SSL VPN Tunnel Mode: No Access to Internal Resources
An administrator is troubleshooting an SSL VPN connection. Users can connect but cannot access internal resources. Which TWO commands would help diagnose the issue?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse IPsec and SSL VPN troubleshooting commands, selecting 'diagnose vpn ike status' because they associate 'vpn' with IPsec, not realizing SSL VPN uses a completely different set of diagnostic tools.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
get router info routing-table
The 'get router info routing-table' command displays the FortiGate's routing table, which is essential for verifying that the FortiGate has a route to the internal resources the SSL VPN users are trying to access. If the route is missing or incorrect, traffic from the SSL VPN tunnel will not be forwarded to the internal network. Option B is correct because 'diagnose vpn ssl list' shows active SSL VPN sessions, including the assigned virtual IP (VIP) and tunnel interface, which helps confirm that the user is properly connected and has received an IP address from the correct address pool.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
get router info routing-table
Why this is correct
This command displays the kernel routing table, including the route dynamically inserted for the SSL VPN tunnel interface. By checking it, an administrator can verify that the expected destination routes (or the default route) are present and bound to the SSL-VPN interface, which is essential for diagnosing why client traffic may not be forwarded after a successful SSL VPN handshake.
- ✓
diagnose vpn ssl list
Why this is correct
This command enumerates current SSL VPN sessions, showing per-tunnel details such as user name, source IP, assigned virtual IP, and the underlying tunnel interface name. It directly validates that the SSL VPN connection is actually established and that the client has been issued a proper IP, distinguishing a session layer failure from a routing or forwarding issue.
- ✗
diagnose vpn ike status
Why it's wrong here
The IKE protocol is used exclusively by IPsec VPNs for negotiating security associations; there is no IKE involvement in FortiOS SSL VPN tunneling. Running this command would only show IPsec phase 1 and 2 status, so it is irrelevant to an SSL VPN problem and cannot indicate any SSL VPN session or tunnel state.
- ✗
execute ping 8.8.8.8
Why it's wrong here
A ping from the FortiGate to an external host only tests the FortiGate's own outbound connectivity through its physical interfaces. It does not exercise the SSL VPN virtual tunnel interface, nor does it verify that a remote VPN client can traverse the tunnel to reach internal resources, so it provides no diagnostic value specific to an SSL VPN issue.
- ✗
diagnose debug application dnsproxy
Why it's wrong here
The dnsproxy debug application captures verbose logs from the FortiGate's DNS proxy process, which is mainly used to troubleshoot name resolution failures. SSL VPN access can be hindered by DNS, but this debug mode does not show tunnel establishment, session status, or routing information, making it a peripheral tool rather than a direct SSL VPN diagnostic.
Quick reference
VPN Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Port | Encryption | Authentication | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IKEv2 / IPsec | UDP 500 / 4500 | AES-256 | Certificates / PSK | Site-to-site & remote access |
| SSL / TLS VPN | TCP 443 | TLS 1.3 | Certificates / MFA | Clientless remote access |
| L2TP / IPsec | UDP 1701 | AES (IPsec) | PSK / Certificates | Legacy remote access |
| WireGuard | UDP 51820 | ChaCha20 | Public keys | Modern high-performance VPN |
| PPTP | TCP 1723 | MPPE (weak) | MS-CHAPv2 | Legacy — avoid in production |
PPTP is considered insecure. IKEv2/IPsec and SSL VPN are the current recommended options.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
One of 773 original NSE4 practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This NSE4 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Fortinet certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the NSE4 exam.