VPN Client windows 10. I think this is a known problem but wondering i anyone has figured this out. I am currently using a MX65 and trying to get the vpn client to work with my windows 10 machine. It seems like when i follow meraki guide, on windows 10 i have issue. I am currently using username and password set up on the meraki backend. Is talking about a VPN Client, while you (and that webpage) are talking about a Client VPN function - not the same thing. If you follow the links and instructions, you will see where they take you through setting up the Microsoft Win 10 (built-in) VPN functionality. My org uses Meraki MX firewalls as VPN endpoints. Up until now we've just been using the native Windows 10 VPN client. However, I've been tasked with finding a 3rd party alternative. Some of our users don't like the Windows 10 client and others are complaining that their VPN settings are wiped out after large Windows updates. Hi, when our users connect to VPN (Windows 10 VPN on Meraki) they used to be able to access a client application on a SQL server host (a Windows 10 host).but something recently happened on the host (uninstalled Norton security and it likely reset a bunch of stuff) and now client VPN users are no. Has anyone configured a Windows 10 Configuration Profile successfully? Is there a way to do it for Meraki Client VPN solutions that use L2TP+PSK or do I have to use a certificate? The documentation on this issue appears a bit vague.
For additional information, refer to the AnyConnect configuration guide.
Client Download
Unlike the ASA, the MX does not support web deploy or web launch, a feature that allows end users to access a web page on the AnyConnect server to download the AnyConnect client. With the MX, there are download links to the client software on the AnyConnect settings page on the dashboard, however, the download links are only available to the Meraki dashboard admin and not the end user. We do not recommend sharing the down link with users as the link expires after every five minutes of loading the AnyConnect settings page.
We recommend downloading the AnyConnect client directly from Cisco.com as there may be an updated version in the Cisco repository. Refer to the doc for the AnyConnect clientrelease notes. We also recommend using either Meraki Systems Manager, an equivalent MDM solution, or Active Directory to seamlessly push the AnyConnect software client to the end user's device.
AnyConnect requires a VPN client to be installed on a client device. The AnyConnect client for Windows, MacOS, and Linux are available on the Client Connection section of the AnyConnect configuration page on the dashboard and can be downloaded by a Meraki dashboard administrator. Please note, the download links on the Meraki dashboard expire after five minutes. The AnyConnect client for mobile devices can be downloaded via the respective mobile stores. You can also download other versions (must be version 4.8 or higher) of the AnyConnect client from Cisco.com if you have an existing AnyConnect license. AnyConnect web deploy is not supported on the MX at this time.
- Installing the AnyConnect client
- You only need the VPN box checked. Once the client has been installed on the device, open the AnyConnect application and specify the hostname or IP address of the MX (AnyConnect server) you need to connect to.
AnyConnect Profiles
An AnyConnect profile is a crucial piece for ensuring easy configuration of the AnyConnect client software, once installed. The MX does not support the use of custom hostnames for certificates (e.g. vpn.xyz.com). The MX only supports use of the Meraki DDNS hostname for auto-enrollment and use on the MX. With the Meraki DDNS hostname (e.g. mx450-xyuhsygsvge.dynamic-m.com) not as simply as a custom hostname, the need for AnyConnect profiles cannot be overemphasized. Profiles can be used to create hostname aliases, thereby masking the Meraki DDNS with a friendly name for the end user.
Cisco AnyConnect client features are enabled in AnyConnect profiles. These profiles can contain configuration settings like server list, backup server list, authentication time out, etc., for client VPN functionality, in addition to other optional client modules like Network Access Manager, ISE posture, customer experience feedback, and web security. It is important to note that at this time, the Meraki MX does not support other optional client modules that require AnyConnect head-end support. For more details, see AnyConnect profiles.
When a profile is created, it needs to get pushed to the end user's device. There are three ways to do this.
1. Through the AnyConnect server (MX): If profiles are configured on the dashboard, the MX will push the configured profile to the user's device after successful authentication.
2. Through an MDM solution: Systems Manager, an equivalent MDM solution, or Active Directory can be used push files to specific destinations on the end user's device. Profiles can also be pushed to the following paths:
Windows
%ProgramData%CiscoCisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility ClientProfile
Mac OS X
/opt/cisco/anyconnect/profile
Linux
/opt/cisco/anyconnect/profile
3. Manually: Profiles can also be preloaded manually to the same paths as listed above.
How to Create a Profile
Profiles can be created using the AnyConnect profile editor. The profile editor can be downloaded from the AnyConnect Settings page on dashboard or on cisco.com. Refer to this link for more details on AnyConnect profiles.
