Cisco VPN client freezes system

[ccin1492]

Has anyone else had this problem where cisco vpn client would freeze the system. The only way to recover is to do a hard reset.

The funny thing is I had it working before, so it may be random. However, it just happened 3 times in a row and I haven't tried again. I'll try again tonight.

I'm pretty sure I'm running the latest client for 64bit linux systems. I'll confirm that when I get a chance, as well as my kernel.

[ccin1492]

It's:
VPN Client 4.8.02.0030 for Linux Kernel 2.2.12 or later.

[cjcox]

On Fri, 2010-01-22 at 21:26 +0000, ccin1492 wrote:
> It's:
> VPN Client 4.8.02.0030 for Linux Kernel 2.2.12 or later.
>
>

It's a proprietary kernel module that does "who knows what", written
by a company that couldn't give a hoot about Linux (in reality).

If you can, use the open source vpnc. It's a lot more stable.

If your security policy says you HAVE to use the Cisco client,
tell them I can show you how to break the split tunnel prevention
inside the Cisco client (it's not more secure, just more unreliable).

[ccin1492]

On 1/22/2010 4:04 PM, cjcox was rumored to have said:
> On Fri, 2010-01-22 at 21:26 +0000, ccin1492 wrote:
>> It's:
>> VPN Client 4.8.02.0030 for Linux Kernel 2.2.12 or later.
>>
>>
>
> It's a proprietary kernel module that does "who knows what", written
> by a company that couldn't give a hoot about Linux (in reality).
>
> If you can, use the open source vpnc. It's a lot more stable.
>
> If your security policy says you HAVE to use the Cisco client,
> tell them I can show you how to break the split tunnel prevention
> inside the Cisco client (it's not more secure, just more unreliable).
>
>
I did try vpnc and it connects, but I can't see my machine on the
network. I have a vnc session running on my linux machine at work so I
can use my machine at home. After I connect with vpnc the vncviewer
can't connect with my session. I also tried pinging my machine and I
don't get a thing.

I'll look at my setup again. Maybe it's something there.

Thanks.

[ccin1492]

Ok, an update. For some reason, the vpnc frontend doesn't work. I have
no idea why. However, I did get it to work from the cli. Here's what I did.

I found a script called "pcf2vpnc" that converts, you guessed it, a pcf
file to a vnpc config file. I took the vpnc config file and copied it to
/etc/vpnc and ran "vpnc cisco" and it worked like a charm.

So in summary:

1. download pcf2vpnc
wget http://svn.unix-ag.uni-kl.de/vpnc/trunk/pcf2vpnc

2. create vpnc config from pcf
pcf2vpnc your_cisco.pcf > your_cisco.conf

3. copy to /etc/vpnc
cp your_cisco.conf /etc/vpnc/

4. run vpnc
sudo /usr/sbin/vpnc your_cisco (sans the .conf extension)

Notes: for some reason I have to give a full path to vpnc when running
with sudo.

I hope this helps someone.

[gogalthorp]

Notes: for some reason I have to give a full path to vpnc when running
with sudo.

Just a guess but since you are root inside the sudo call the path settings may be different.

Also should you really be running vpnc as root? Seems like a potential security problem.

[ccin1492]

On 1/23/2010 11:16 AM, gogalthorp was rumored to have said:
>
>> Notes: for some reason I have to give a full path to vpnc when running
>> with sudo.
>>
>
> Just a guess but since you are root inside the sudo call the path
> settings may be different.
>
I had the same thought.

> Also should you really be running vpnc as root? Seems like a potential
> security problem.
>
I would prefer not to run as root as well, but it won't run as user.

[hamaryns]

Ok, an update. For some reason, the vpnc frontend doesn't work. I have
no idea why. However, I did get it to work from the cli. Here's what I did.

…

I hope this helps someone.

It did! Thanks a lot!
You forgot to mention to make the pcf2conf file executable and findable.

Summary:

> su -
# wget http://svn.unix-ag.uni-kl.de/vpnc/trunk/pcf2vpnc
# chmod a+x pcf2vpnc
# mv pcf2vpnc /usr/local/bin/

not as root in another shell:

> pcf2vpnc your.pcf > your.conf

as root again:

# cp your.conf /etc/vpnc/
# vpnc your