[Question / Advice] Best VPN configuration for a Mac OS user (Older TZ series)

VPN
1

I’m interested in opinions on what would be the best performing and/or easiest to configure VPN client configuration for a Mac OS client to connect to a SonicWall TZ series. (TZ 220) And does it matter if the Mac OS client is running on Apple silicon?

Also, does SonicWall offer a TZ series product with native Wireguard support yet?

Thanks in advance for any insight.

2

You can use just lt2p vpn. Sonicwall doesn’t support another vpn type for Mac OS

3

SSL-VPN is the only supported Mac compatible option with your firewall, SMA offers wireguard but if you buy an SMA you should also upgrade your firewall (yours is ancient)

4

I’m pretty sure I noticed Wireguard as an option in the advanced settings of the NetExtender application.

I’d have to double check, but I’m pretty sure it’s available in at least the latest version.

5

I’ve been using Sonicwall Mobile Connect for +5 years and it is rock steady. To use the SSL VPN Wireguard protocol, you will need a Sonicwall SMA. Maybe dl a trial SMA500v (virtual) from your MySonicwall account ? Your EOL TZ220 does not and will not do Wireguard, but should serve the MacOS Mobile Connect client - but - with unsafe SSL ciphers. Time to let it go.

6

Kind of responding to this late, but we ended up switching a lot of our Mac’s to use IPSec VPN instead of using SonicWall Mobile Connect (SSL-VPN). We mainly did this because there is such a huge jump in performance. We just have never really been able to squeeze good performance out of SSL-VPN.

Downside is you have to use 3rd party VPN clients like IPSecuritas to get it working.

7

I was reading that SSL VPN could be used with the Mobile Connect client.

https://www.sonicwall.com/support/technical-documentation/docs/mobileconnect-macos_user_guide/Content/mobile_connect-5.0-macos_user_guide/introduction-to-mobile-connect/how-mobile-connect-works.htm/

Has anyone tried this and are there any significant downsides?

8

SSL-VPN should still work with older series appliances. L2TP would require configuring routing manually on the Mac side since I don’t think there is a mechanism to push routes.

9

Understood. Thank you very much for the info!

10

My friend, please ask to u/poopiepants “ has he ssl vpn license” if I’m not wrong , older version hadn’t ssl vpn license.

11

That may be incorrect. I have 2 TZ215 which is similar to the TZ220 and one has 2 SSL and 2 GVP the other has one of each. I don;t know why they aren’t both 2 or something.

Now, that old as tar Gen 5 code may be really sucky at SSL-VPN.