How do I troubleshoot a remote tunnel connection?

If you're unable to establish a connection using Auvik Remote Tunnel, there are two common issues to check:

1. The API key is missing, invalid, or was not entered correctly during installation.
2. The Auvik Tunnel client is not running with sufficient privileges.

Issue 1: API Key Was Not Saved or Entered Correctly

The Remote Tunnel client uses your Auvik API key to authenticate with the Auvik platform.

If the API key was not saved to your user account or was entered incorrectly during installation, the tunnel client cannot authenticate successfully.

Verify Your API Key

1. Click the arrow next to your username in the Auvik navigation menu.
2. Select Edit Profile.
3. Locate the API Key field.

If an API key has been saved, you will see a masked value displayed as a series of asterisks.

If no API key is present:

1. Generate a new API key.
2. Save the changes to your profile.
3. Reinstall or reconfigure the Remote Tunnel client using the new API key.

Additional Validation

If the API key is present but the tunnel still fails:

• Verify the API key was entered exactly as generated.
• Confirm there are no leading or trailing spaces.
• Reinstall the Remote Tunnel client and re-enter the API key.
• If the API key was recently regenerated, update the tunnel client with the new key.

Note: Regenerating an API key invalidates the previously generated key.

Issue 2: The Tunnel Client Is Not Running with Sufficient Privileges

A common Windows error is:

WebSocket Exception: Cannot upgrade to WebSocket connection: Unauthorized

This typically indicates that the Auvik Tunnel client (AuvikTunnel.exe) is not running with elevated permissions.

Run the Tunnel Client as Administrator

1. Open the Windows Start Menu.
2. Search for cmd.
3. Right-click Command Prompt.
4. Select Run as administrator.

Verify Administrative Access

When Command Prompt is running with elevated permissions, you will typically see one of the following:

• Administrator
• C:\Windows\System32

If Command Prompt displays your standard user profile path instead:

C:\Users\<username>

the session was not started with administrative privileges.

If this occurs:

1. Close the Command Prompt window.
2. Repeat the previous steps and ensure Run as administrator is selected.

Launch the Tunnel Client

Once the elevated Command Prompt is open, launch the Auvik Tunnel client from the administrative session.

Additional Troubleshooting

If the tunnel still fails after verifying the API key and permissions:

Verify Internet Connectivity

Ensure the device running the tunnel client can access the Internet and communicate with Auvik cloud services.

Check Firewall and Security Software

Verify that:

• Local Windows Firewall rules are not blocking the tunnel client.
• Endpoint protection software is not preventing the application from establishing outbound connections.
• Corporate proxies are not interfering with WebSocket traffic.

Verify the Tunnel Client Is Running

Confirm that:

• The tunnel client process is running.
• The installation completed successfully.
• No errors appear during startup.

Restart the Tunnel Client

After correcting configuration issues:

1. Close the tunnel client.
2. Restart the application.
3. Attempt to establish the tunnel again.

Still Need Help?

If the issue persists after completing these steps:

• Record any error messages displayed by the tunnel client.
• Note whether the failure occurs during startup or connection establishment.
• Contact Auvik Support and provide the error details along with any relevant screenshots or log files.

This information can significantly reduce troubleshooting time and help identify authentication or connectivity issues more quickly.