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The Cisco VPN (Virtual Private Network) at UVa

Installation Instructions

Table of Contents

Which VPN Client Should You Download?

  • Please see "Selecting the Appropriate Cisco VPN Client" webpage.

Cisco VPN Client (IPsec) Installation Instructions

Follow these installation instructions for the Cisco VPN client.

  1. Download the Installer (Cisco IPSec VPN client) from from the ITS VPN download site .
  2. When prompted, save the Installer to your Desktop.
    • Note: We recommend you remove any previous installations of the Cisco VPN client:
      • In Windows, go through Add or Remove Programs in the Control Panel.
      • On a Macintosh computer, download and run the Cisco VPN Uninstaller from Software Central.
  3. Expand to Install: Double-click the Installer, and follow the prompts as the VPN Installer does the work.
  4. You will need to have a current, valid digital certificate installed in the standard location for your operating system. This can be most easily accomplished by running the Network Setup Tool. (Note: This will not work on a Mac PC. To obtain a valid digital certificate for a Mac PC, go to the manual certificate installation instructions, and follow the steps under Optional: Safari (for VPN).)

Cisco AnyConnect Client (SSL) Installation Instructions

  1. If your Windows computer does not have Java installed, download the latest from Sun Microsystems.
  2. Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion) users will need to install Java. See Known Issues by Operating System.
  3. You will need to have a current, valid digital certificate installed in the standard location for your operating system. This can be most easily accomplished by running the Network Setup Tool.
  4. Click the appropriate link below for the VPN service profile you want to use:

    UVa Anywhere (can only install/use from off-Grounds):

    https://uva-anywhere-1.itc.virginia.edu

    UVa-More-Secure-Network:

    https://moresecure-vpn-1.itc.virginia.edu

    JointVPN (please insert your ITS Token and wait for a few seconds before clicking the Joint VPN Link):

    https://joint-vpn-1.itc.virginia.edu

    Oracle/Mercury and Oracle Special Services, use the JointVPN. Note: to use the SSL VPN with these profiles, you must have an iKey.

    https://joint-vpn-1.itc.virginia.edu

Important Notes about Web Browsers & the Installation Process

For Windows and Mac OS users, Safari, IE, and Firefox are known to work. For Windows users, if you use IE, detailed step-by-step instructions are displayed. Other browsers may require additional steps to install certificates.

Windows users should be aware of the following:

  • With any browser, depending on the security settings, you may see a prompt to allow use of a digital certificate, or directing you to choose a digital certificate.
  • With any browser, you may see the Windows UAC (User Access Control) pop-up requiring that you approve the installer run.
  • With any browser, you may see an additional window to approve the running of the Java application separate from the UAC window.
  • With Internet Explorer there may be a one-line message displayed at the top of your browser's content window asking you to approve use of an Active-X control; click anywhere in that line except the X at the end, and approve it. For Windows 7 users, this will not work properly and will fall through to the Java-based installer instead.
  • With Internet Explorer, detailed step-by-step instructions are displayed.

Mac OS users should be aware of the following:

  • Users of any browser will need to provide their Mac OS password to allow the installer to run.
  • Safari will see a screen telling them a certificate is required. The window below the message may be blank. Click the OK button to continue.
  • If the browser displays a screen with the error "UVa Anywhere Access requires a Personal Digital Certificate for authentication." either no valid digital certificate is available, or Mac OS X 10.6 users have not set the identity preference correctly (the Network Setup Tool sets this for you).

Known Issues by Operating System

Windows

  • 64-bit Windows: Users must use the Cisco AnyConnect client.
  • Windows Vista note for System Administrators: The Hospital profile will not work on Vista. Cisco details many caveats for Version 5 on Vista.
  • Windows XP: You will need to download and run either the Windows SP3 Firewall Script or the Network Setup Tool.

Macs

  • There are no supported drivers for Mac OS to use an identity token.
  • Mac OS X 10.7 Lion does not include Java by default, and Java must be installed to use the recommended (SSL) VPN.
    • Run the "Java Preferences.app" in the Applications/Utilities folder. If Java is not already installed you will be prompted to allow installation via Software Update.
    • If Java is installed verify that the check box "Enable applet plug-in and Web Start Applications" is checked, and the boxes below the "On" column in the list of available versions are checked.
    • Reorder the Java versions to place the 32-bit version first. The list can be reorded by clicking on the 32-bit version and dragging it above the 64-bit version.
    • If you had to install Java, exit Safari, and start it to perform the installation. Recent updates have made Firefox installation unreliable.
  • Mac OS X 10.6: No known problems, but upgraders from earlier operating systems will need to uninstall the Cisco VPN client and reinstall it. Mac OS X 10.6 users using the Cisco AnyConnect SSL client need to get certificates with the Network Setup Tool, or modify certificates as instructed on the VPN setup page.

A Note About Firewalls Running on Your Computer

The Cisco IPsec VPN client contains a firewall. This is a very simple firewall that allows outbound network traffic and does not allow inbound network traffic. It is turned on and off from the Options pull-down menu on the main panel of the application. By default it is turned off.

IMPORTANT: Regardless of whether you use the Cisco VPN Client firewall, the VPN application itself interacts badly with many personal software firewalls, including the Windows built-in firewall. For that reason you must turn off any personal firewall software that the Cisco VPN Client does not explicitly interact properly with.

  Page Updated: 2012-03-29

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Page Updated: 2012-03-29; © 2012 by the Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia.

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