Using the profile editor: The profile editor can be downloaded from the AnyConnect Settings page on dashboard or on Cisco.com. The profile editor only runs on Windows operating systems. The screenshot below shows a configured server ton the Server List Entry option.
When configuration is complete, save the profile. It is recommended to use a unique file name to avoid profile overrides by other AnyConnect servers, then you can upload the file to the profile update section on the AnyConnect settings page.
Please note that only VPN profiles are supported on the MX at this time. This means you cannot push NVM, NAM, or Umbrella profiles via the MX.
- Select enable profiles, upload your xml file, and save your configuration
- After a user successfully authenticates, the configured profile gets pushed to the user's device automatically
- The result of the .xml can be seen below, after successful authentication to the AnyConnect server; this gives users the ease of selecting VPN servers on the AnyConnect client
The Meraki DDNS hostname is not easy to remember, therefore end users are not expected to use it directly. Profiles should be used to make connecting to the AnyConnect server easy for end users.
This article outlines instructions to configure a client VPN connection on commonly-used operating systems. For more information about client VPN, please refer to our Client VPN Overviewdocumentation.
For troubleshooting, please refer to our Troubleshooting Client VPN documentation.
Android
To configure an Android device to connect to the Client VPN, follow these steps:
- Navigate to Settings -> Wireless & Networks -> VPN
- Click the Plus Icon to add an additional VPN profile
Name: This can be anything you want to name this connection, for example, 'Work VPN.'
Type: select L2TP/IPSEC PSK
Server address: Enter the hostname (e.g. .com)orthe active WAN IP (e.g. XXX.XXX.XXX). Hostname is encouraged instead of active WAN IP because it is more reliable in cases of WAN failover. Admin can find them in Dashboard, under Security appliance > Monitor > Appliance status.
IPSec pre-shared key: Enter the pre-shared key that admin created in Security appliance >Configure > Client VPN settings.
Press save
You will be prompted for user credentials when you connect.
Chrome OS
Chrome OS based devices can be configured to connect to the Client VPN feature on MX Security Appliances. This allows remote users to securely connect to the LAN. This article will cover how to configure the VPN connection on a Chrome OS device. For more information on how to setup the Client VPN feature of the MX or how to connect from other operating systems, please visit the MX documentation.
- If you haven't already, sign in to your Chromebook.
- Click the status area at the bottom of your screen, where your account picture is located.
- Select Settings.
- In the 'Internet connection' section, click Add connection.
- Select Add private network.
- In the box that appears, fill in the information below:
- Server hostname:Enter the hostname (e.g. .com)orthe active WAN IP (e.g. XXX.XXX.XXX). Hostname is encouraged instead of active WAN IP because it is more reliable in cases of WAN failover. Admin can find them in Dashboard, under Security appliance > Monitor > Appliance status.
- Service name: This can be anything you want to name this connection, for example, 'Work VPN.'
- Provider type: Select L2TP/IPsec + Pre-shared key.
- Pre-shared key: Enter shared secret that admin created in Security appliance >Configure > Client VPN settings.
- Username credentials for connecting to VPN. If using Meraki authentication, this will be an e-mail address.
- Password credentials for connecting to VPN.
- Click Connect.
For more information regarding the configuration of VPN connections in Chrome OS, visit the Google Support page.
To configure an iOS device to connect to the Client VPN, follow these steps:
- Navigate to Settings -> General-> VPN -> Add VPN Configuration...
- Type: set to L2TP.
- Description:This can be anything you want to name this connection, for example, 'Work VPN.'
- Server: Enter the hostname (e.g. .com)orthe active WAN IP (e.g. XXX.XXX.XXX). Hostname is encouraged instead of active WAN IP because it is more reliable in cases of WAN failover. Admin can find them in Dashboard, under Security appliance > Monitor > Appliance status.
- Account: Enter the username
- Password: Enter if desired. If the password is left blank, it will need to be entered each time the device attempts to connect to the Client VPN.
- Secret: Enter shared secret that admin created in Security appliance >Configure > Client VPN settings.
- Ensure that Send All Traffic is set to On.
- Save the configuration.
macOS
Currently only the following authentication mechanisms are supported:
- User authentication: Active Directory (AD), RADIUS, or Meraki hosted authentication.
- Machine authentication: Preshared keys (a.k.a., shared secret).
When using Meraki hosted authentication, VPN account/user name setting on client devices (e.g., PC or Mac) is the user email address entered in the Dashboard.
The instructions below are tested on Mac OS 10.7.3 (Lion).
Open System Preferences > Network from Mac applications menu. Click the '+' button to create a new service, then select VPN as the interface type, and choose L2TP over IPsec from the pull-down menu.
