FortiGate LAN extension

LAN extension mode allows a remote FortiGate to provide remote connectivity to a local FortiGate over a backhaul connection.

The remote FortiGate, called the FortiGate Connector, discovers the local FortiGate, called the FortiGate Controller, and forms one or more IPsec tunnels back to the FortiGate Controller. A VXLAN is established over the IPsec tunnels creating an L2 network between the FortiGate Controller and the network behind the FortiGate Connector.

In this example, the Controller provides secure internet access to the remote network behind the Connector. The Controller has two WAN connections: an inbound backhaul connection and an outbound internet connection. The Connector has two wired WAN/uplink ports that are connected to the internet.

After the Connector discovers the Controller and is authorized by the Controller, the Controller pushes a FortiGate LAN extension profile to the Connector. The Connector uses the profile configurations to form two IPsec tunnels back to the Controller. Additional VXLAN aggregate interfaces are automatically configured to create an L2 network between the Connector LAN port and a virtual LAN extension interface on the Controller. Clients behind the Connector can then connect to the internet through the Controller that is securing the internet connection.

To discover and authorize the FortiGate Controller:

1. On the FortiGate Controller:

1. For high-end models (1000 series and higher), enable the FortiExtender setting:

   config system global
       set fortiextender enable
   end

   This command is configured by default on entry-level and mid-range models (900 series and lower).

2. Enable security fabric connections on port3 to allow the Connector to connect over CAPWAP:

   config system interface
       edit "port3"
           set vdom "root"
           set ip 1.1.1.10 255.255.255.0
           set allowaccess fabric ping
           set ip-managed-by-fortiipam enable 			
       next
   end

2. On the FortiGate Connector:

1. Enable VDOMs:

   config system global
       set vdom-mode multi-vdom
   end

   You will be logged out of the device when VDOM mode is enabled.

2. For high-end models (1000 series and higher), enable the FortiExtender setting in the global VDOM:

   config global
       config system global
           set fortiextender enable
       end
   end

   This command is configured by default on entry-level and mid-range models (900 series and lower).

3. Create the lan-ext VDOM while setting the VDOM type to LAN extension (making the VDOM act as a FortiExtender in LAN extension mode), and add the Controller IP address:

   config vdom
       edit lan-ext
           config system settings
               set vdom-type lan-extension
               set lan-extension-controller-addr "1.1.1.10"
               set ike-port 4500
           end
       next
   end

4. Configure port1 and port2 to access the Controller:

   config system interface
       edit "port1"
           set vdom "lan-ext"
           set ip 5.5.5.1 255.255.255.0
           set allowaccess ping fabric
           set type physical
           set lldp-reception enable
           set role wan
       next
       edit "port2"
           set vdom "lan-ext"
           set ip 6.6.6.1 255.255.255.0
           set allowaccess ping fabric
           set type physical
           set lldp-reception enable
           set role wan
       next
   end

3. On the FortiGate Controller:

   1. Extension controller configurations are automatically initialized:

      config extension-controller fortigate-profile
          edit "FGCONN-lanext-default"
              set id 0
              config lan-extension
                  set ipsec-tunnel "fg-ipsec-XdSpij"
                  set backhaul-interface "port3"
              end
          next
      end

      config extension-controller fortigate
          edit "FGT60E0000000001"
              set id "FG5H1E0000000001"
              set device-id 0
              set profile "FGCONN-lanext-default"
          next
      end

   2. Enable FortiGate administration to authorize the Connector:

      config extension-controller fortigate
          edit "FGT60E0000000001"
              set authorized enable
          next
      end

4. After the FortiGate Connector has been authorized, the Controller pushes the IPsec tunnel configuration to the Connector, forcing it to establish the tunnel and form the VXLAN mechanism.

   

   The VXLANs are built on the IPsec tunnels between the Connector and Controller. The VXLAN interfaces are aggregated for load balancing and redundancy. A softswitch combines the aggregate interface with the local LAN ports, allowing the LAN ports to be part of the VXLAN. This combines the local LAN ports with the virtual LAN extension interface on the FortiGate Controller.

