Configure the firewall to allow VPN connections

VPN clients require that specific communication ports and protocols are allowed to function properly.

You can use policies in Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition (SEP SBE) cloud to configure these ports and protocols.

Step 1. Enable file and printer sharing

The first step to open communications and allow VPN connections is to ensure that file and printer sharing is enabled in the Endpoint Protection Policy. See How to enable file and printer sharing for more information.

Note: Follow the Advanced Configuration Settings section, as these ports are often necessary for VPN configurations.

Step 2. Create a Smart Firewall rule

See How to create custom Firewall Rules to learn how to create custom firewall rules in SEP SBE.

Step 3. Common ports necessary for VPN

If communication issues persist after following the previous steps, additional ports may be necessary, depending on the VPN client. The following ports are commonly used by most VPN clients:

• UDP 500
• UDP 4500
• TCP 443
• TCP 1701
• TCP 1723

Symantec recommends that you contact your VPN vendor to obtain a complete list of ports necessary for your VPN client. The vendor can also assist in creating firewall rules to allow the ports.

Note: The Firewall - Activities history in SEP SBE cloud will help reveal which ports are trying to be used, but are being blocked. To see this in the SEP SBE cloud agent, click View History > Firewall - Activities.