- Server Address: Enter the hostname (e.g. .com)orthe active WAN IP (e.g. XXX.XXX.XXX). Hostname is encouraged instead of active WAN IP because it is more reliable in cases of WAN failover. Admin can find them in Dashboard, under Security appliance > Monitor > Appliance status.
- Account Name: Enter the account name of the user (based on AD, RADIUS or Meraki Cloud authentication).
- User Authentication > Password: User password (based on AD, RADIUS or Meraki Cloud authentication).
- Machine Authentication > Shared Secret: Enter shared secret that admin created in Security appliance >Configure > Client VPN settings.
The VPN connectivity will not be established if you don't enable the Send all traffic over VPN connection option!
Windows 7
Currently only the following authentication mechanisms are supported:
- User authentication: Active Directory (AD), RADIUS, or Meraki hosted authentication.
- Machine authentication: Preshared keys (a.k.a., shared secret).
When using Meraki hosted authentication, VPN account/user name setting on client devices (e.g., PC or Mac) is the user email address entered in the Dashboard.
Open Start Menu > Control Panel, click on Network and Internet, click on View network status and tasks.
In the Set up a connection or network pop-up window, choose Connect to a workplace (Set up a dial-up or VPN connection to your workplace).
Choose Use my Internet connection (VPN), in the Connect to a workspace dialog window.
In the Connect to a Workplace dialog box, enter:
- Internet address: Enter the hostname (e.g. .com)orthe active WAN IP (e.g. XXX.XXX.XXX). Hostname is encouraged instead of active WAN IP because it is more reliable in cases of WAN failover. Admin can find them in Dashboard, under Security appliance > Monitor > Appliance status.
- Destination name:This can be anything you want to name this connection, for example, 'Work VPN.'
Choose 'Don't connect now; just set it up so that I can connect later' option.
Click Next. In the next dialog window, enter the user credentials, and click Create.
Despite the name 'Unencrypted PAP', the client's password is sent encrypted over an IPsec tunnel between the client device and the MX. The password is fully secure and never sent in clear text over either the WAN or the LAN.
Windows 8
Currently only the following authentication mechanisms are supported:
- User authentication: Active Directory (AD), RADIUS, or Meraki hosted authentication.
- Machine authentication: Preshared keys (a.k.a., shared secret).
When using Meraki hosted authentication, VPN account/user name setting on client devices (e.g., PC or Mac) is the user email address entered in the Dashboard.
Open Start Menu > Network and Sharing Center and click Settings.
Meraki Vpn Connection Windows 10
In the Set Up a Connection or Network pop-up window, choose Connect to a workplace.
(Set up a dial-up or VPN connection to your workplace).
Choose Use my Internet connection (VPN), in the Connect to a Workspace dialog window.
In the Connect to a Workplace dialog box, enter:
- Internet address: Enter the hostname (e.g. .com)orthe active WAN IP (e.g. XXX.XXX.XXX). Hostname is encouraged instead of active WAN IP because it is more reliable in cases of WAN failover. Admin can find them in Dashboard, under Security appliance > Monitor > Appliance status.
- Destination name:This can be anything you want to name this connection, for example, 'Work VPN.'
Go back to Network and Sharing Center and click Change Adapter Settings.
Despite the name 'Unencrypted PAP', the client's password is sent encrypted over an IPsec tunnel between the client device and the MX. The password is fully secure and never sent in clear text over either the WAN or the LAN.
Windows 10
Currently only the following authentication mechanisms are supported:
- User authentication: Active Directory (AD), RADIUS, or Meraki hosted authentication.
- Machine authentication: Preshared keys (a.k.a., shared secret).
When using Meraki hosted authentication, VPN account/user name setting on client devices (e.g., PC or Mac) is the user email address entered in the Dashboard.
Open Start Menu > Search 'VPN' > Click Change virtual private networks (VPN)
From the VPN settings page, click Add a VPN connection.
In the Add a VPN connection dialog:
- VPN provider: Set to Windows (built-in)
- Connection name: This can be anything you want to name this connection, for example, 'Work VPN.'
- Server name or address: Enter the hostname (e.g. .com)orthe active WAN IP (e.g. XXX.XXX.XXX). Hostname is encouraged instead of active WAN IP because it is more reliable in cases of WAN failover. Admin can find them in Dashboard, under Security appliance > Monitor > Appliance status.
- VPN type: Select L2TP/IPsec with pre-shared key
- User name and Password: optional
Press Save.
After the VPN connection has been created, click Change adapter options under Related settings.
Right-click on the VPN Connection from the list of adapters and click Properties.
Configure Meraki Vpn Client
Despite the name 'Unencrypted PAP', the client's password is sent encrypted over an IPsec tunnel between the client device and the MX. The password is fully secure and never sent in clear text over either the WAN or the LAN.
