PPTP and L2TP

A virtual private network (VPN) is a way to use a public network, such as the Internet, as a vehicle to provide remote offices or individual users with secure access to private networks. FortiOS supports the Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP), which enables interoperability between FortiGate units and Windows or Linux PPTP clients. Because FortiGate units support industry standard PPTP VPN technologies, you can configure a PPTP VPN between a FortiGate unit and most third-party PPTP VPN peers.

This section describes how to configure PPTP and L2TP VPNs as well as PPTP passthrough.

This section includes the topics:

• How PPTP VPNs work
• FortiGate unit as a PPTP server
• Configuring the FortiGate unit for PPTP VPN
• Configuring the FortiGate unit for PPTP pass through
• Testing PPTP VPN connections
• Logging VPN events
• Configuring L2TP VPNs
• L2TP configuration overview

How PPTP VPNs work

The Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol enables you to create a VPN between a remote client and your internal network. Because it is a Microsoft Windows standard, PPTP does not require third-party software on the client computer. As long as the ISP supports PPTP on its servers, you can create a secure connection by making relatively simple configuration changes to the client computer and the FortiGate unit.

PPTP uses Point-to-Point protocol (PPP) authentication protocols so that standard PPP software can operate on tunneled PPP links. PPTP packages data in PPP packets and then encapsulates the PPP packets within IP packets for transmission through a VPN tunnel.

When the FortiGate unit acts as a PPTP server, a PPTP session and tunnel is created as soon as the PPTP client connects to the FortiGate unit. More than one PPTP session can be supported on the same tunnel. FortiGate units support PAP, CHAP, and plain text authentication. PPTP clients are authenticated as members of a user group.

Traffic from one PPTP peer is encrypted using PPP before it is encapsulated using Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE) and routed to the other PPTP peer through an ISP network. PPP packets from the remote client are addressed to a computer on the private network behind the FortiGate unit. PPTP packets from the remote client are addressed to the public interface of the FortiGate unit. Seethe figure below.

PPTP control channel messages are not authenticated, and their integrity is not protected. Furthermore, encapsulated PPP packets are not cryptographically protected and may be read or modified unless appropriate encryption software such as Secure Shell (SSH) or Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) is used to transfer data after the tunnel has been established. As an alternative, you can use encryption software such as Microsoft Point‑to‑Point Encryption (MPPE) to secure the channel. MPPE is built into Microsoft Windows clients and can be installed on Linux clients. FortiGate units support MPPE.

Packet encapsulation

Shown above, traffic from the remote client is addressed to a computer on the network behind the FortiGate unit. When the PPTP tunnel is established, packets from the remote client are encapsulated and addressed to the FortiGate unit. The FortiGate unit forwards disassembled packets to the computer on the internal network.

When the remote PPTP client connects, the FortiGate unit assigns an IP address from a reserved range of IP addresses to the client PPTP interface. The PPTP client uses the assigned IP address as its source address for the duration of the connection.

When the FortiGate unit receives a PPTP packet, the unit disassembles the PPTP packet and forwards the packet to the correct computer on the internal network. The security policy and protection profiles on the FortiGate unit ensure that inbound traffic is screened and processed securely.

PPTP clients must be authenticated before a tunnel is established. The authentication process relies on FortiGate user group definitions, which can optionally use established authentication mechanisms such as RADIUS or LDAP to authenticate PPTP clients. All PPTP clients are challenged when a connection attempt is made.

FortiGate unit as a PPTP server

In the most common Internet scenario, the PPTP client connects to an ISP that offers PPP connections with dynamically-assigned IP addresses. The ISP forwards PPTP packets to the Internet, where they are routed to the FortiGate unit.

FortiGate unit as a PPTP server

If the FortiGate unit will act as a PPTP server, there are a number of steps to complete:

• Configure user authentication for PPTP clients.
• Enable PPTP.
• Specify the range of addresses that are assigned to PPTP clients when connecting
• Configure the security policy.

Configuring user authentication for PPTP clients

To enable authentication for PPTP clients, you must create user accounts and a user group to identify the PPTP clients that need access to the network behind the FortiGate unit. Within the user group, you must add a user for each PPTP client.

