VPN Client Installation

Following are instructions on how to setup various VPN clients to a Cisco
VPN server.  Note that not all VPN servers will be able to use all of these
methods.  You will need to get the FQDN of the vpn server from your systems
administrator, as well as the VPN group name and password, and possibly the
VPN user name that you will use should it not be the same as your standard
network login information.  Images of the installation steps are found under
the instructions for each VPN client.  You can pause over any image to enlarge
it, you can also click on any image to open it in a new window.
  

Microsoft Windows XP Client

Goto Start->Network Connections, or Start->"My Network Places" and right-click
and choose properties.  Either way this will pull up the "Network Connections"
folder.

On the left, under "Network Tasks", choose "Create a new connection".  This
will bring up the "New Connection Wizard"; click on Next.

Choose "Connect to the network at my workplace"; click on Next.

Choose "Virtual Private Network connection"; click on Next.  Under the
"Company Name" dialog box, enter a descriptive name for the connection such as
'Work VPN'; click on Next.

Choose "Do not dial the initial connection"; click on Next.

Under the "Host name or IP address" dialog box, enter the FQDN of the VPN
server, such as 'vpn.company.local'; click on Next.

Choose "My use only"; click on Next.

Mark the check box for "Add a shortcut to this connection to my desktop";
click on Next.

Click on the Properties button, this will bring up the connection properties
for the VPN connection.  Choose the Security tab and click on the "IPSec
Settings..." button.

Mark the "Use pre-shared key for authentication" check box, and enter the
shared VPN key in the "Key:" text area; click on OK.

Click on OK to close the VPN connection Properties window.

Enter your username and password, and, if you want, however it is not
recomended, you may have the system save the user name and password for the
connection; click on Connect.

If everything is set properly, the connection should complete without error,
and you can disconnect the VPN connection by right-clicking on the connection
in the system tray, and choosing disconnect.
    

Cisco AnyConnect VPN Client

Open your favorite web-browser and in the address bar, goto
https://server.domain.local, where server.domain.local is the FQDN of your VPN
server.  You may get a certificate warning, that is OK, just go ahead and goto
the website.

Enter your username and password and click the Login button.

If the AnyConnect VPN client has not been installed, it will automatically
install.  If it has problems installing, just follow the instructions to
download the client and install it.  On Windows machines, you must have local
administrator rights to install the client.  On Windows Vista machines, you
will need to download the client, right click on the installer file, and
choose to run it as administrator.

Once installed, the connection should be established.

To disconnect, right click on the connection in the system tray, and choose
disconnect.
    

Cisco Systems VPN Client

The Cisco Systems VPN client installer will be provided to you by your systems
administrator.  Just double-click the file to install the client, just follow
the instructions, and contiue to click on Next at each screen, you must accept
the License agreement to install the client.

Once it has been installed click on Finish.  You may need to reboot your
computer ofter the installation, please reboot before configuring the client.

You can find the client under Start->Cisco Systems VPN Client->VPN Client.
Click on the VPNclient to start it.  You can then right click the VPN client
icon in the system tray and choose VPN Client... to configure the client.

Click on New to create a new connection.

Fill in the "Connection Entry" and "Description" with a text string that
descibes the connection and for easy identification.

In the "Host" field enter the FQDN of your VPN server, such as
server.domain.local.

Fill in the "Group Authentication" name, password and confirm password fields.
These should be supplied to you by you systems administrator.

Highlight the connection you want to connect to and click on "Connect".

Enter your username and password and click on OK.  If all information is
correct, you should now be connected to your VPN server.

To disconnect, either right-click on the inon in the system tray and choos
"Disconnect", or highlight the connection in the VPN client and click on
"Disconnect".
    

    
For further Information
If there are any problems or questions, with, or about, your VPN connection
settings, and or connectivity, please contact your systems administrator.