Cisco vpn client

stu

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Join Date
Aug 2005
Location
England
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772
Has anyone used Cisco vpn client I've been told that you can dial into a plc over the network? Is it free software? And how do you setup thanks stu
 
Yes I have tried various kinds. Works well with our equipment. There are two major versions I think, Cisco VPN Client (now obsolete I believe) and AnyConnect.

They say you will have to purchase the license, but from experience I know they are readily available for download. Many universities have them available for download.

Note that these are just clients, you will still need to setup VPN. Most routers nowadays offer the possibility to do that quite easily.
 
VPN Tunnels are easy to setup and almost all routers today offer that feature.

Very secure, and once you log into the "Tunnel" the PLC will be just as if it was on the bench next to you.

We could not function without the use of VPN Tunnels. We support Plc's over 5 a state area and we can do troubleshooting, firmware updates, program update, corrections, enhancements, monitoring all from our office in realtime.
 
VPN Tunnels are easy to setup and almost all routers today offer that feature.

Very secure, and once you log into the "Tunnel" the PLC will be just as if it was on the bench next to you.

We could not function without the use of VPN Tunnels. We support Plc's over 5 a state area and we can do troubleshooting, firmware updates, program update, corrections, enhancements, monitoring all from our office in realtime.

What do you require at the remote site in order to connect?
 
Static IP is not a must, you could use a service like duckDNS. For my home system I use a netgear router, netgear offers a free dynamic dns service as well. Not saying this would be great for industrial use, but a great way to play around and try.

I am also a fan of Tosibox. You have a router, that you can hook up to a network with internet connection or a internet USB stick. To connect, you need an USB dongle. Very simple to set up and use and easy to move from one location to the next. When you put the dongle in a PC, a program is started and all available Tosi boxes will be shown.

Our clients like this solution, since it is relatively easy for them to remove/power off the box, closing down their network.
 
What do you require at the remote site in order to connect?

Both locations will require a router that can be setup to use a VPN Tunnel. I will try to explain:

Location A : This router may be on a local network of any address 192.168.0.5 or 10.0.0.100 (Any address) You do not have to have a STATIC IP but you will have to use a Dynamic DNS Provider (This is so you will always know how to reach this location) We use Dynamic DNS they charge $40.00 per year for the ability to host 30 locations.

Now back at your office you have a router that the VPN Tunnel is setup (here's the key- make sure this VPN Endpoint is pointing to the "Location A network(192.168.0.1 or what ever it might be) and at location A the endpoint for that router will have to be your office network 10.0.0.100)

Now when every you want to connect to location A just enable the Tunnel.

Now if you would want to connect the PLC at location A and it's address might be 192.168.0.100 set your office computer to an address on that network example 192.168.0.33 and now both devices are on the same network and you can do anything just as if the devices were side by side.

I hope this helps.
 
You don't really need a router on both ends, unless you want to set up a permanent tunnel between networks, right?
 
You would only need a Router and both ends if you was concerned about security.

A router at both ends allow you to setup and use the different layers of security that is available for the Tunnel.

Usually when you are only using a single router and you are allowed access to the VPN Tunnel there is very little security involved.

A properly setup VPN Tunnel will be almost impossible to hack!
 
I don't quite understand that, might be due to me having little knowledge about networking in general.

But if we have a router on the remote end and a PC on the local end. I use VPN software with its keys, encryption etc.

If we have a router in both ends, my local router connects to the remote router using the same encryption and keys. How/why would that be more secure?
 
I use VPN software with its keys, encryption etc.

It would not be as long as the it is set up correctly.

But here's what I have found. (what really happens)!

If you only connect to (1) location then you probably would not have any problems.

But if you connect to 50 different locations where you might be logging into 10 different brands of routers all with different protocols for their security this becomes a problem, because what really happens is since not all "Tunnels" are the same you loosen your security just to make it more convenient for you to login to the tunnel. With the cost of router's being what there are today. I would always recommend the same brand router as the endpoints.

Let me explain how we do this ( and this may not be the best way) we have about 35 locations in a 5 state area that we support. We provided the routers (at a cost of course) to every location each with a VPN Tunnel programmed the way we needed it to be and with very tight security. Then we have 1 router back at our office which is nothing but our VPN Tunnels.
Now if I would need to connect to location 9 I login to our VPN Router - select the VPN Tunnel I need to work thru and with a click of the mouse I have logged into the "System" that needs our attention.

At the same time one of our other support persons could login to the office vpn router and select another VPN Tunnel and he/she could be supporting location 25.

Since the security is through the endpoints anybody going through our office vpn router would automatically have all of the security parameters in place.

Now let's also say that I need help from maybe the manufacture, I might have him on the phone asking questions, but he needs to see it live. He can login to our router from anywhere he has internet, I tell him which VPN Tunnel to select and he is now connected to the system just as if he was there and all with the needed security.

Now like I said (This is how we do it) and it may NOT be the best way. It works and I could not recommend any other way. I am by no means an expert with anything, my wife can confirm this.
 
Interesting.

We generally do not deliver any equipment ourselves and use our clients vpn solutions.

Thanks for the info, I appreciate it :)
 
Last edited:

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