HOW TO: Install cisco vpn client

[Ancanus]

The following blog has all the necessary shell commands for installing Cisco VPN Client on Natty Narwhal (Kernel: 2.6.38-11-generic).

It's in german, but the installation commands are in universal shell code.

Installation vpnclient für Linux 2.6.38+

Cisco-Archiv herunterladen
# wget http://projects.tuxx-home.at/ciscovpn/clients/linux/4.8.02/vpnclient-linux-x86_64-4.8.02.0030-k9.tar.gz

Patch für Linux 2.5.38+ herunterladen
# wget http://www.fseitz.de/download/vpnclient.patch-2.6.38

Cisco-Archiv entpacken
# tar xvzf vpnclient-linux-x86_64-4.8.02.0030-k9.tar.gz

Ins vpnclient-Verzeichnis wechseln
# cd vpnclient

Patch anwenden
# patch <../vpnclient.patch-2.6.38

Cisco Software kompilieren
# make

Cisco Software installieren
# ./vpn_install

SOURCE: http://fseitz.de/blog/index.php?/categories/27-Cisco-VPN-Client

(I think the installation breaks if you upgrade to Oneiric (Kernel: 3.0, so you may want to hold that until we get another workaround.)

[dccarson]

Yes, I can confirm that these instructions do not work for Ubuntu 11.10 (oneiric ocelot).

The kernel module builds successfully, but when I try to load it:

(0)root@eagle:~# /etc/init.d/vpnclient_init start
Starting /opt/cisco-vpnclient/bin/vpnclient: insmod: error inserting '/lib/modules/3.0.0-12-generic/CiscoVPN/cisco_ipsec': -1 Invalid module format
Failed (insmod)

I only started using the Cisco client -- back when I was still on 11.04 -- because the vpnc client disconnects every 30 minutes or so. So, I found these instructions and got the Cisco client working great with 2.6.38 kernel. Now I'm back to using vpnc. It works but will, I suspect, continue to disconnect.

The problem with vpnc, I think, is that it does not handle rekeying requests, and so times out. Hopefully, vpnc is fixed and supports rekeying now -- we shall see. If not, then I'll have to wait until someone fixes this insmod problem with the Cisco client.

Thanks,
David

[d4m1r]

Just a note that after installing vpnc you have to restart network-manager to be able to connect to a specified VPN (ex: if you imported a .pcf) in 11.04. Not sure if it's a bug or not, but I couldn't connect to the VPN entry I created until I did that (clicking on the VPN did nothing).

Does anyone have a straightforward guide on how to compile the Cisco client for linux? I am using vpnc on 11.04 (32 bit) but am getting disconnected every hour or so...

[dccarson]

Does anyone have a straightforward guide on how to compile the Cisco client for linux? I am using vpnc on 11.04 (32 bit) but am getting disconnected every hour or so...

The instructions in the post before mine (#21) worked perfectly for me under Ubuntu 11.04. Not sure why you are getting disconnected every hour. That is precisely why I went away from vpnc and started using the Cisco client.

However, as I said before, the instructions do not work with 11.10. It compiles fine, but will not load the module.

[devlindeboree]

anyone find a solution for this on 11.10?

[d4m1r]

2 small updates:

1)to stop random disconnect, disable "dead peer detection" (google it, or if you are using 11.04, its a simple UI check box when configuring the VPN connection

2)to stop the refresh issue when connected to a remote system (desktop refreshes every time you minimize/delete something), do not use a wallpaper. It is annoying how such a trivial thing forced me to wait 2-3 seconds every time something on my desktop refreshed but...Note - I was connecting to a Windows XP system and with the plain blue background everything refreshes instantly.

[airmid]

Don't know if this was solved but this is how I got it to work on 1.10 64-bit. I've been running cisco vpn client for about 4 years now and every new release it have to re-install it. You do need a patch though at the following website:

https://nowhere.dk/articles/installi...oneiric-ocelot

Then I had to remove vpnclient directory completely and start from scratch:

# sudo rm -r vpnclient

The next steps is to assure I have a good copy of my builds for 3.0.0-12

# sudo apt-get install --reinstall linux-headers-`uname -r`
# sudo apt-get install build-essential

Then do the install from scratch

# sudo tar -xzf vpnclient-linux-x86_64-4.8.02.0030-k9.tar.gz
# cd vpnclient
# wget http://www.fseitz.de/download/vpnclient.patch-2.6.38 <-- download patch
# patch < vpnclient.patch-2.6.38
# patch < vpnclient_linux3.0.diff <--patch from above website
# sudo ./vpn_install
# sudo /etc/init.d/vpnclient_init start

Started up and I'm rockin and rollin.

[d4m1r]

Don't know if this was solved but this is how I got it to work on 1.10 64-bit. I've been running cisco vpn client for about 4 years now and every new release it have to re-install it. You do need a patch though at the following website:

https://nowhere.dk/articles/installi...oneiric-ocelot

Then I had to remove vpnclient directory completely and start from scratch:

# sudo rm -r vpnclient

The next steps is to assure I have a good copy of my builds for 3.0.0-12

# sudo apt-get install --reinstall linux-headers-`uname -r`
# sudo apt-get install build-essential

Then do the install from scratch

# sudo tar -xzf vpnclient-linux-x86_64-4.8.02.0030-k9.tar.gz
# cd vpnclient
# wget http://www.fseitz.de/download/vpnclient.patch-2.6.38 <-- download patch
# patch < vpnclient.patch-2.6.38
# patch < vpnclient_linux3.0.diff <--patch from above website
# sudo ./vpn_install
# sudo /etc/init.d/vpnclient_init start

Started up and I'm rockin and rollin.

Does that give you an interface or do you have to add address etc via command line?

[airmid]

Once you got the vpn up and running, put your profile or .pcf files in /etc/opt/cisco-vpnclient/Profiles/ directory and to connect issue the following command:

# vpnclient connect profile_name

To disconnect

# vpnclient disconnect

If you just type:

# vpnclient

It will give you a help menu.

[d4m1r]

Once you got the vpn up and running, put your profile or .pcf files in /etc/opt/cisco-vpnclient/Profiles/ directory and to connect issue the following command:

# vpnclient connect profile_name

To disconnect

# vpnclient disconnect

If you just type:

# vpnclient

It will give you a help menu.

vpnc is basically the same thing...however, regardless of what I use, my VPN seems to create the tunnel (shows it connects "successfully") but then I can't ping any internal IPs, access any internal sites, access my PC thro RDP, etc