> Source: [sk156853](https://support.checkpoint.com/results/sk/sk156853)

# sk156853 - "An error was detected while trying to authenticate against the AD server" error in SmartLog log, when using Identity Awareness

| Property | Value |
|----------|-------|
| Solution ID | sk156853 |
| Date Created | 2019-06-29 |
| Last Modified | 2026-02-17 |
| Technical Level | Advanced |
| Products | Security Gateway |
| Versions | R82.10, R82, R81.20, R81.10 (EOS), R81 (EOS) |
| OS | Gaia |

## Symptoms

- Smartlog log shows the following error: "An error was detected while trying to authenticate against the AD server. It may be a problem of bad configuration or connectivity."

![](https://sc1.checkpoint.com/sc//SolutionsStatics/sk156853/image001_11906300608.png)

## Cause

As stated in the message, this is an issue with LDAP configuration. However, there can be multiple reasons for this message.

## Solution

This solution requires authentication. Please log in to view the full solution.

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