I love Ubuntu 8.04 – it just works! (plus, notes on Cisco VPN install)

This is totally Off Topic for this blog, but I have to say that I love Ubuntu.  My XP laptop’s networking got completely borked and I decided to shift over to Ubuntu (8.04 Hardy Heron).  We’ve been using it at work for our conference room very smoothly.  It has everything that I needed (Skype, FFox, Email & Office, RDP, VNC, etc) and a faster better (and funner!) user experience than Windoze.

Ubuntu Rockz

The only challenge I encountered was getting the VPN to connect.  The nice vpnc client did not give enough feedback to troubleshoot so I dropped back to Cisco’s hacky feeling client.  I wanted to document my experience for others…

Here are my steps:

• Get the TAR from: http://tuxx-home.at/archives/2007/09/24/T15_26_49/
• Extract TAR: tar xzf vpnclient-linux-x86_64-4.8.01.0640-k9.tar.gz
• Get Patch: wget http://projects.tuxx-home.at/ciscovpn/patches/vpnclient-linux-2.6.24-final.diff
• Run Patch: patch < ./vpnclient-linux-2.6.24-final.diff
• Install: sudo ./vpn_install
• To avoid reboot (1 time only): sudo /etc/init.d/vpnclient_init start
• Copy PCF file into: /etc/opt/cisco-vpnclient/Profiles/
• Run VPN: vpnclient connect [pcf file name]

References (in order of helpfulness):

• http://www.longren.org/2007/05/17/how-to-cisco-vpn-client-on-ubuntu-704-feisty-fawn/
• http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/vpn/client/rel3_7/cli3_7/cli.htm#wp1003285
• http://tuxx-home.at/archives/2007/05/29/T16_34_26/
• http://xspector.blogspot.com/2007/07/cisco-vpn-client-and-ubuntu-feisty-fawn.html
• http://www.lamnk.com/blog/vpn/with-kernel-2624-you-will-need-a-patch-to-install-cisco-vpn-client/

Error I got w/o the patch:

make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.24-19-generic’
CC [M]  /tmp/vpnclient/linuxcniapi.o
In file included from /tmp/vpnclient/Cniapi.h:15,
from /tmp/vpnclient/linuxcniapi.c:31:
/tmp/vpnclient/GenDefs.h:113: error: conflicting types for ‘uintptr_t’
include/linux/types.h:40: error: previous declaration of ‘uintptr_t’ was here
make[2]: *** [/tmp/vpnclient/linuxcniapi.o] Error 1
make[1]: *** [_module_/tmp/vpnclient] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.24-19-generic’
make: *** [default] Error 2
Failed to make module “cisco_ipsec.ko”.

Running the VPN:

rob@rob-laptop:/tmp/vpnclient$ vpnclient connect [pcf file]
Cisco Systems VPN Client Version 4.8.01 (0640)
Copyright (C) 1998-2007 Cisco Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Client Type(s): Linux
Running on: Linux 2.6.24-19-generic #1 SMP Fri Jul 11 23:41:49 UTC 2008 i686
Config file directory: /etc/opt/cisco-vpnclient

Initializing the VPN connection.
Initiating TCP to [ip address], port 10000
Contacting the gateway at [ip address]
User Authentication for [pcf file]…

Enter Username and Password.

Username []: rob
Password []:
Authenticating user.
Negotiating security policies.
Securing communication channel.

[company name]

UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS PROHIBITED
Do you wish to continue? (y/n): y

Your VPN connection is secure.

VPN tunnel information.
Client address: …
Server address: …
Encryption: 168-bit 3-DES
Authentication: HMAC-MD5
IP Compression: None
NAT passthrough is active on port TCP 10000
Local LAN Access is disabled

Disconnecting the VPN connection.