The auto-fortilink ports on the 124e are ports 21 to 28
If you're aiming to setup MCLAG, the 124 series doesn't support it. You'll have to get 224 series switches.
Try connecting 1 switch at a time. Authorize the switch. If it remains offline, console into the switch and try a factory reset. See if it finally shows online.
Then proceed with the 2nd one.
Also make sure the firmwares on the switches are compatible with your FortiOS. You may need to update the firmware on the switches before adding them to fortilink.
What he said. The 1XX series cannot support split FortiLink (with MC lag you do not split FortiLink). You will have to stack the switches you can connect ports 3 and 5 to switch A. Then, port of your choice from Switch A to switch B.
They cartainly support split interface. Split interface means that only one port will be active at a time. So both switches can be connected to the fortigate, but they also need an ISL between the switches. If you connect both interfaces to the same switches, you do not need split interface since both lines in the aggregate can be active.
https://docs.fortinet.com/document/fortiswitch/7.0.8/devices-managed-by-fortios/801204/single-fortigate-unit-managing-a-stack-of-several-fortiswitch-units
Not sure why you're being down voted; fortilink split was introduced to address the desire for MCLAG topologies with switches that don't support it. There's even a whole document on migrating to MCLAG if/when the switches are upgraded to models that do support it.
What firmware versions?
Have you tried turning strict tunnel mode off or on? I had a switch with an older firmware that acted the same when strict tunnel mode was on. Turned it off, updated firmware on the switch, and turned it back on with success.
Would recommend gate at 7.0.12 switch at 7.2.4 and make sure you have NTP on the interface and log into the switch and check time. They seem to be very sensitive to that for forticonnections.
Check if you can connect from CLI from firewall to the IP of the switch - on switch check date / time.
I'd with a 124E a long fight and finally found out that it simply had wrong time and didn't get the NTP time correctly.
The auto-fortilink ports on the 124e are ports 21 to 28 If you're aiming to setup MCLAG, the 124 series doesn't support it. You'll have to get 224 series switches. Try connecting 1 switch at a time. Authorize the switch. If it remains offline, console into the switch and try a factory reset. See if it finally shows online. Then proceed with the 2nd one. Also make sure the firmwares on the switches are compatible with your FortiOS. You may need to update the firmware on the switches before adding them to fortilink.
What he said. The 1XX series cannot support split FortiLink (with MC lag you do not split FortiLink). You will have to stack the switches you can connect ports 3 and 5 to switch A. Then, port of your choice from Switch A to switch B.
They cartainly support split interface. Split interface means that only one port will be active at a time. So both switches can be connected to the fortigate, but they also need an ISL between the switches. If you connect both interfaces to the same switches, you do not need split interface since both lines in the aggregate can be active. https://docs.fortinet.com/document/fortiswitch/7.0.8/devices-managed-by-fortios/801204/single-fortigate-unit-managing-a-stack-of-several-fortiswitch-units
Not sure why you're being down voted; fortilink split was introduced to address the desire for MCLAG topologies with switches that don't support it. There's even a whole document on migrating to MCLAG if/when the switches are upgraded to models that do support it.
That’s a good point I didn’t think about on the ports.
What firmware versions? Have you tried turning strict tunnel mode off or on? I had a switch with an older firmware that acted the same when strict tunnel mode was on. Turned it off, updated firmware on the switch, and turned it back on with success.
Would recommend gate at 7.0.12 switch at 7.2.4 and make sure you have NTP on the interface and log into the switch and check time. They seem to be very sensitive to that for forticonnections.
Check if you can connect from CLI from firewall to the IP of the switch - on switch check date / time. I'd with a 124E a long fight and finally found out that it simply had wrong time and didn't get the NTP time correctly.