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IPsec (remote access) settings

You can configure the remote access IPsec VPN settings. You can then export the connection and share the configuration file with users.

General settings

Name Description
IPsec (remote access) Click Enable to turn it on.
Interface Select a WAN port, which acts as the endpoint for the tunnel.
Authentication type Authentication to use for the connection.

Preshared key: If you use a preshared key, it's added to the configuration file. Users don't need to know the preshared key.

Digital certificate: You can use locally-signed certificates or those issued by a certificate authority.
Make sure the certificate has a certificate ID.
Remote certificate If you've selected a digital certificate, upload a remote certificate, or configure a locally-signed certificate on Certificates > Certificates, then select it here.
Don't select the option External certificate.
Local ID We recommend configuring a local ID to make sure clients connect to the correct Sophos Firewall.

Local IDs are only used to identify the tunnel's firewall end. So, you can enter any DNS, IP address, or email address.

Select from the following options:
  • DNS: Enter any hostname or FQDN.
  • IP Address: Enter any IP address. Example: 1.1.1.1
  • Email: Enter any email address.
  • DER ASN1 DN [X509]: This is only available for digital certificates. The firewall automatically selects the certificate's distinguished name.
Remote ID We recommend configuring the remote ID to identify the remote clients. It can't be the same as the local ID.

Remote IDs are only used to identify the tunnel's remote end. So, you can enter any DNS, IP address, or email address.

Select from the following options:
  • DNS: Enter any hostname or FQDN.
  • IP Address: Enter any IP address. Example: 2.2.2.2
  • Email: Enter any email address.
  • DER ASN1 DN [X509]: This is only available for digital certificates. The firewall automatically selects the certificate's distinguished name.
Allowed users and groups Add preconfigured users and groups who can connect using the Sophos Connect client.

Client information

Name Description
Name Enter a name for the connection.
Assign IP from Enter a private IP address to lease to the clients. The range must belong to at least a /24 subnet and must not be in use elsewhere.
Allow leasing IP address from RADIUS server for L2TP, PPTP, and IPsec remote access Select this to use the IP addresses from the RADIUS server if you're using RADIUS authentication. If the RADIUS server doesn't provide the addresses, Sophos Firewall assigns the static address configured for the user or leases an address from the specified range.
DNS server 1
DNS server 2
Primary and secondary DNS servers to use for the connection.

Idle settings

Name Description
Disconnect when tunnel is idle Disconnects idle clients from the session after the specified time.
Idle session time interval Time, in seconds, after which the firewall disconnects idle clients.

Note

When users try to reconnect after the firewall disconnects idle clients, the Sophos Connect client reinitiates the session in the background. If users still can't connect, they must click Disconnect, then click Connect on the client to reinitiate the session.

Advanced settings

Sophos Firewall only adds the advanced settings to the .scx file used with Sophos Connect clients. The .tgb file won't have these settings. The .tgb file is compatible with third-party clients.

Note

If you update any of the advanced settings, you must share the configuration file again with users for the changes to take effect.

Name Description
Use as default gateway Turn it on to send all traffic, including external internet requests, to the interface you specify for IPsec remote access. To allow the Sophos Connect client users to send their internet requests through Sophos Firewall, you must configure a firewall rule with the source zone set to VPN and the destination zone set to WAN.

Turn this option off to allow access only to permitted resources within the network. The client then connects to the internet for traffic outside the network.

This setting applies to all the Allowed users and groups you specify in the General settings. If you want to turn on this option for some users and turn it off for other users, use SSL VPN (remote access).
Permitted network resources (IPv4) Select the resources this policy permits access to.
Send Security Heartbeat through tunnel If the Sophos Endpoint Protection client is installed on users' endpoint devices, it sends a heartbeat to Sophos Firewall through the tunnel.
Allow users to save username and password It allows users to save their credentials on their device. User credentials are stored securely using keychain services.

We recommend turning this option on if you select Connect tunnel automatically.
Prompt users for 2FA token

Shows an independent input field on the Sophos Connect client for users to enter the OTP. If it's turned off, users must enter the OTP in the password field in the following format: passwordotp

Currently, the firewall sends the details in passwordotp format to the authentication server in both scenarios. So, remote access VPN doesn't support challenge-based MFA.

This field requires you to configure MFA for remote access IPsec on Authentication > Mutli-factor authentication or with third-party OTP tokens.

Run AD logon script after connecting Select to run the script that applies automatically to Active Directory users when they sign in. For example, you can run scripts that map network drives and set default resources the user can access.
Connect tunnel automatically Select to automatically turn on the connection when users sign in to their endpoint devices.
Hostname or DNS suffix to monitor Enter a hostname or DNS suffix within the network. It helps you monitor automatic connections, showing whether the user's endpoint device is connected to the host through the tunnel.

Specify a hostname or suffix that can only resolve through an internal DNS server. You need to allow ICMP probes for the host.
Assign client DNS suffix Enter the DNS suffix. Sophos Firewall appends the domain name to all clients when they connect.

Full tunnel: If you've turned on Use as default gateway under the advanced settings, Sophos Firewall establishes a single Encapsulating Security Payload (ESP) Security Association (SA). If there's no data traffic within the idle time, it deletes the SA and the tunnel.

Split tunnel: If you've specified Permitted network resources under the advanced settings, Sophos Firewall creates as many ESP SAs as the number of subnets. For example, if you've selected four subnets, the firewall establishes four tunnels.

It deletes only the child SA through which no data traffic flows within the idle time. The other SAs remain live.

Downloading and updating the Sophos Connect client

  • To download the Sophos Connect client, click Download client.
  • To update to the latest version of the Sophos Connect client, go to Backup & Firmware > Pattern updates.

Downloading and resetting the configuration

  • To download the configuration files (.scx and .tgb), click Export connection.
  • To revert to the factory configuration for IPsec remote access, click Reset.

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