# OpenVPN Instead of Cisco VPN Client

## wswartzendruber

I would like to connect to my school's Cisco VPN system via wireless.  My card is configured, I just need to know how to get OpenVPN to connect to it.  Cisco has a VPN client for Linux, but I don't relly care to register.

Here's a screenshot of the Status screen under Windows: Link

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## chrism

I had troubles using the openvpn client with Cisco's VPN-Server, so I used Cisco's VPN-Client. 

If you interested I could help you setting that one up.

Chris

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## wswartzendruber

 *yellowhippy wrote:*   

> I had troubles using the openvpn client with Cisco's VPN-Server, so I used Cisco's VPN-Client. 
> 
> If you interested I could help you setting that one up.
> 
> Chris

 

Sure.  And where do I download it?

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## grant.mcdorman

Cisco apparently does not make clients freely downloadable; you need to be a paying customer to get them (even updates).

That said, vpnc (the F/OSS client) may work, depending the server configuration; I use it to connect to work. I know it doesn't work if the server is configured to insist the client be firewalled, though. (There is a current ebuild for vpnc, by the way.)

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## chrism

Here is how I set up my Cisco VPN-Cleint:

Kernel 2.2.12 or higher needed.

glibc-Library 2.1.1-6 or higher is needed

Cisco's VPN-Client won't work with kernel 2.5.x

To unpack:

```
gunzip vpnclient-linux_401.tar.gz
```

```
tar xvf vpnclient-linux_401.tar.gz
```

Go into the vpn-client's directory:

```
cd vpnclient
```

All following steps have to be performed as root:

```
./vpn_install
```

Answer all questions, they should be in English if not let me know.

Now edit the config files to match your needs:

```
cp /etc/CiscoSystemsVPNClient/Profiles/sample.pcf myconfig.pcf
```

Now edit the file with your favourite editor:

```
nano -w myconfig.pcf
```

Start the VPN-Daemon:

```
/etc/init.d/vpnclient_init start
```

To have it start automaticaly 

```
rc-update add vpnclient_init default
```

Now start your client:

```
vpnclient connect myconfig.pcf
```

If you need help, let me know.

Chris

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## Weaselweb

OpenVPN does NOT work with Cisco VPN, since latter is IPSec. Read on the homepage of openvpn the question "Does OpenVPN support IPSec or PPTP?". There are some infos. As mentioned before, you have to use, the cisco software or vpnc, which i will try next time, because the cisco software sucks.

If you can read and unterstande french, this might be usefull.

Greetings

Weaselweb

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