cisco vpn client windows 10 2018

cisco vpn client windows 10 2018

How to enable the Cisco VPN Client on Windows 10

Cisco's VPN Client v5 is not officially supported on Windows 10--but what if you rely on the software to communicate remotely to business resources? Here's a workaround to help you out.

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.

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)

Citrix Deterministic Network Enhancer (DNE) Update

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_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\CVirtA

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.