You can choose to use a plain text password for authentication or forward authentication requests to an external RADIUS, LDAP, or TACACS+ server. If password protection will be provided through a RADIUS, LDAP, or TACACS+ server, you must configure the FortiGate unit to forward authentication requests to the authentication server.

This example creates a basic user/password combination.

Configuring a user account

To add a local user - GUI

1. Go to User & Device > User Definition and select Create New.
2. Select Local User
3. Enter a User Name.
4. Enter a Password for the user. The password should be at least six characters.
5. Select OK.

To add a local user - CLI

config user local

edit <username>

set type password

set passwd <password>

end

Configuring a user group

To ease configuration, create user groups that contain users in similar categories or departments.

To create a user group - GUI

1. Go to User & Device > User Group and select Create New.
2. Enter a Name for the group.
3. Select the Type of Firewall.
4. From the Available Users list, select the required users and select the right-facing arrow to add them to the Members list.
5. Select OK.

To create a user group - CLI

config user group

edit <group_name>

set group-type firewall

set member <user_names>

end

Enabling PPTP and specifying the PPTP IP address range

The PPTP address range specifies the range of addresses reserved for remote PPTP clients. When a PPTP client connects to the FortiGate unit, the client is assigned an IP address from this range. Afterward, the FortiGate unit uses the assigned address to communicate with the PPTP client.

The address range that you reserve can be associated with private or routable IP addresses. If you specify a private address range that matches a network behind the FortiGate unit, the assigned address will make the PPTP client appear to be part of the internal network.

PPTP requires two IP addresses, one for each end of the tunnel. The PPTP address range is the range of addresses reserved for remote PPTP clients. When the remote PPTP client establishes a connection, the FortiGate unit assigns an IP address from the reserved range of IP addresses to the client PPTP interface or retrieves the assigned IP address from the PPTP user group. If you use the PPTP user group, you must also define the FortiGate end of the tunnel by entering the IP address of the unit in Local IP (web‑based manager) or local‑ip (CLI). The PPTP client uses the assigned IP address as its source address for the duration of the connection.

PPTP configuration is only available through the CLI. In the example below, PPTP is enabled with the use of an IP range of 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.1.10 for addressing and the user group is hr_staff.

FortiOS 5.4.0 and later versions allow the start and end IPs in the PPTP address range to be in the same 16-bit subnet. Earlier versions require that the start and end IPs in the PPTP address range be in the same 24-bit subnet, for example, 192.168.1.1 - 192.168.1.254. .

config vpn pptp

set status enable

set ip-mode range

set eip 192.168.1.10

set sip 192.168.1.1

set usrgrp hr_staff

end

In this example, PPTP is enabled with the use of a user group for addressing, where the IP address of the PPTP server is 192.168.1.2 and the user group is hr_admin.

config vpn pptp

set status enable

set ip-mode range

set local-ip 192.168.2.1

set usrgrp hr_admin

end

Adding the security policy

The security policy specifies the source and destination addresses that can generate traffic inside the PPTP tunnel and defines the scope of services permitted through the tunnel. If a selection of services are required, define a service group.

To configure the firewall for the PPTP tunnel - GUI

1. Go to Policy & Objects > IPv4 or Policy & Objects > IPv6 and select Create New.
2. Complete the following and select OK:

Incoming Interface	The FortiGate interface connected to the Internet.
Source Address	Select the name that corresponds to the range of addresses that you reserved for PPTP clients.
Outgoing Interface	The FortiGate interface connected to the internal network.
Destination Address	Select the name that corresponds to the IP addresses behind the FortiGate unit.
Schedule	always
Service	ALL
Action	ACCEPT

To configure the firewall for the PPTP tunnel - CLI

config firewall policy or config firewall policy6

edit 1

set srcintf <interface to internet>

set dstintf <interface to internal network>

set srcaddr <reserved_range>

set dstaddr <internal_addresses>

set action accept

set schedule always

set service ALL

end

Configuring the FortiGate unit for PPTP VPN

To arrange for PPTP packets to pass through the FortiGate unit to an external PPTP server, perform the following tasks in the order given:

• Configure user authentication for PPTP clients.
• Enable PPTP on the FortiGate unit and specify the range of addresses that can be assigned to PPTP clients when they connect.
• Configure PPTP pass through on the FortiGate unit.

