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Cisco VPN Client and Leopard

C

cavemonkey50

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 9, 2007
317
31
Allentown, PA
Does anyone know if the current version of the Cisco VPN Client runs on Leopard? I know when Tiger came out many people had trouble getting it to work, and the Cisco VPN Client always appears as an issue in 10.4.X seeds.

Also, if it does work, would performing an Archive and Install mess it up? I know its install is a little nasty, and I'm just wondering if it installs some files in weird places. Would I be better off doing a clean install figuring I need the VPN Client to work?
 
One thing to remember is the history of Cisco VPN after OS X updates isn't good. It didn't work on Tiger until several months after Tiger was released.

Our company stopped using Cisco VPN last year, but I found that I didn't need the Cisco client - I was able to use OS X's built in VPN. But for all I know, that was a side effect of how the VPN was set up in house.
 
plinden said:
Our company stopped using Cisco VPN last year, but I found that I didn't need the Cisco client - I was able to use OS X's built in VPN. But for all I know, that was a side effect of how the VPN was set up in house.
Click to expand...

That's actually a good point. Doesn't Leopard include an enhanced VPN? I wonder if that would work instead of the Cisco VPN Client. I'm at Penn State and our network is fairly locked down, so I doubt it, but it would be worth a try.
 
Hmm, here is what Apple says about the new VPN:

Enhanced VPN Client Compatibility
Connect to a broader range of VPN clients. Leopard supports Cisco Group Filtering as well as DHCP over PPP, which allows you to dynamically acquire additional configuration options such as static routes and search domains.
Click to expand...

Does anyone know if that would allow me to use OS X's native VPN?
 
cavemonkey50 said:
That's actually a good point. Doesn't Leopard include an enhanced VPN? I wonder if that would work instead of the Cisco VPN Client. I'm at Penn State and our network is fairly locked down, so I doubt it, but it would be worth a try.
Click to expand...

How about trying it now with Tiger? Open "Internet Connect" and set up a VPN using PPTP, configure using the details from your Cisco setup. Does it work? If it does with Tiger, it'll almost certainly work with Leopard.
 
cavemonkey50 said:
Hmm, here is what Apple says about the new VPN:



Does anyone know if that would allow me to use OS X's native VPN?
Click to expand...

I was wondering that too. I use Cisco's VPN Client right now too and keep a constant connection to my school's VPN. It annoys me having that in the dock though. The school also has a standard PPTP VPN server, which works great with the built-in client now, but it won't let me choose to route only a specific subnet through the VPN, it routes everything through it which I don't want, whereas the Cisco client only routes stuff destined for the university's network, so I'm hoping these VPN enhancements in Leopard fix that problem. I don't care if I have to use PPTP or IPSec, I just want to choose what gets routed through the VPN


Although, IIRC, the reason Tiger broke the Cisco VPN client was because Tiger overhauled the networking components of OSX. If Leopard doesn't make such drastic changes, it may work. In fact, if I remember to, I'll ask the school's network engineer when I see him Tuesday. He's a Mac junkie too and probably already has access to Leopard (I think he may be a developer, not sure) so he might know the answer. If I remember, I'll report back with what he says.
 
plinden said:
How about trying it now with Tiger? Open "Internet Connect" and set up a VPN using PPTP, configure using the details from your Cisco setup. Does it work? If it does with Tiger, it'll almost certainly work with Leopard.
Click to expand...

I have tried it before and it doesn't work. Penn State is using the advanced Cisco VPN features, which do not work in Tiger.
 
From what I've heard, version 4.9 of the Cisco VPN client has worked perfectly through all of the Leopard developer releases.

Consider using VPNMenu. It'll keep the Cisco VPN app out of your dock.
 
Sbrocket said:
If you don't feel like believing me, I could care less. Just wait for Friday.
Click to expand...

No, I'll take your word for it. I'm just trying to make sure I run into the least amount of issues with my install.

So if the latest Cisco VPN Client works, what about an Archive and Install? Will that mess up the VPN Client due to it installing files in system folders?
 
cavemonkey50 said:
No, I'll take your word for it. I'm just trying to make sure I run into the least amount of issues with my install.

So if the latest Cisco VPN Client works, what about an Archive and Install? Will that mess up the VPN Client due to it installing files in system folders?
Click to expand...

VPN Client is utterly broken with Leopard. My university is using IPSec/UDP and I cannot connect to the network at all.
 
cavemonkey50 said:
No, I'll take your word for it. I'm just trying to make sure I run into the least amount of issues with my install.

So if the latest Cisco VPN Client works, what about an Archive and Install? Will that mess up the VPN Client due to it installing files in system folders?
Click to expand...

The Archive and Install will remove some of Cisco's files, so you'll need to reinstall Cisco after you do the install.

Pressure said:
VPN Client is utterly broken with Leopard. My university is using IPSec/UDP and I cannot connect to the network at all.
Click to expand...

Then you aren't using the latest version like I posted above from MacUpdate. Most universities won't post Cisco VPN client updates for months after they actually come out.
 
cavemonkey50 said:
Does anyone know if the current version of the Cisco VPN Client runs on Leopard? I know when Tiger came out many people had trouble getting it to work, and the Cisco VPN Client always appears as an issue in 10.4.X seeds.

Also, if it does work, would performing an Archive and Install mess it up? I know its install is a little nasty, and I'm just wondering if it installs some files in weird places. Would I be better off doing a clean install figuring I need the VPN Client to work?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure if the client will run on Leopard, but I would backup the Profiles from your current setup (*.pcf files) located in /etc/CiscoSystemsVPNClient/Profiles, reinstall, and then copy the profiles to the same location.
 
Wow, I didn't even THINK of this!

I just e-mailed my college's resnet office to see if they knew if our Cisco VPN client would still allow me to get online wirelessly once I upgraded to Leopard.
 
Has there been any updates on this? My Leopard box has shipped so I will get it soon.

On a site note - I would have no problem connecting to my college's internet if I used a standard (and ugly) ethernet cable right? It's just the wireless that would be affected. My school's resnet office said they're not sure if it will work as the IT department will have to test out Leopard, which depends upon when they get it and how long it'll take.

Right now we're using Cisco VPN Version 4.9.01 (0030). The link of the new VPN client that Sbrocket posted is (0080) .. is that a newer version, I have no idea what those numbers mean besides that they're higher, lol.
 
I have that worry too, but for the worse case, I can use the cisco thru parallels and my old PC at home

i am using the 0030 too and the 0080 should be a newer version

waiting for my Leopard show up tomorrow
 
Are you going to just upgrade to Leopard and hope for the best? Are you going to download the 0080 version? Will that mess up anything with the school's connection?

Yeah, lots of questions here as I'm a complete computer n00b.
 
I have a developer friend that went to WWDC. He says that the current Cisco client doesn't work on his PowerBook G4 running Leopard from WWDC.
 
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