fails, the secondary FortiGate takes over management of the FortiAP. The client can still connect with the SSID from the FortiAP and pass traffic.
3. When the primary FortiGate is back online, it returns to managing the FortiAP.

In the following CLI example, the primary FortiGate has an IP address of 10.43.1.80, and the secondary FortiGate has an IP address of 10.43.1.62.

To configure the primary FortiGate

config wireless-controller inter-controller

set inter-controller mode 1+1

set inter-controller key 123456

config inter-controller-peer

edit 1

set peer-ip 10.43.1.62

set peer-priority secondary

next

end

To configure the secondary FortiGate

config wireless-controller inter-controller

set inter-controller mode 1+1

set inter-controller key 123456

set inter-controller-pri secondary

config inter-controller-peer

edit 1

set peer-ip 10.43.1.80

next

end

To run diagnose commands

1. On the primary FortiGate, run the diagnose wireless-controller wlac -c ha command. The output should resemble the following:

   WC fast failover info

   cfg iter: 1 (age=17995, size=220729, fp=0x5477e28)

   dhcpd_db iter: 123 (age=132, size=1163, fp=0x5435930)

   dhcpd_ipmac iter: 123 (age=132, size=2860, fp=0x587d848)

   mode: 1+1-ffo

   pri: primary

   key csum: 0x9c99

   max: 10

   wait: 10

   peer cnt: 1

   FWF60E4Q16027198: 10.43.1.62:5245 secondary UP (age=0)

2. On the secondary FortiGate, run the diagnose wireless-controller wlac -c ha command. The output should resemble the following:

   WC fast failover info

   mode: 1+1-ffo

   status: monitoring

   pri: secondary

   key csum: 0x43e

   max: 10

   wait: 10

   peer cnt: 1

   FG22E1T919900557: 10.43.1.80:5246 primary UP (age=0)

   dfile 0 iter 1 (age=133, size=1564731/1564731)

   dfile 1 iter 1 (age=163, size=0/0)

   dfile 2 iter 1 (age=163, size=0/0)

You cannot use FortiGate Clustering Protocol and Wireless 1+1 fast failover together. They are two different HA features and cannot be combined.