Overview

Making a VPN connection from the Global VPN Client is easy because the configuration information is managed by the SonicWall VPN gateway. The SonicOS (VPN gateway) administrator sets the parameters for what is allowed and not allowed with the VPN connection. For example, for security reasons, the administrator may not allow multiple VPN connections or the ability to access the Internet or local network while the VPN connection is enabled.

The Global VPN Client supports two IPsec authentication modes:

• IKE using Preshared Secret
• IKE using 3rd Party Certificates.

Preshared Secret is the most common form of the IPsec authentication modes. If your VPN connection policy uses 3rd party certificates, you use the Certificate Manager to configure the Global VPN Client to use digital certificates.

A Pre‐Shared Key (also called a Shared Secret) is a predefined password that the two endpoints of a VPN tunnel use to set up an IKE (Internet Key Exchange) Security Association. This field can be any combination of alphanumeric characters with a minimum length of 4 characters and a maximum of 128 characters. Your Pre‐Shared Key is typically configured as part of your Global VPN Client provisioning. If it is not, you are prompted to enter it before you log on to the remote network.