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How to install Cisco VPN client on Ubuntu 13.04, 13.10

Last updated: August 3, 2013

This tutorial shows you how to install Cisco VPN on Ubuntu 13.04 Raring or 13.10 Saucy. You don’t have to do anything special to install Cisco VPN client, because network manager supports Cisco IPSec VPNs after installed the vpnc plugin.

To get started, search for and install network-manager-vpnc package from Ubuntu Software Center. It installs the Cisco-compatible VPN client as well as the plugin for network manager.

Cisco VPN for network manager

Once installed, you can follow below steps to setup Cisco VPN for Ubuntu:

1.) Move your cursor to right-top corner system tray area, click on Network Manager icon and choose VPN Connections -> Configure VPN

2.) In next window, click on Add button to add a new connection and then choose Cisco Compatible VPN (vpnc) from the drop-down menu.

3.) Click on Create and you’re able to type in your Cisco VPN details in next window. After all, check off “Use this connection only for resources on its network” otherwise your traffic significantly slowed down

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    I'm a freelance blogger who started using Ubuntu in 2007 and wishes to share my experiences and some useful tips with Ubuntu beginners and lovers. Please comment to let me know if the tutorial is outdated! And, notify me if you find any typo/grammar/language mistakes. English is not my native language. Contact me via ubuntuhandbook1@gmail.com Buy me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/ubuntuhandbook1 |

    11 responses to How to install Cisco VPN client on Ubuntu 13.04, 13.10

    1. phidang September 13, 2013 at 5:41 am

      Dear friend,
      I saw that There is Export button to export from VPNC to PCF file. Is there anyway to import PCF for VPN on Ubuntu?

      Thanks.

    2. Todinov November 19, 2013 at 8:13 am

      This will convert a pcf to a vpnc configuration.
      pcf2vpnc original.pcf new.conf

      Then to run it, you simply do
      sudo vpnc /path/to/new.conf

    3. Saravanakumar Karunanithi December 13, 2013 at 6:03 am

      Thank you,
      After giving everything, the “create” button” still inactive, greay color, it is not enabled, could you please help?

    4. miller January 2, 2014 at 6:28 pm

      I have Xubuntu 14.04 and i successfully imported a Cisco “config,pcf” in to
      my Xubuntu system. I am now able to log in to my Sco-Unix server from home.
      I wasnt able to do this with earlier releases of ubuntu….
      You may want to upgrade.

      • theonlymonkey April 2, 2015 at 9:38 pm

        How did you succeed on import pcf to vpnc miller? can’t seem to find an option for importation.

        I’m also running Xubuntu 14.04… cheers

    5. James Stanson March 21, 2014 at 9:00 pm

      Excellent write-up, thank you!

    6. Puzzler September 2, 2014 at 2:23 pm

      Thank you for the writeup. When I tried this from a fresh install of saucy 13.10, the software manager could not locate the network-manager-vpnc package. I went into System Settings, Software & Updates and dropped-down the Download from: dialog. I selected my country (United States) and clicked on Select Best Server. After a few seconds the systems selected the nearest, fastest mirror server and I closed the Software & Updates dialog. The system said “The information about available software is out-of-date” and I clicked on Reload. After that I could locate the VPNC package in the software manager. I hope this helps others.

    7. Anand October 14, 2014 at 10:57 am

      I have given the URL , username nad password and couldn’tt connect.. I wonder why it doesn’t get saved.

    8. Saichovsky June 2, 2015 at 11:39 am

      After installing vpnc and network-manager-vpnc packages, I was able to import a PCF file, which I could not do before installing the packages. I’m not sure which of the two packages added the feature.

      The challenge that I am now facing is that I cannot reach any of the servers in the virtual network and the VPN connection disconnects after about a minute.

    9. DaiJuSensei August 26, 2015 at 7:37 am

      This way never connect to CISCO IPSec server by using Preshared-Key.
      I was edited the configuration file to

      IPSec secret=***
      IKE Authmode=psk

      DOES NOT WORK AT ALL.