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.