Connecting to the Fortinet unit Configuring
FortiGate Version 4.0 Desktop Install Guide
12 01-400-95522-20090501
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Transparent mode
In transparent mode, the Fortinet unit is invisible to the network. Similar to a network
bridge, all FortiGate interfaces must be on the same subnet. You only have to configure a
management IP address to make configuration changes. The management IP address is
also used for antivirus and attack definition updates.
Figure 2: Fortinet unit in transparent mode
You typically use the Fortinet unit in transparent mode on a private network behind an
existing firewall or behind a router. The Fortinet unit performs firewall functions, IPSec
VPN, virus scanning, IPS web filtering, and Spam filtering.
Connecting to the Fortinet unit
To configure, maintain and administer the Fortinet unit, you need to connect to it. There
are two methods for these tasks:
• using the web-based manager: a GUI interface that you connect to using a current web
browser such as FireFox or Internet Explorer.
• using the command line interface (CLI): a command line interface similar to DOS or
UNIX commands that you connect to using an SSH terminal or Telnet terminal.
Connecting to the web-based manager
To connect to the web-based manager, you require:
• a computer with an Ethernet connection
• Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6.0 or higher or any recent version of a common
web browser
• an Ethernet cable.
To connect to the web-based manager
1 Set the IP address of the management computer to the static IP address
192.168.1.2 with a netmask of 255.255.255.0.
2 Using the Ethernet cable, connect the internal interface of the Fortinet unit to the
computer Ethernet connection.
3 Start your browser and enter the address https://192.168.1.99. (remember to
include the “s” in https://).
To support a secure HTTPS authentication method, the Fortinet unit ships with a
self-signed security certificate, which is offered to remote clients whenever they initiate
a HTTPS connection to the Fortinet unit. When you connect, the Fortinet unit displays
two security warnings in a browser.
Internet
Router
External
Management IP
10.10.10.1
Transparent mode policies controlling
traffic between internal and external networks
Internal
Gateway to public network
192.168.1.1 10.10.10.2
Hub or Switch
Internal Network
10.10.10.X