In Advanced Properties dialog box, choose 'Use preshared key for authentication' and enter the pre-shared key that admin created in Security appliance >Configure > Client VPN settings.
Back at the Network Connections window, right-click on the VPN connection and click Connect / Disconnect.
Find your VPN profile and click Connect.
Windows XP
Currently only the following authentication mechanisms are supported:
- User authentication: Active Directory (AD), RADIUS, or Meraki hosted authentication.
- Machine authentication: Preshared keys (a.k.a., shared secret).
When using Meraki hosted authentication, use the email address for VPN account / user name.
Open Start Menu > Control Panel, click on Network Connections.
In the Network Tasks section, click on Create a new connection.
Choose Connect to the network at my workplace, in the New Connection Wizard window.
Choose Virtual Private Network connection in the next section.
Then, give a name for this connection. This can be anything you want to name this connection, for example, 'Work VPN.'
Enter the hostname (e.g. .com)orthe active WAN IP (e.g. XXX.XXX.XXX). Hostname is encouraged instead of active WAN IP because it is more reliable in cases of WAN failover. Admin can find them in Dashboard, under Security appliance > Monitor > Appliance status.
In the Connect <Connection Name> box, click on Properties
In the General tab, verify the hostname (e.g. .com)orthe active WAN IP (e.g. XXX.XXX.XXX). Hostname is encouraged instead of active WAN IP because it is more reliable in cases of WAN failover. Admin can find them in Dashboard, under Security appliance > Monitor > Appliance status.
Despite the name 'Unencrypted PAP', the client's password is sent encrypted over an IPsec tunnel between the client device and the MX. The password is fully secure and never sent in clear text over either the WAN or the LAN.
Since Client VPN uses the L2TP over IPsec standard, any Linux client that properly supports this standard should suffice. Please note that newer versions of Ubuntu do not ship with a VPN client that supports L2TP/IP, and will therefore require a 3rd party VPN client that supports the protocol.
Note: The xl2tp package does not send user credentials properly to the MX when using Meraki Cloud Controller authentication, and this causes the authentication request to fail. Active Directory or RADIUS authentication can be used instead for successful authentication.
Configuring Ubuntu 20.04
Ubuntu does not support L2TP VPN by default. You will need to install a couple of software packages to enable this functionality. The instructions below were written for Ubuntu 20.04 LTS with the Gnome desktop environment. Ubuntu versions 16.04 and 18.04 can be configured in a similar manner. However, due to the large number of Linux versions available, it is not feasible to document every supported Ubuntu version.
In order to begin the VPN setup, open up a terminal window. Do this by searching for Terminal in your application list. Click on the Terminal icon to open a new terminal session.
Once the terminal window appears, you will need to enter a few commands.
Note: You will need to be a part of the “sudoers” group to install these packages. If you receive an error message like “<username> is not in the sudoers file.” you will need to either adjust your permissions, contact your administrator to add your account as an administrator or have them install the software for you.
Once the packages have been installed, you may open up the Network Settings by searching for Settings in the application list, or by clicking on the Network icon at the top right of the screen and selecting Wired (or Wireless) Settings.
Once the Network Settings window pops up, you will see there is a VPN section listed. Click on the + icon to set up a new VPN connection.
Select the Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP) VPN type on the modal pop up window. If L2TP is not listed as an option, please see the first step about installing the required packages.
After selecting the L2TP option, a new modal will pop up titled Add VPN. Fill out your VPN Name, Gateway, User name, and Password information here.
Note: To save your password on this screen, you must select the appropriate option from the question mark on the password field.
Next, click on the IPsec Settings button to open the L2TP IPsec Options modal.
Once the modal pops up, expand the Advanced options, and enter the following:
Select OK to continue. You will be returned back to the Add VPN modal. Select the PPP Settings button.
On the L2TP PPP Options modal, select only the PAP authentication method. Be sure the other authentication methods are de-selected. All other options can remain as the default. Select OK to continue.
Select Add at the top right corner of the Add VPN modal to complete the VPN setup.
Now you may connect your VPN by toggling the button on the Network Settings page:
Or by selecting the Connect option from the top right corner menu.
Upon successful connection, a VPN icon will appear next to the network icon in the status bar.
Note: The version of network-manager-l2tp that is installed along with xl2tpd is known to cause issues when connecting to Meraki Appliances. To alleviate this, you must disable the xl2tpd service when using the network-manager GUI to connect to a Meraki VPN.
To stop the xl2tpd service once use this Terminal command:
sudo service xl2tpd stop
To stop the xl2tpd service for all subsequent reboots use this Terminal command:
sudo update-rc.d xl2tpd disable