Issue with Connection Security Rule and PSK: Unable to Ping or Send Data

Question

Hi everyone,

I'm currently facing an Windows issue with a connection security rule I've set up to authenticate communication between two endpoints using a Pre-Shared Key (PSK). Here’s the setup:

• My Computer: 192.168.81.28
• Other Endpoint: 192.168.81.15

I've configured the connection security rule on both ends to use the same PSK for authentication. However, after applying the rule, I’m unable to ping or send any data between the two endpoints. I’ve double-checked that the rule is active on both machines, but something seems to be blocking the communication. Without enabling the security connection rule, I can ping or transmit data even though I had enabled firewall rules, so that reason could be moved aside

Attached are screenshots of the rules I’ve configured on both systems. Is there anything I might be missing or overlooking that could cause this issue? Any insights or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Answer 1

Hello ,

 

Thank you for posting in Q&A forum.

Based on your description, here are some possible solutions:

1. First, make sure that the PSK configured on both computers is exactly the same. Any small spelling mistake or extra space can cause authentication to fail.
2. Make sure that all the settings (such as authentication method, port, and protocol) are exactly the same in the connection security rules, except for the PSK. Pay special attention to the following:

Protocol Type: Make sure that the rules are configured for both machines to be of the same protocol type (e.g., ESP, AH, etc.).

Scope: Checks whether the rule applies to all network traffic and whether it contains the IP address range of the other party.

3. Make sure that you have created an allow rule in your firewall for the UDP or TCP port you are using. In addition, sometimes enabling IP Sec can affect other firewall settings, ensuring that it has been properly configured to allow this type of traffic.
4. Make sure that the network connection of both computers is normal. You can try accessing shared resources (such as shared folders) from one computer to another computer to see if you can get there. You can also check the physical connectivity of your network (such as a switch or router).
5. Use a network monitoring tool to capture network packets when trying to communicate. This can help you diagnose if a packet was sent and replied to and why the connection was not established.
6. Checking the system and application logs in the Event Viewer in Windows may reveal error messages related to connection security rules, which can help you understand the problem further.
7. If none of the above methods resolve the issue, it is recommended that you temporarily disable the connection security rules and firewall, and then gradually re-enable each section to determine which setting is causing the problem.
8. Sometimes a simple restart of your computer or router will fix a problem that arises on your network. Make sure to restart after the experiment.

 

I hope the information above is helpful.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to let us know.

 

Best regards，

Jill Zhou

 

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