University VPN

I'm trying to connect to my university's VPN, information here. Basically, the campus is set up for strictly VPN...open wi-fi is only available in one place that I know of.

I'm having trouble installing their Cisco VPN client, I'm not sure if i need their client but I assume it has some settings or something specific to their network.

The file is a .tar.gz file, so I uncompressed it and ran the install file. it goes something like this

(I installed the source code directory following instructions on this site)

Code:

Dorectory where binaries will be installed [/usr/local/bin] //I press enter

Automatically start the VPN service at boot time [yes] //I press enter again

Directory containing linux kernel source code [/lib/modules/2.6.23.9lw] //I press enter and get this

Making module
sh:/driver_build.sh: No such file or directory
Failed to make module "cisco_ipsec.ko"
[root@localhost ~]#   

It doesn't matter if i change the directory to /usr/src/linux-2.6.23.9 or leave it, I still get the error.

What might be going on here?

 

Have you tried just creating a normal VPN connection in NetworkManager, using the server name from the Windows XP guide? You should be able to set up the VPN link through there without the Cisco software, you may have to upgrade to a newer version of network manager though.

 

how do you use the normal VPN manager? I saw it listed in the packaged as "installed" but couldn't figure out how to access it.

 

Vpnc should allow you to connect as if you were using the official Cisco client. Here are some instructions to get it working via the command line (replace 'apt-get' with 'yum'):
http://blog.michaelgroves.com/2007/06/k ... -curb.html
It includes decoding the shared group password from the pcf file. See this link if you need a little more detail:
http://wiki.thiesen.org/page/CiscoVpnHowto

I believe I recall seeing that the Linpus version of Network Manager had support for vpnc. If not there are other posts on this forum that talk about the steps needed to update it (and you'll need the NetworkManager-vpnc package). I use the Cisco client for work on my work laptop, but that is because I'm willing to recompile it every time I update the kernel and to keep all the dependencies needed to build it (can't remember them all off-hand). I used vpnc in the past and have seriously considered going back to it.

 

Problem solved, I installed Windows XP.

I need a computer, not another hobby. Every little thing has been an absolute struggle with Linux. I'm done.

 

You could have gone the way for a pptp tunnel which works, and it has been described here how.

I consider it very harsh of you to blame Linux in general! It is solemnly Acer's fault to distribute machines with a rather crippled version of Linux and basically no support.

I wonder if we ever see those "soon coming" updates Acer has announced on the AAO's website. This is the real frustrating stuff …

 

actually i face the same problem too

http://www.hku.hk/cc/home/networks/vpn.htm

although there is instruction for linux, it is not for Acer interface.

do anyone know how to 'translate' those instruction into those applicable to Acer interface?

Thx very much.

 

This is a very common problem, and yet i still can't find a simple straightforward solution, tavel unfortunately makes a fair point.. in windows, click the make new connection, and a VPN is set up in a matter of seconds.. In the acer linux (linpus) at least, it would appear one needs to become an expert with the terminal and have an in depth understanding of VPN's. Most users simply want to put in a host name, user and password and start a VPN. So my question is could some Linux expert create a basic how to, for new linux users, simple language and basic steps, or else i fear like tavel, many new hopeful linux users will very quickly get bored of this and dump Linux, which would be a real shame.

cheers Oz

 

I am having the exact same problem. My father bought the Acer for me so I could use it at school, and now it's pretty much useless to me.

I am not a Linux expert, I'm used to a Windows environment. I've tried following some instructions given here, but I keep getting error messages. The Cisco Linix client provided by my university wouldn't install (same error message as Tavel), so I downloaded the patch and tried to install that. (http://www.longren.org/2007/05/17/how-t ... isty-fawn/). It would not install. Then I read that I didn't need to install Cisco's client, the AcerOne comes with something called OpenVPN. I can't find any instructions on how to use OpenVPN and how to make it work at university.

I just want to be able to log on to my university's VPN client so I can do my work! I've taken the Acer to the tech desk and they don't know how to get the VPN client working either. Unfortunately with school in full swing I don't have time to mull over this thing. I don't want to tell my dad I haven't used my laptop even once, he'd be really disappointed.

 

Hello,

1) Cisco Linux client is: hard to install/slow/... and has a lot of other problems. My advise: avoid.

2) VPN connection in Network manager seems broken (I tested with an updated v0.7.0)

I strongly recommend to configure vpnc on your Linux Aspire One (already installed).

a) Open terminal window - Alt-F2, type terminal <enter>
b) At prompt: sudo mousepad /etc/vpnc/default.conf

Code:

IPSec gateway <<IP address -- same as Host in .pcf file>>
IPSec ID <<GroupName  -- same as GroupName in .pcf file>>
IPSec obfuscated secret <<enc_GroupPwd from .pcf file>>
Xauth username <<YourUsername>>
# Xauth password <<YourSecret>>  (optional - you will be prompted if not configured)

Make sure that the secret/GroupPwd is on a single line. No space characters is allowed after the long secret.

Download the tun - virtual network device driver below. Unfortunately the installed/supplied device drivers on the AA1 are to be very limited.
# cd /
# sudo tar xvzf /mnt/home/user/Downloads/tun_driver.tgz <or where your downloads are saved>
# sudo depmod -a

c) To start VPN connection:
# sudo vpnc

d) To quit VPN connection:
# sudo vpnc-disconnect

Create more configurations files if more than one VPN is used, then use vpnc mynet.conf to connect to
the network.

I hope this will help someone.
Regards, devlin

 

Sorry to but in, but I can't find anywhere that says pptp tunnel is working and how to set it up. Having had my machine for two days, this is the only problem I have, vpn into work. Then I'll look at tsclient (ignoring dependencies).

