For mobile professionals and those wishing to secure their remote connections while away from the part or over unsecured networks, such every bit the internet, goose egg compares to virtual private networking (VPN) connections.

VPN access is used (and should continue to be enforced) as a means of protecting connections made remotely from a client to a network by tunneling the connection between the ii endpoints and encrypting all that is sent or received. An additional layer of security is included by requiring authorized users to authenticate themselves so that admission to data is strictly controlled via a centralized database, such as Active Directory.

Meet: How to set up Windows 10 on the Raspberry Pi

While VPN clients come from many vendors, Cisco's venerable Cisco VPN Client v5 was unremarkably used to communicate with Cisco routers and provide ane-stop connectivity to company resources. However, it reached stop-of-life (EOL) in July 2016 and is no longer supported by Cisco in lieu of the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Customer v4.

The EOL designation for the Cisco VPN Client v5.0.07.0440–the about recent and stable version–means that newer operating systems, like Windows ten, are not officially supported by the client. This renders many enterprise businesses and educational institutions without VPN support until they upgrade to the AnyConnect suite.

Luckily, a workaround exists to allow the Cisco VPN Client application to function on Windows 10 and other 64-bit versions of Windows until your organization is ready to migrate to a newer VPN platform. Let's review the requirements first:

  • PC running Windows 10
  • Cisco VPN Client v5.0.07.0440 (cheque with your network administrator)
  • Citrix Deterministic Network Enhancer (DNE) Update
  • Administrative credentials

Armed with the tools nosotros need, let'southward follow the steps necessary to install and configure the VPN client on Windows 10.

  1. If a previous version of Cisco's VPN Client is currently installed on the workstation, uninstall it and reboot the node.
  2. Install the Citrix DNE Update software that matches your computer'due south architecture–32- or 64-flake.
  3. Install Cisco VPN Client v5.0.07.0440 and reboot your desktop afterward completing the installation, if prompted.
  4. Launch Regedit.exe. (Notation: The Windows Registry file is vital to the functioning of the Windows operating system. Incorrectly editing or otherwise corrupting the Windows Registry file could prevent your computer from booting properly.) Navigate to the following location to modify the entry necessary to enable the VPN client within Windows x:
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Arrangement\CurrentControlSet\Services\CVirtA
  5. Find the Brandish Name cardinal and double-click information technology to edit the entry. Modify it from:
    "@oem8.ifn,%CVirtA_Desc%;Cisco Systems VPN Adapter"
    to:
    "Cisco Systems VPN Adapter"
  6. Exit the Registry Editor and launch the Cisco VPN Client software. Configure the awarding as needed to communicate with your organization's VPN server and examination the connection. If the connection fails and you are using a 64-bit version of Windows ten, get dorsum to stride #5 and edit the Registry entry to Cisco Systems VPN Adapter for 64-bit Windows. So, retry establishing a connection.

These steps apply to all electric current versions of Windows ten, including version 1607, otherwise known as the Windows 10 Anniversary Update.

One caveat: If y'all haven't upgraded to Anniversary Edition, updating to that version will break the Cisco VPN Client and you lot will need to fix the installation–or amend yet, follow the preceding steps again to correct the trouble.

Also, from fourth dimension to fourth dimension, Windows ten may flag the application as unsupported and disable the service. Merely launch Services.msc and discover the service entry titled Cisco Systems, Inc. VPN Service. Then correct-click the service and select Offset from the context menu to reenable the service and allow it to work in the background, as needed.

Also read…

  • Windows 10: The smart person's guide (Updated)
  • How to prepare Windows ten on the Raspberry Pi
  • Microsoft Ink improvements foreshadow the end of the keyboard and mouse
  • How to use Task Manager to monitor Windows 10's functioning

Your thoughts

Take you run into bug since Cisco stopped supporting VPN Client v5? What arroyo have you taken to managing your VPN needs? Share your experiences and advice with boyfriend TechRepublic members.