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WatchGuard IPSec VPN Client for Mac - Not working on macOS Monterey due to kernel extension

edgar.ciraconnectedgar.ciraconnect
in Firebox - VPN Mobile User

Today I replaced my Intel MacBook Pro running macOS Monterey with an Apple Silicon MacBook Pro running macOS Monterey.

Upon installing WatchGuard IPSec Mobile VPN Client for macOS v4.0 on the new Mac, I received a warning from macOS saying that the kernel extension could not be installed due to security concerns.

The extension did now show up in Preferences / Security as usual.

After researching this issue for a bit, it seems like the new MacBooks have more strict security when it comes to installing kernel extensions. I followed some instructions from apple to lower the security to allow kernel extensions to be installed (this required rebooting and holding the power button until I got to the recovery partition).

This did not fix the issue even when attempting the installation again.

Does anybody have any suggestions? I've been waiting on WatchGuard support to respond to me for a while.

Monterey has been available for beta testing since June 7th so I find it hard to believe that WatchGuard didn't get ahead by testing the application ahead of the public release of macOS Monterey.

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    edgar.ciraconnectedgar.ciraconnect

    It seems like the WatchGuard Mobile VPN client is a reskinned version of NCP Secure Entry VPN Client.

    NCP has already released an update to the client which addresses this issue. The new version is v4.6. WatchGuard only has v4.0 available.

    I was able to install the NCP Secure Entry VPN client without issues but was not able to actually activate the application since my license is for WG.

    I spoke with tech support and they had no clue that Apple released a new version of macOS, that they released new Macs with Apple Silicon, and it seemed like I knew more about the VPN client than they did. They weren't able to help me.

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    james.carsonjames.carson Moderator, WatchGuard Representative

    Hi @edgar.ciraconnect
    If you happen to have a case number I can look into that.
    The WatchGuard IPSec is a customized version of the NCP client that we support (it's not really hidden, the limitation is that it only works with WGX profiles vice the universal ones.

    I'll need to check, but I suspect there will be a new version of our client that you'll be able to move to soon.

    -James Carson
    WatchGuard Customer Support

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