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For mobile professionals and those wishing to secure their remote connections while away from the office or over unsecured networks, such as the internet, nothing compares to virtual private networking (VPN) connections.
This software is available to NIH Only. Establish encrypted VPN tunnels with the Cisco VPN Client for highly secure remote connectivity for mobile employees or teleworkers. If you have problems installing the VPN client, try using the Uninstall instructions for your operating system. Install and Run Cisco's AnyConnect client for VPN connectivity on Windows including Duo. On this page. Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client is a web-based VPN client from Cisco. AnyConnect is not limited to providing only VPN functionality but it also comes with other features which enable an enterprise to secure its endpoints.
VPN access is used (and should continue to be enforced) as a means of protecting connections made remotely from a client to a network by tunneling the connection between the two endpoints and encrypting all that is sent or received. An additional layer of security is included by requiring authorized users to authenticate themselves so that access to data is strictly controlled via a centralized database, such as Active Directory.
SEE: How to set up Windows 10 on the Raspberry Pi
While VPN clients come from many vendors, Cisco's venerable Cisco VPN Client v5 was commonly used to communicate with Cisco routers and provide one-stop connectivity to company resources. However, it reached end-of-life (EOL) in July 2016 and is no longer supported by Cisco in lieu of the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client v4.
The EOL designation for the Cisco VPN Client v5.0.07.0440—the most recent and stable version—means that newer operating systems, like Windows 10, are not officially supported by the client. This renders many enterprise businesses and educational institutions without VPN support until they upgrade to the AnyConnect suite.
Luckily, a workaround exists to allow the Cisco VPN Client application to function on Windows 10 and other 64-bit versions of Windows until your organization is ready to migrate to a newer VPN platform. Let's review the requirements first:
- PC running Windows 10
- Cisco VPN Client v5.0.07.0440 (check with your network administrator)
- Administrative credentials
Armed with the tools we need, let's follow the steps necessary to install and configure the VPN client on Windows 10.
- If a previous version of Cisco's VPN Client is currently installed on the workstation, uninstall it and reboot the node.
- Install the Citrix DNE Update software that matches your computer's architecture—32- or 64-bit.
- Install Cisco VPN Client v5.0.07.0440 and reboot your desktop after completing the installation, if prompted.
- Launch Regedit.exe. (NOTE: The Windows Registry file is vital to the operation of the Windows operating system. Incorrectly editing or otherwise corrupting the Windows Registry file could prevent your computer from booting properly.) Navigate to the following location to modify the entry necessary to enable the VPN client within Windows 10:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesCVirtA - Find the Display Name key and double-click it to edit the entry. Change it from:
'@oem8.ifn,%CVirtA_Desc%;Cisco Systems VPN Adapter'
to:
'Cisco Systems VPN Adapter' - Exit the Registry Editor and launch the Cisco VPN Client software. Configure the application as needed to communicate with your organization's VPN server and test the connection. If the connection fails and you are using a 64-bit version of Windows 10, go back to step #5 and edit the Registry entry to Cisco Systems VPN Adapter for 64-bit Windows. Then, retry establishing a connection.
These steps apply to all current versions of Windows 10, including version 1607, otherwise known as the Windows 10 Anniversary Update.
One caveat: If you haven't upgraded to Anniversary Edition, updating to that version will break the Cisco VPN Client and you will need to fix the installation—or better yet, follow the preceding steps again to correct the problem.
Also, from time to time, Windows 10 may flag the application as unsupported and disable the service. Simply launch Services.msc and find the service entry titled Cisco Systems, Inc. VPN Service. Then right-click the service and select Start from the context menu to reenable the service and allow it to work in the background, as needed.
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- Windows 10: The smart person's guide (Updated)
Your thoughts
Have you run into problems since Cisco stopped supporting VPN Client v5? What approach have you taken to managing your VPN needs? Share your experiences and advice with fellow TechRepublic members.
Cisco no longer actively develops or releases new versions of the obsolete Cisco VPN Client software. Cisco distributed this software only through limited channels. Specifically, it was provided with some business security products or was only downloadable through business-to-business accounts. The software was not intended for the average consumer's use.
Cisco AnyConnect Security Mobility Client is the current software that replaces older Cisco VPN clients. While older software versions supported only SSL, AnyConnect VPN currently supports both SSL and IPsec (with appropriate Cisco licensing). Cisco offers mobile app versions of this software named Cisco AnyConnect. The free downloads are available at the Apple App Store, Google Play, and Amazon's App Store.
System Requirements of Cisco VPN Client Software
Cisco VPN Client ran on the following operating systems:
- Windows XP or newer versions of Microsoft Windows
- Mac OS X
- Linux
- Solaris Unix
VPN Servers Supported
The Cisco VPN Client was compatible with the following VPN servers from Cisco:
- Cisco VPN 3000 Series Concentrator Software 3.0 and later
- Cisco IOS Software 12.2(8)T and later
- Cisco PIX Firewall Software 6.0 and later
VPN Tunneling Protocols Supported
PPTP, L2TP, L2TP/IPsec, and several other forms of IPsec related to ESP, NAT, UDP, and TCP.
Cisco VPN Client Restrictions
Cisco Anyconnect Vpn For Windows
The Cisco VPN Client was incompatible with
Cisco Anyconnect Vpn Software
- VPN clients from other vendors.
- Many personal firewalls. Firewalls had to be specially configured or turned off when running the Cisco VPN client.
- Windows Internet Connection Sharing (ICS).