Very good forum this, lots of good ideas, thanks.

 

PPTP working:

viewtopic.php?f=37&t=3139&p=47840&hilit=pptp#p47840

 

Thank you very much for the reply and the link, I'll be trying this over the weekend.

 

devlin:

I'm trying to follow your directions but when I go to download the tun driver here, I'm presented with a whole bunch of Linux choices. Which one do I choose. In case its not obvious, I'm a Linux idiot.

Never mind, I found it in your post here.

 

Thank you for your help, however, I could not get this to work. As I now had confidence that I could reinstall the Linus OS as I've done it a few times, I trashed it in favour of UNR which, after a bit of hassle getting a USB boot from the .img file works flawlessly. I have ran Ubuntu on my desktop PC for the last few years, so I'm really familiar with it.

I was able to install the pptp within minutes of bootup and connected into work via RDp to a windows box.

This is a setup I am very comfortable with.
I would really have liked to get the Linpus working on this, even though I had logged this with Acer themselves who told me this was a hardware fault and to ring their 50p per minute line to ask for a replacement.

Thank you very much for your efforts, help and investigation.

 

vpnc: can't open /dev/net/tun, check that it is either device char 10 200 or (with DevFS) a symlink to ../misc/net/tun (not misc/net/tun): No such device
vpnc: can't initialise tunnel interface: No such device

THIS ERROR CAN BE FIXED BY READING THE GUIDE BELOW

 

Hey everyone,

I actually have answered all my questions above. I figured it out and it feels great. I plan on posting a complete and thorough guide of all the steps once i get some free time.

As for now, i followed all the steps by devlin, then found by way to this link (http://frl1nux.blogspot.com/2008/08/ace ... envpn.html) to correct the last problem i had.

Stay Tuned!!

 

How I Connected To My Universities VPN (AAO -Linpus)

This is a "newb friendly" guide that can be done just by following the commands. I do everything the long way because i feel it gives the people who read my guides more experience using this OS.

After sifting through some of the threads on this website an others, I have compiled the guide of exactly what it took ME to connect to my universities VPN.

Also, full credits goes to the people who helped me; devlin, scottro, gleth, frl1nuX-> http://frl1nux.blogspot.com/2008/08/acer-one-and-openvpn.html

The Essentials:

First make sure you have everything installed and up-to-date:

Code:

sudo yum install fedora release

Code:

sudo yum update vpnc

The Tunnel:

After everything updates and installs our next step is to locate and install the necessary tunnel drivers for VPNC to work with. My University uses a pretty hefty Cisco VPN client with IPSec an all seems to work fine for me.

I used the drivers provided by Devlin in a previous post here:
http://www.aspireoneuser.com/forum/download/file.php?id=588

Save that to your 'Downloads' Folder.

Navigate in your terminal to your download location; in this case:

Code:

cd Downloads

(you can use the 'ls' command to make sure your in the right place)

Then do:

Code:

sudo tar xvzf tun_driver.tgz

Code:

sudo depmod -a

This is will “unpack” the tun.ko “driver” to be used by the VPNC

The .KO!

Unfortunately, acer forgot to include the tun.ko object in the module listings... so when you “unpack” it in the download folder it just sits there.... It is our job to put it in the right place....

I take the long way; Navigating to the tun.ko file unpacked under “lib” of the Downloads folder

In the terminal FROM the Download directory:

Code:

cd lib

Code:

cd modules

Code:

cd 2.6.23.9lw

(<-- this is important, depending on your operating systems updated-ness, yours could be '8lw')

Code:

cd kernel

Code:

cd drivers

Code:

cd net

Now you are in the folder that contains the tun.ko which needs to be moved

Do :

Code:

sudo cp tun.ko /lib/modules/2.6.23.9lw/kernel/drivers/net/

Then do :

Code:

sudo depmod -a

Editing the .conf File.

This next part shows you how to edit the default.conf(ig) file so your VPNC knows what it is trying to connect too.

NOTE: I have not had much success editing the .conf file. For some reason even after i change and save the file, vpnc still prompts me to fill in the settings. (yes i have tried making my own .conf file and calling it by “sudo vpnc custom.conf” but it still prompts me.

NOTE: If anyone can help with this issue, i would really appreciate it

This is an example of a cofig file
********************************************************************************
IPSec gateway <<Host>> EX: internets.university.edu
IPSec ID <<GroupName>> Specified by VPN Manager EX: Cornell U
IPSec obfuscated secret <<GroupPwd>> Specified by VPN Manager
Xauth username <<YourUsername>>
# Xauth password <<YouPass>>  (will be prompted if not configured)
*********************************************************************************
In the terminal, do :

Code:

sudo mousepad /etc/vpnc/default.conf

Fill in your respective information and THEN you can choose to SAVE (which will overwrite the default.conf) or you can SAVE AS a new config file for multiple settings.

Then you can connect to your wifi location, and start the VPN by:

Code:

sudo vpnc

or if you have saved your vpn.conf file as something else it would follow these conventions:

Code:

sudo vpnc ursettingname.conf

That should do it. If you have any questions more than that i can try to help, but i am still getting familiarized with this flavor of fedora.
Thanks for reading! - Murdoc

 

Well done murdoc. I edited my .conf file and it prompts me for my password and goes right into my work network.

What about a gui? I see knetworkmanager-vpnc.i386 and NetworkManager-vpnc.i386 when I do a sudo yum search vpnc, not sure if they will work on linpus.

Thanks.

 

I did get the openvpn to come up and connect to my server after downloading and installing tun.ko . But for some reason, as soon as I run depmod -a , the wireless interface goes down. I can run the vpn over the ethernet port, but the WLAN hardware will only work, if I disable tun.ko. Any ideas?