Control Connection Behavior

For each profile you import, you can control the action the WatchGuard IPSec Mobile VPN Client takes when the VPN tunnel becomes unavailable for any reason. You can configure these settings on the Firebox and use a .ini file to configure the client software. A .wgx file does not change these settings.

If you import a .ini file to configure the client software, do not change any of the Line Management settings. The .ini file configures these settings for you.

To set the behavior of the Mobile VPN client when the VPN tunnel becomes unavailable: 

  1. On a Windows computer, from the Windows WatchGuard Mobile VPN client, select Configuration > Profiles. Or, on a macOS computer, from the WatchGuard Mobile VPN client, select WatchGuard Mobile VPN Client > Profiles.
  2. Select the name of the profile and click Edit.

Screen shot of the Profile Settings dialog box

  1. From the left pane, select Line Management.

Screen shot of the Profile Settings dialog box, Line Management settings

  1. From the Connection Mode drop-down list, select the connection mode for this profile.

The available connection modes are:

manual

In manual mode, you must manually start the VPN tunnel. The client does not try to restart the VPN tunnel automatically if the VPN tunnel disconnects. To start the VPN tunnel, click Connect in the Mobile VPN client or right-click the Mobile VPN icon on your Windows desktop toolbar and click Connect.

automatic (connection initiated by data transfer)

In automatic mode, the client automatically tries to start the connection when your computer sends traffic to a remote host through the VPN tunnel. If the VPN tunnel disconnects, the client automatically tries to restart the VPN tunnel when an application on the client computer sends traffic to a remote host.

always

In always mode, the client automatically starts the VPN connection when you start the client. The connection is established independent of the Connect button, traffic through the tunnel, or how the VPN monitor is set to be displayed.

variable ("Connect" starts "automatic" mode)

In this mode, click Connect to manually start the VPN tunnel the first time. After you start the tunnel, the tunnel runs in automatic mode until you click Disconnect. If the VPN tunnel goes down before you click Disconnect, the client automatically tries to restart the VPN tunnel whenever an application on the client initiates sends traffic to a remote host.

variable ("Connect" starts "always" mode)

In this mode, click Connect to manually start the VPN tunnel the first time. After you start the tunnel, the tunnel runs in always mode, as described above. The client continues to use always mode until you close the client.

  1. In the Inactivity Timeout text box, specify the number of seconds the VPN client waits to automatically disconnect after the last transmission of data through the tunnel. When the Inactivity Timeout is set to 0, the VPN client does not automatically disconnect an established tunnel after inactivity.

For information about other line management settings, click Help in the WatchGuard Mobile VPN Client.