#Cisco vpn client for windows 8.1 license#
#Cisco vpn client for windows 8.1 windows 8#
#Cisco vpn client for windows 8.1 free#

A transport mode, instead of tunnel mode, must be used.

We need a clean way from client to ASA for IPSec ports and protocols.

We can use either вЂњ DfltGrpPolicyвЂќ group policy, or make our custom policy.

For certificate based device authentication, there is no this limitation.

If we authenticate devices with pre-shared keys, we must use вЂњ DefaultRAGroupвЂќ tunnel group.

As long as IPSec is setup in a secure manner, вЂњ L2TP/IPSecвЂќ should be secure.

#Cisco vpn client for windows 8.1 free#

The client is free and can be found on many platforms (Windows, Linux, Android, вЂ¦).There is of course user authentication present with L2TP which is something like XAUTH with IPSec.Д«efore we jump to configuration, there are some things I would like to point out about вЂњ L2TP/IPSecвЂќ: Along with this, because we are using IPSec, we have another benefit вЂ“ device or client authentication with IKE. With IPSec, our mail, for example, is tunneled inside L2TP that is UDP/1701, and that L2TP is in turn tunneled inside ESP, and hence encrypted. Some clever guys figured out that we could use something already in place, such as IPSec, to protect this traffic. Problem with this method is that, as said, there is no confidentiality. For example, our mail is encapsulated or tunneled this way. After authenticating to LNS, userвЂ™s packets get encapsulated in UDP/1701 and all communication between a client (called a LAC вЂ“ вЂњ L2TP Access ConcentratorвЂќ) goes through this channel. So, how this works? Without IPSec, the story goes like this: a user makes a connection from a laptop/smart phone to a VPN gateway, called LNS (вЂњ L2TP Network ServerвЂќ). Basically, we are still using вЂњ L2TPвЂќ, but we add extra security which IPSec brings to the table: device authentication, confidentiality and integrity. Fortunately, the ASA does not support plain вЂњ L2TPвЂќ so this makes our decision easier: we have to use secure version of вЂњ L2TPвЂќ called вЂњ L2TP/IPSecвЂќ. This means that we should not use вЂњ L2TPвЂќ for VPN access. вЂњL2TP does not provide confidentiality or strong authentication by itself.вЂќ I will however stress out that вЂњ L2TPвЂќ provides (almost) none security. I wonвЂ™t be describing вЂњ L2TPвЂќ, what it is and how it operates. So, this blog will deal with the only valid option left вЂ“ вЂњ L2TP/IPSecвЂќ. And still, there might be a licensing issue mentioned above. There could also be a problem of getting support for them.

Third option I wonвЂ™t discuss, because I donвЂ™t have enough experience with these kind of products. So, if we had 5000 IPSec connections license, we could have the ability to make a 5000 Anyconnect sessions with no extra money.

#Cisco vpn client for windows 8.1 license#

If we bought ASAs with a licenses for certain amount of IPSec connections and Cisco discontinues IPSec client and start using Anyconnect, they could allow us to make some sort of license switchover. There are some cheap bundles (вЂњ Anyconnect EssentialsвЂќ), but still it is not fair.

One of the reasons is that Cisco charges for licenses.

Other SSL/TLS solutions (OpenVPN, SSTP, вЂ¦).

There are some workarounds on W8, but they did not work for me, and with time there will be no workarounds at all. So, whatвЂ™s the problem? Cisco is going to stop or is already stopped development and support for Cisco VPN client! If you ask me, itвЂ™s a shame. This problem is not directly attached to W8 itself, but with W8 we begin to experience it. At least we who are using Microsoft OSes.

#Cisco vpn client for windows 8.1 windows 8#

Well, Windows 8 is here and we will some day migrate to it.