Install FortiClient VPN on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS

Linux Backup

FortiClient uses SSL and IPSec VPN to provide its customers with safe, efficient, reliable, and fast access to corporate networks and applications from virtually any internet-connected remote machine. FortiClient enhances remote user experience with built-in auto-connect and always-up VPN features.

Here at Ibmi Media, we shall look into how to install FortiClient VPN on our Ubuntu 20.04 machine.

To see how you can install Open VPN on Linux Mint 20, check this out: https://linuxapt.com/blog/874-install-openvpn-on-linux-mint-20

Steps to install FortiClient VPN on Ubuntu 20.04 machine

1. Install gpg key on the system

To begin, install the gpg key with the following command:

$ wget -O - https://repo.fortinet.com/repo/ubuntu/DEB-GPG-KEY | sudo apt-key add -

2. Edit sources.list file

Here, we will add a line in the sources.list file to enable installation of the application. To do that, first, go to apt directory following the below command:

$ cd /etc/apt

Next, open sources.list file with the editor you are comfortable with. We have used nano editor as it is the easiest to use. To open the file, run the command:

$ nano sources.list

Once the file is open, copy this line and add it to the top of the file:

deb [arch=amd64] https://repo.fortinet.com/repo/ubuntu/ /bionic multiverse

Now save the file with (CTRL + T) and exit with (CTRL + O).

3. Update your system

To update the recent changes we made in the file in the previous step, we will update our system with the below command:

$ sudo apt-get update

4. Install Forticlient VPN

Once the system is updated, we will install the VPN application using this command:

$ sudo apt install forticlient

5. Verify Forticlient VPN Installation

Now that we have installed the application, let's also verify if it is working properly or not.

To do that go to the start menu and search for the application. FortiClient VPN will appear on the screen.
Run it to see if it is working fine.
Now you will see the user interface for FortiClient.
Next, go to remote access and click on configure.
Now here provide the configuration to connect through VPN.

How to uninstall FortiClient VPN from Ubuntu 20.04 ?

To remove FortiClient VPN from our system, you can run the below command:

$ sudo apt-get remove forticlient

Once the process is completed, to verify the uninstallation, you can go to the start screen to check if the application still exists on the system or not.