> Source: [sk183052](https://support.checkpoint.com/results/sk/sk183052)

# sk183052 - Remote Access VPN client fails to connect to (or disconnects from) the VPN Virtual System when it connects through another Virtual System on a Scalable Platform in the VSX mode

| Property | Value |
|----------|-------|
| Solution ID | sk183052 |
| Date Created | 2025-01-21 |
| Last Modified | 2025-04-20 |
| Technical Level | General |
| Products | Security Gateway, Scalable Platforms |
| Versions | R82, R82 |
| OS | Gaia |

## Symptoms

- * Remote Access VPN client fails to connect, or disconnects and reconnects to the VPN Virtual System when it connects through another Virtual System on a Scalable Platform in the Traditional VSX mode.

  (Remote Access VPN client) -- (Virtual System) -- (Virtual Switch) -- (VPN Virtual System) --- (Internal Network)
* Remote Access VPN client fails to connect, or disconnects and reconnects to the VPN Virtual Gateway when it connects through another Virtual Gateway on a Scalable Platform in the VSNext mode.

  (Remote Access VPN client) -- (Virtual Gateway) -- (Virtual Switch) -- (VPN Virtual Gateway) --- (Internal Network)
* In SmartConsole / SmartView, the security logs from the intermediate Virtual System / Virtual Gateway show that its Clean Up rule drops the encrypted responses the VPN Virtual System / VPN Virtual Gateway sends to the Remote Access Client.

* Kernel debug (`fw ctl zdebug -m fw + drop`) on the intermediate Virtual System / Virtual Gateway confirms that its policy drops the encrypted responses the VPN Virtual System / VPN Virtual Gateway sends to the Remote Access Client.

## Cause

In a specific topology, where the IPsec traffic flows through an intermediate Virtual System / Virtual Gateway, the security policy on that intermediate Virtual System / Virtual Gateway may drop IKE (UDP port 4500) or encrypted packets, because by the current design the intermediate Virtual System / Virtual Gateway does not synchronize the encrypted connection to all Security Group Members. It only synchronizes with the Security Group Members that have the connection entry of the IPsec tunnel.

<br />

## Solution

This problem was fixed. The fix is included in:

* [Jumbo Hotfix Accumulator for R82](https://sc1.checkpoint.com/documents/Jumbo_HFA/R82/Default.htm) starting from Take 14

If you choose not to upgrade, Check Point can supply a **Hotfix** . [Contact Check Point Support](https://www.checkpoint.com/support-services/.contact-support/) to get a Hotfix for this issue.  
A Support Engineer will make sure the Hotfix is compatible with your environment before providing the Hotfix.  
For faster resolution and verification, please collect [CPinfo files](http://supportcontent.checkpoint.com/solutions?id=sk92739) from the Security Management Server and Security Gateways involved in the case.

**Hotfix installation instructions:**   
Refer to [sk168597 - How to install a Hotfix](https://supportcenter.checkpoint.com/supportcenter/portal?eventSubmit_doGoviewsolutiondetails=&solutionid=sk168597).

#### Workflow

1. Install the Hotfix on the Security Group.

   Refer to [sk168597 - How to install a Hotfix](https://support.checkpoint.com/results/sk/sk168597).
2. Configure the IDs of the intermediate Virtual Systems / Virtual Gateways as values of the kernel parameter "`vses_sync_passing_vpn_conns`".

   The kernel parameter accepts comma-separated integers from 0 to 512 - the IDs of intermediate Virtual System / Virtual Gateways.

   Each listed intermediate Virtual System / Virtual Gateway will synchronize all IPsec connections (identified as ESP protocol or UDP-encapsulated ESP) to all Security Group Members.

   To configure this kernel parameter on a Scalable Platform Security Group, run in Gaia gClish:

   `fw ctl set -f str vses_sync_passing_vpn_conns 'VSID1,VSID2,...,VSIDn'`

   Example for VS1 and VS3:

   `fw ctl set -f str vses_sync_passing_vpn_conns '1,3'`

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