Configuring the FortiGate unit for PPTP passthrough

To forward PPTP packets to a PPTP server on the network behind the FortiGate unit, you need to perform the following configuration tasks on the FortiGate unit:

• Define a virtual IP address that points to the PPTP server.
• Create a security policy that allows incoming PPTP packets to pass through to the PPTP server.

The address range is the external (public) ip address range which requires access to the internal PPTP server through the FortiGate virtual port-forwarding firewall. IP addresses used in this document are fictional and follow the technical documentation guidelines specific to Fortinet. Real external IP addresses are not used.

Configuring a virtual IP address

The virtual IP address will be the address of the PPTP server host.

To define a virtual IP for PPTP passthrough - GUI

1. Go to Policy & Objects > Virtual IPs.
2. Select Create New.
3. Choose the VIP Type.
4. Enter the name of the VIP, for example, PPTP_Server.
5. Select the External Interface where the packets will be received for the PPTP server.
6. Enter the External IP Address for the VIP.
7. Select Port Forwarding.
8. Set the Protocol to TCP.
9. Enter the External Service Port of 1723, the default for PPTP.
10. Enter the Map to Port to 1723.
11. Select OK.

To define a virtual IP for PPTP passthrough - CLI

config firewall vip or config firewall vip6

edit PPTP_Server

set extintf <interface>

set extip <ip_address>

set portforward enable

set protocol tcp

set extport 1723

set mappedport 1723

set mappedip <destination IP address range>

end

You can also use config firewall vip46 to define a virtual IP from an IPv4 address to an IPv6 address or config firewall vip64 to define a virtual IP from an IPv6 address to an IPv4 address.

Configuring a port-forwarding security policy

To create a port-forwarding security policy for PPTP passthrough you must first create an address range reserved for the PPTP clients.

To create an address range - GUI

1. Go to Policy & Objects > Addresses and select Create New.
2. Select a Category.
3. Enter a Name for the range, for example, External_PPTP.
4. Select a Type of Subnet/IP Range.
5. Enter the IP address range.
6. Select the Interface to the Internet.
7. Select OK.

To create an address range - CLI

config firewall address OR config firewall address6

edit External_PPTP

set type ip_range

set start-ip <ip_address>

set end-ip <ip_address>

set associated-interface <internet_interface>

end

With the address set, you can add the security policy.

To add the security policy - GUI

1. Go to Policy & Objects > IPv4 or Policy & Objects > IPv6 and select Create New.
2. Complete the following and select OK:

Incoming Interface	The FortiGate interface connected to the Internet.
Source Address	Select the address range created in the previous step.
Outgoing Interface	The FortiGate interface connected to the PPTP server.
Destination Address	Select the VIP address created in the previous steps.
Schedule	always
Service	PPTP
Action	ACCEPT

To add the security policy - CLI

config firewall policy or config firewall policy6

edit <policy_number>

set srcintf <interface to internet>

set dstintf <interface to PPTP server>

set srcaddr <address_range>

set dstaddr <PPTP_server_address>

set action accept

set schedule always

set service PPTP

end

Testing PPTP VPN connections

To confirm that a PPTP VPN between a local network and a dialup client has been configured correctly, at the dialup client, issue a ping command to test the connection to the local network. The PPTP VPN tunnel initializes when the dialup client attempts to connect.

Logging VPN events

PPTP VPN, activity is logged when enabling VPN logging. The FortiGate unit connection events and tunnel status (up/down) are logged.

To log VPN events

1. Go to Log & Report > Log Settings.
2. Enable Event Logging.
3. Select VPN activity event.
4. Select Apply.

To view event logs

1. Go to Log & Report > VPN Events.
2. If the option is available to set the log location list, select disk or memory.
3. Select a log event and select Details.