VPN 3000 for MacOS X 10.0 - 10.5.x
Document ID 163
Introduction
This handout details how to set up the VPN 3000 Client for Mac OS X 10.0 though 10.5.x. If you are using OS X 10.6.x, please see the 10.6 documentation here. You need VPN if you are trying to access campus resources that require you to be behind the firewall.
These instructions will help you set up VPN to connect to the Texas A&M network with the following settings:
Server Address: vpn-master.tamu.edu
Account Name: Your NetID
Password: Your NetID password
Please note: References made to "VPN 3000" are references to the concentrator series (type of server) in use with the client. VPN Client numbers change more frequently, and number sequentially without respect to the concentrator series.
Downloading VPN
You will need to go to http://nis.tamu.edu/Networking/Virtual_Private_Networks/index.php and click on the Connect to VPN link. From the Connect to VPN page you can download the client for Mac OS X by clicking on the appropriate link for your version of OS X. Click the Save button, and select your Desktop as the location to save it. Click Save again to start downloading.
Installing VPN
1. Go to your Desktop where the file was downloaded. The resulting icon should appear similar to Figure 1.
2. Depending on your configuration, there will either be one or two icons. If there are two icons, your computer has automatically decompressed the downloaded file. If not, you will need to do this manually by double-clicking on it.
3. Double-click on the file named Cisco VPN to start the installation.
4. You will be prompted with a screen similar to Figure 2 that says you need an administrator password to install the software. Click on the lock icon, and type your administrator password.
5. Click Next.
6. On the next few screens, you will be asked various installation questions. The defaults should be fine unless you have a certain place you want the application installed.
7. After you have indicated your installation choices, a window similar to Figure 3 should appear, summarizing these installation choices. Click Previous to make changes or Install to complete the installation. The install process takes around 3-5 minutes to complete fully. When the installation process has completed, you will need to click Done.
Configuring VPN
1. Click the VPN icon on the dock (Figure 4) to start the VPN program.
2. The VPN client should open and should appear similar to Figure 5 below. Click New to begin configuring the connection.
3. For Connection Entry type TAMU.
4. Type vpn-master.tamu.edu in the Host field.
5. Under the Group Authentication section, type tamu in the Name field.
6. Type tamuvpn in the Password and Confirm Password fields. See Figure 6 for reference.
7. Next, click the Transport tab, as shown below in Figure 7.
8. Click the Enable Transport Tunneling checkbox.
9. Click IPSec over TCP and enter 443 in the TCP port field.
10. Click Save.
Connecting to VPN
1. Your new connection should appear in the VPN client window. Click on it to highlight, and click Connect.
2. Enter your Net ID and password (Figure 8).
3. Click OK. You should now be connected to VPN.
NOTE FOR MAC 10.5 USERS: The Cisco VPN client for OS X 10.4 (Tiger) will work with Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard). If you upgraded from 10.4 to 10.5, however, you will need to reinstall the Cisco client in order for it to work properly. Additionally, VPN can not run properly while the "Back to My Mac" feature of Leopard is active. You will be prompted to disable this feature when you attempt to connect your VPN client. When you disconnect your VPN client, you can reactivate this feature.
For further assistance, please contact Help Desk Central anytime by calling (979)845-8300 or e-mailing helpdesk@tamu.edu.