   1. The Connector receives the IPsec configurations from the Controller, and creates tunnels for each uplink:

      config vpn ipsec phase1-interface
          edit "ul-port1"
              set interface "port1"
              set ike-version 2
              set peertype any
              set net-device disable
              set proposal aes128-sha256 aes256-sha256 aes128-sha1 aes256-sha1
              set localid "peerid-T4YLv2rp62SU6JhoCPIv02MzjLtS7P5HlxRER1Qpi6O9ZsAsbPSpvoiE"
              set dpd on-idle
              set comments "[FGCONN] Do NOT edit. Automatically generated by extension controller."
              set remote-gw 1.1.1.10
              set psksecret ******
          next
          edit "ul-port2"
              set interface "port2"
              set ike-version 2
              set peertype any
              set net-device disable
              set proposal aes128-sha256 aes256-sha256 aes128-sha1 aes256-sha1
              set localid "peerid-T4YLv2rp62SU6JhoCPIv02MzjLtS7P5HlxRER1Qpi6O9ZsAsbPSpvoiE"
              set dpd on-idle
              set comments "[FGCONN] Do NOT edit. Automatically generated by extension controller."
              set remote-gw 1.1.1.10
              set psksecret ******
          next
      end

   2. VXLAN interfaces are formed over each tunnel:

      config system vxlan
          edit "vx-port1"
              set interface "ul-port1"
              set vni 1
              set dstport 9999
              set remote-ip "10.252.0.1"
          next
          edit "vx-port2"
              set interface "ul-port2"
              set vni 1
              set dstport 9999
              set remote-ip "10.252.0.1"
          next
      end

   3. An aggregate interface is configured to load balance between the two VXLAN interfaces, using the source MAC and providing link redundancy:

      config system interface
          edit "le-agg-link"
              set vdom "lan-ext"
              set type aggregate
              set member "vx-port1" "vx-port2"
              set snmp-index 35
              set lacp-mode static
              set algorithm Source-MAC
          next
      end

   4. The softswitch bridges the aggregate interface and the local LAN to connect the LAN to the VXLAN bridged L2 network that goes to the FortiGate LAN extension interface:

      config system switch-interface
          edit "le-switch"
              set vdom "lan-ext"
              set member "le-agg-link" "lan"
          next
      end

   5. After the IPsec tunnel is setup and the VXLAN is created over the tunnel, the LAN extension interface is automatically created on the Controller:

      config system interface
          edit "FGT60E0000000001"
              set vdom "root"
              set ip 192.168.0.254 255.255.255.0
              set allowaccess ping ssh
              set type lan-extension
              set role lan
              set snmp-index 27
              set ip-managed-by-fortiipam enable
              set interface "fg-ipsec-XdSpij"
          next
      end

To configure the LAN extension interface and firewall policy on the FortiGate Controller:

1. Set the IP address and netmask of the LAN extension interface:

   config system interface
       edit "FGT60E0000000001"
           set ip 9.9.9.99 255.255.255.0
           set ip-managed-by-fortiipam enable
       next
   end
   

   Devices on the remote LAN network will use this as their gateway.

2. Optionally, enable DHCP on the interface to assign IP addresses to the remote devices:

   config system dhcp server
       edit 3
           set dns-service default
           set default-gateway 9.9.9.99
           set netmask 255.255.255.0
           set interface "FGT60E0000000001"
           config ip-range
               edit 1
                   set start-ip 9.9.9.100
                   set end-ip 9.9.9.254
               next
           end
           set dhcp-settings-from-fortiipam enable
           config exclude-range
               edit 1
                   set start-ip 9.9.9.254
                   set end-ip 9.9.9.254
               next
           end
       next
   end
   

3. Configure the firewall policy to allow traffic from the LAN extension interface to the WAN interface (port1):

   config firewall policy
       edit "lan-ext"
           set name "qsaf"
           set srcintf "FGT60E0000000001"
           set dstintf "port1"
           set action accept
           set srcaddr "all"
           set dstaddr "all"
           set schedule "always"
           set service "ALL"
           set nat enable
       next
   end

   Optionally, security profiles and other settings can be configured.

   The policy allows remote LAN clients to access the internet through the backhaul channel. Clients in the remote LAN behind the Connector receive an IP address over DHCP and access the internet securely through the Controller.