How to Configure Cisco AnyConnect VPN Client on Windows 10

ByAdrian

Many companies allow their employees to connect to their corporate VPN networks from home using a software-based virtual private network (VPN) client. Some of these companies require that employees use Cisco’s AnyConnect VPN client, which is actually a combination of two separate VPN clients: the Cisco VPN Router and the Cisco VPN Client. This blog post will cover the steps necessary to connect to a corporate VPN using the Cisco AnyConnect VPN client on a Windows 10 device.

Requirements

Before you can connect to a VPN using the Cisco AnyConnect VPN client, you must have a supported device and Windows 10. You also need to have an active Internet connection, either through a WiFi network or a 3G / 4G cellular data network. Finally, you need to have either a static IP address or a dynamic DNS service set up on your computer.

If you meet these requirements, you can continue to the next step.

IP Configuration

Before you can connect to a VPN, you need to identify the external IP address of your VPN. To do this, log into your router and find the IP address configuration page. Your VPN’s IP address should be listed there. If it’s not, you’ll need to either contact your ISP or ask a friend to help you look up the address. Once you have this information, you can move on to the next step.

To connect to a VPN using the Cisco AnyConnect VPN client, you must have a valid IP address. If you don’t have a valid IP address, you cannot connect to a VPN. If you’re stuck with 169.254.x.x or 192.168.x.x IP addresses, you need to ask your ISP for help because these are usually reserved for temporary use by the ISP itself or other routers in the same local network.

Cisco VPN Client Configuration

If you already have the Cisco VPN client installed on one of your devices (such as a desktop or laptop), you can skip this step and go directly to the next one.

If you don’t have the Cisco VPN client installed on one of your devices, you can download it from https://www.cisco.com/products/software/secure-private-networks/index.html. Once you’ve downloaded the Cisco VPN client, you can follow the steps below to begin configuration.

Launch the Cisco VPN Client software.

From the desktop icon that you just downloaded, launch the Cisco VPN Client and click the Settings icon (looks like a gear icon). This will open up the VPN client’s settings page. On this page, ensure that the TCP/IP checkbox is selected and click the OK button to save your changes. At this point, the VPN client should be ready to use.

Create a profile.

On the VPN client’s settings page, you’ll see a plus symbol next to the name of a VPN. Click this symbol to create a new profile (it will say ‘Creating profile…’ in the bottom-right corner).

A profile is a container that holds your settings for a VPN. To create a profile, you must first select the type of VPN connection that you have (either PPTP or L2TP over SSL/TLS). After you’ve selected the type of VPN connection, you’ll see a list of available VPN profiles. You can also create a new profile by clicking the ‘+’ symbol next to the profile name.

To ensure that your new profile is always available, either select the ‘Save automatically’ checkbox or click the Save button (it will say ‘Profile successfully created’ in the bottom-right corner). You can also click the OK button to confirm your changes. At this point, you should have a profile available to you under the VPN settings page. If you want to use this profile, simply click the profile’s name to connect to the VPN.

Configure the VPN connection.

On the VPN client’s settings page, you’ll see the profile that you just created. To the right of this profile, you’ll see four separate VPN connections. By default, these connections are set to PPP mode, which means that they are configured to use the Point-to-Point Protocol. This is the same VPN protocol used by traditional dial-up modems. To configure a VPN connection, either select the protocol that you have (PPP, IP, or L2TP) or click the gear icon to edit the setting.

To connect to a VPN using the PPP protocol, click the gear icon to open the IP configuration page. You’ll need to fill in the following fields:

  • User Name: This is the name that you’ll use to connect to the VPN.
  • Password: This is the password for the user name that you just entered.
  • Service Name: This is the name of the VPN server (for example, Cisco Secure VPN Server).
  • Server IP Address: This is the IP address of the VPN server (for example, 168.192.1.1).
  • Primary DNS: This is the IP address of your domain’s DNS server (for example, 192.168.1.1).

To connect to a VPN using the IP protocol, click the gear icon to open the IP configuration page. You’ll need to fill in the following fields:

  • User Name: This is the same as before.
  • Password: This is the password for the user name that you just entered.
  • Service Name: This is the name of the VPN server (for example, Cisco Secure VPN Server).
  • Server IP Address: This is the IP address of the VPN server (for example, 168.192.1.1).
  • Shared Secret: This is a secret string used for authentication between the client and the server (for example, abcdef).
  • DNS Relay: This is a list of DNS servers (for example, 8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4).

To connect to a VPN using the L2TP over TLS protocol, click the gear icon to open the L2TP over TLS/IETF SECURE USER ALARM page. You’ll need to fill in the following fields:

  • User Name: This is the name that you’ll use to connect to the VPN.
  • Password: This is the password for the user name that you just entered.
  • Service Name: This is the name of the VPN server (for example, Cisco Secure VPN Server).
  • Server IP Address: This is the IP address of the VPN server (for example, 168.192.1.1).
  • Certificate Authority: This is the authority that issued the certificate for the VPN server (for example, GeoTrust).
  • Private Key: This is the private key corresponding to the public key in the Certificate Authority’s certificate (for example, abc123).
  • DNS Relay: This is a list of DNS servers (for example, 8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4).
  • Dial-in Phone Number: This is the phone number that you’ll use to connect to the VPN (for example, 555-555-5555).

When you’re finished configuring the VPN connection, click the Apply button to save your changes and close the settings page.

Cisco AnyConnect VPN Router Configuration

If you have a supported device that you use to access the Internet, you can skip this step and go directly to the next one.

If you don’t have a supported device or you want to connect to a VPN on a different network than your computer’s network adapter, you can download the Cisco AnyConnect VPN Router from https://www.cisco.com/products/software/secure-private-networks/index.html. Once you’ve downloaded the Cisco AnyConnect VPN Router, you can follow the steps below to begin configuration. (If this is your first time configuring the device, you might want to read the Cisco AnyConnect VPN Router User Guide before continuing.)

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