Watchguard Archives

January 9, 2026January 9, 2026

Watch guard Mobile VPN with IKEv2 disconnects after 10 minutes on macOS

If you’re using WatchGuard Mobile VPN with IKEv2 on your Mac, you might have encountered a frustrating issue where the connection drops after approximately 10 minutes. This problem has become more prevalent following macOS updates, such as Sonoma or later versions, affecting users on Apple Silicon devices like M1, M2, and beyond. The disconnects can disrupt remote work, requiring frequent reconnections and potentially leading to security concerns or productivity loss.

Fortunately, several proven workarounds and fixes exist, drawn from official WatchGuard documentation and community experiences. This article outlines the common causes and step-by-step solutions to stabilize your VPN connection.

January 7, 2026January 7, 2026

How to Backup Watchguard Firewall

In this video, we’ll walk through how to back up your WatchGuard firewall configuration. Creating regular backups ensures you can quickly restore your settings in the event of hardware failure, upgrades, or unexpected changes. Let’s get started and make sure your network stays protected and recoverable.

March 18, 2025March 18, 2025

VPN Issues with Watchguards connection on L2TP

If your on a Mac and VPN to a watchguard due to the ongoing issue with IKEv2 connections for Macs running Sonoma and above kicking the user off at 24 or 48 minutes depending on the configuration within the Watchguard the workarounds are limited. For some the easy option is if the hardware is staying put you can move from IKEv2 to L2TP.

There has been a few issues with the Watchguard allowing connections through the firewall. Fortunately there is an easy fix on the mac’s with the issue.

October 31, 2024January 14, 2025

Share iCloud account in Outlook

So sharing your exchange calendar to iCal is very easy and works very nicely on your mobile device. To share the Calendar the other way so bring it into Outlook (Why) is another story.

Outlook for Mac doesn’t support the CalDAV or CardDAV Internet standards. n short Outlook will not sync with iCal and there is no plan for Microsoft to change its approach. Looking into this and it’s possible to share the iCloud calendar to most web mail applications included Outlook for Web (notice the Web version).

So the process is login to iCloud.com with your Apple ID and go to calendars.

October 28, 2024May 16, 2025

Bitdefender system extension blocked in macOS

Installing Bitdefender on a Mac running Big Sur or above you are going to get the alert from gatekeeper Warning you of the System Extension Blocked. The Application is SecurityNetworkInstallerApp which is trying to load the system extensions. This will need to be enabled by open Privacy & Security in System Settings and click ok or allow depending on the screen. This is relatively simple on Macs ruing Ventura or below. However with some recent builds of Sonoma and Sequoia the App does not appear in security to allow you to authorise the app.

October 28, 2024January 14, 2025

Other ways to setup your new Apple ID

Usually for a new Apple user the way to setup your Apple ID (new) is to go system settings and then Apple ID is at the top.

Sometimes this times out for a multitude of reasons which I can never find out why. It does not help there is no reason why it wont accept the creation of the Apple ID from system settings. To get round this there is an Apple website where you can create your new Apple ID from. There was a time where the only way to do it was from the machine. I think Apple blamed down on the amount of Apple IDs that people could create. It was date back to their not so great mobile me accounts which just did not work to the expectations it was hyped up to certainly on mobile devices.

October 27, 2024January 14, 2025

How to fix a corrupted profile user account issue on your Mac.

Hey there, Mac users! Today, we’re diving into a quick and easy tutorial on how to fix your user account profile. Whether you’re updating for a fresh start or just personalizing your device, we’ve got you covered!”

Changing your corrupted profile account is simple, but it’s important to follow the steps carefully to avoid any hiccups. So, let’s get started and make your Mac truly yours!

Grab your mouse, and let’s jump into the system preferences!

October 25, 2024March 18, 2025

How to install and remove a Profile to a Mac for a Watchguard VPN

When you setup a Watchguard VPN using IKEv2 you will need to download the installer for file to setup the profile for your computer or smart phone. The Watchguard includes it all within a package build. It’s a zip file you just need to unzip it and then located the folder to the Operating System you are using. So in our case you open the MacOS_IOS folder and either double click or right click and install the WG IKEv2.mobileconfig profile.

October 23, 2024October 24, 2024

OSX Sonoma and above OS silicon bases Macs VPN IKEv2 randomly disconnects

Are you encountering the random logout of VPN using IKEv2 on a WatchGuard running a Silicon Mac on OS Sonoma and above?

This one seems to keep popping up with an issue the Symptoms are VPN IKEv2 cuts you out at 24 min or 48m min. After testing this one on several machines I have found it cuts out on any silicon machine running Sonoma or above from a WatchGuard VPN. As for a fix well it’s a change to the VPN settings in the Watchguard and re deploy the profile to the Mac with the issue.