SonicWall 6.5.4+ ikev2 (static)

Configuring SonicWall Next Generation Firewall

Version tested: SonicWall NSv Firewall version 6.5.4

In this section we will refer to the configuration file you can download from AWS as “template conf” and will explain how to use its contents for configuring SonicOSX 6.5.4

Create VPN Tunnels

To create the VPN Tunnels navigate to Manage > VPN > Base Settings and ensure that the option Enable VPN are enabled.

Click on Add to create a new IPSec Connection

Configure the tunnel as specified in the template conf #1: General Configuration

user@SerialNumber> configure
config(SerialNumber)# address-object ipv4 AWSVPC network <vpc_subnet> <subnet-mask> zone VPN
config(SerialNumber)# vpn policy tunnel-interface vpn-00727a2e3ce528681-0
(add-tunnel-interface[AWSVPN])# gateway primary 3.125.75.35
(add-tunnel-interface[AWSVPN])# bound-to interface X1
(add-tunnel-interface[AWSVPN])# auth-method shared-secret
(auth-method-shared-secret[AWSVPN])# shared-secret 6AtKhuHU54oU4Ek_o.d8u4jji6Jjymur
(auth-method-shared-secret[AWSVPN])# ike-id local ip  52.59.206.183
(auth-method-shared-secret[AWSVPN])# ike-id peer ip 3.125.75.35
(auth-method-shared-secret[AWSVPN])# exit

** The Local IKE ID is the Firewall Identifier, it’s showed in Manage > VPN > Base Settings

and continue with #2: Internet Key Exchange (IKE) Configuration and  #3: IPSec Configuration

(add-tunnel-interface[AWSVPN])# proposal ike exchange ikev2
(add-tunnel-interface[AWSVPN])# proposal ike dh-group 2
(add-tunnel-interface[AWSVPN])# proposal ike encryption aes-128
(add-tunnel-interface[AWSVPN])# proposal ike authentication sha-1
(add-tunnel-interface[AWSVPN])# proposal ike lifetime 28800
(add-tunnel-interface[AWSVPN])# proposal ipsec protocol esp
(add-tunnel-interface[AWSVPN])# proposal ipsec encryption aes-128
(add-tunnel-interface[AWSVPN])# proposal ipsec authentication sha-1
(add-tunnel-interface[AWSVPN])# proposal ipsec perfect-forward-secrecy dh-group 2
(add-tunnel-interface[AWSVPN])# proposal ipsec lifetime 3600
(add-tunnel-interface[AWSVPN])# Keep-alive
(add-tunnel-interface[AWSVPN])# enable
(add-tunnel-interface[AWSVPN])# commit
(add-tunnel-interface[AWSVPN])# end

and let’s do the same also for the IPSec Tunnel #2

user@SerialNumber> configure
config(SerialNumber)# address-object ipv4 AWSVPC network <vpc_subnet> <subnet-mask> zone VPN
config(SerialNumber)# vpn policy tunnel-interface vpn-00727a2e3ce528681-1
(add-tunnel-interface[AWSVPN])# gateway primary 52.58.65.250
(add-tunnel-interface[AWSVPN])# bound-to interface X1
(add-tunnel-interface[AWSVPN])# auth-method shared-secret
(auth-method-shared-secret[AWSVPN])# shared-secret e.kQTZ2SvUmumlY4RUq7tFHOiu1tOa5k
(auth-method-shared-secret[AWSVPN])# ike-id local ip  52.59.206.183
(auth-method-shared-secret[AWSVPN])# ike-id peer ip 52.58.65.250
(auth-method-shared-secret[AWSVPN])# exit

and

(add-tunnel-interface[AWSVPN])# proposal ike exchange ikev2
(add-tunnel-interface[AWSVPN])# proposal ike dh-group 2
(add-tunnel-interface[AWSVPN])# proposal ike encryption aes-128
(add-tunnel-interface[AWSVPN])# proposal ike authentication sha-1
(add-tunnel-interface[AWSVPN])# proposal ike lifetime 28800
(add-tunnel-interface[AWSVPN])# proposal ipsec protocol esp
(add-tunnel-interface[AWSVPN])# proposal ipsec encryption aes-128
(add-tunnel-interface[AWSVPN])# proposal ipsec authentication sha-1
(add-tunnel-interface[AWSVPN])# proposal ipsec perfect-forward-secrecy dh-group 2
(add-tunnel-interface[AWSVPN])# proposal ipsec lifetime 3600
(add-tunnel-interface[AWSVPN])# Keep-alive
(add-tunnel-interface[AWSVPN])# enable
(add-tunnel-interface[AWSVPN])# commit
(add-tunnel-interface[AWSVPN])# end

Configure Tunnel Interfaces

A tunnel interface is configured to be the logical interface associated with the tunnel. 

As defined in #5: Tunnel Interface Configuration we should configure the tunnel interface as specified in the template conf 

config(SerialNumber)# tunnel-interface vpn T1
(add-interface[T1])# asymmetric-route
(add-interface[T1])# policy vpn-00727a2e3ce528681-0
(add-interface[T1])# ip-assignment VPN static
(add-VPN-static)# ip 169.254.214.90 netmask 255.255.255.252
(add-VPN-static)# commit
(edit-VPN-static)# end

Navigate to Manage > Network > Interfaces and from Add Interface drop-down choose VPN Tunnel Interface

do the same for the second interface:

config(SerialNumber)# tunnel-interface vpn T2(add-interface[T1])# asymmetric-route(add-interface[T1])# policy vpn-00727a2e3ce528681-1(add-interface[T1])# ip-assignment VPN static(add-VPN-static)# ip 169.254.60.142 netmask 255.255.255.252(add-VPN-static)# commit(edit-VPN-static)# end

Configure Static Routes

Configure static routes to route VPC network over the tunnel interfaces as specified in the template conf #6 Static Route Configuration

config(SerialNumber)# route-policy ipv4 interface T1 metric 1 source any destination name AWSVPC service any
(add-route-policy)# commit

Go to Manage > Network > Routing > Route Policies and create: 

and

config(SerialNumber)# route-policy ipv4 interface T2 metric 1 source any destination name AWSVPC service any
(add-route-policy)# commit

Note: 

• Disable the option “Disable route when the interface is disconnected” to allow the simultaneous connection of both tunnels using the Network Monitoring

• In this case the destination AWS1_VPC is the AWS VPC Network (10.148.0.0/16)

Testing

Going back Manage > VPN > Base Settings we should be able to see both tunnels up:

Increase the security in the VPN connection

Now, since AWS side VPN tunnels support better security, we can adjust SonicWall configuration accordingly.

So we can use:

• AES-256 instead of AES-128

• SHA512 instead of SHA1

• Diffie-Hellman group 14 instead of DH 2, SonicWall supports DH14

• IKEv2 whenever possible

Let’s adjust SonicWall configuration:

Manage > VPN > Base Settings > edit both tunnels with the new parameters:

Now the IPSec tunnels will be up and running with maximum security:

We have done!

For more information and support please contact our UCCS Onboarding Team

Last updated: March 11, 2025