VPN Client for Cisco and a solution Eduroam encryption

[NeoPain]

Hi Community,

as a Student I was very happy to hold my N900 in my hands and starting to play with my new Toy I love my N900 and I use it all time.

I have it now for 1 Week and I was playing with it and trying some new Applications, but for 3 Days I am trying to connect to our University Network, which uses Cisco and the Eduroam encryption but I cannot connect to our Uni. Network.

I tryed it with OpenConnect, because some People on the Internet wrote that this Application works fine with Cisco Systems but I it does not with the Cisco System of my University.

Now for Eduroam encryption.

The Maemo OS does not support this encryption protocol, this bug is known for 3 hole years but no solution from Nokia was offered.


Here the Bugzilla Link (https://bugs.maemo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1635)

So I cant use the other way, because I thought if the way via VPN does not work I could simply connect via Wlan and use our Eduroam Hotspot, but this also don't work.

So I am asking/begging for help.

Could someone tell me how to get in VPN Cisco Network of my University.

Here are the Linux Details for a Linux VPN Software.

IPSec gateway cisco-vpn-1.rz.ruhr-uni-bochum.de
IPSec ID RUB oder RUBBIB
IPSec secret csmvpn3000
Xauth username LOGINID
NAT Traversal Mode none

I tryed it with OpenConnect.

I filled this in OpenConnect

Profil Name VPN
VPN Server:cisco-vpn-1.rz.ruhr-uni-bochum.de
Username:RUB
Password:csmvpn3000

Xauth Username is my Student ID
but first of all I must get in the VPN Network therefor I must use
Username:RUB
Password:csmvpn3000

after that I can enter my
Username: StudentID
Password: StudentPassword

This way it work with the Cisco Client on Windows and Linux

but I only get Errors


Attempting to connect to cisco-vpn-1.rz.ruhr-uni-bochum.de.

Failed to connect to host cisco-vpn-1.rz.ruhr-uni-bochum.de
Failed to open HTTPS connection to cisco-vpn-1.rz.ruhr-uni-bochum.de
Failed to obtain WebVPN cookie


It would be far greater if someone would develop a Applications which supports the Eduroam encryption, Cisco Systems and can read pcf files!

(pcf files are config files from the Cisco Client)

[jaem]

Regarding WPA2 TTLS-PAP (the encryption scheme used on most Eduroam networks), it's not a matter of "developing an application" for it - Linux has supported it for ages. The problem is that Nokia's partly-proprietary network stack for the N900 didn't support it... and, if you read the last bit of that bug report carefully, you'll see that at least some support is coming for PR 1.2 (whenever it comes). Last I heard, it wasn't certain whether the option would be configurable in the GUI, but that might have changed, and at any rate, it will work in the new release.
I can't help you with VPN, though.

[amk332]

I use vpnc and vpngui for my university's cisco vpn. It works perfectly without having any problem, just like the way vpnc works on a linux pc. You will need a .conf file instead of pcf. My university provide both. There are also ways to convert pcf to conf, but never done it myself.

[rebhana]

From your post it's not clear whether your problem is really with the PAP authentication scheme which some universities seem to employ exclusively and which ought to be supported in PR1.2, while MSCHAPv2 is already supported, see here (http://wiki.maemo.org/PEAP%2BMSCHAPv2).
As to VPN, I also have no problem with vpnc connecting to a Cisco concentrator in eduroam. Initially I was using the vpnc package from Extras-devel, but now do it from within Easy Debian, which I find preferrable for not tampering with Maemo, but both should work. From the data you gave, you should create a /etc/vpnc.conf file containing
Interface name vpntun0
IPSec gateway cisco-vpn-1.rz.ruhr-uni-bochum.de
IPSec ID RUB
IPSec secret csmvpn3000
Xauth username LOGINID
Debug 1

(you'll neet rootsh or ssh to install to /etc) and then you should be able to connect and disconnect through
vpnc and vpnc-disconnect.

[flip^]

I'm curious which university you're at... Down here in Kent we use eduroam through cisco hardware, and my n900 works just fine with it, though the setup is a little more fiddly than I'd like.

Given my role is something of a tech support one down here, if you let me know what uni you're at, I may be able to look up your set up and compare it to yours to see if there's any easy answer...

[NeoPain]

I'm curious which university you're at... Down here in Kent we use eduroam through cisco hardware, and my n900 works just fine with it, though the setup is a little more fiddly than I'd like.

Given my role is something of a tech support one down here, if you let me know what uni you're at, I may be able to look up your set up and compare it to yours to see if there's any easy answer...

Hi flip^,

i study in Germany, the name of my University is Ruhr Uni Bochum.

Here you can look up the Data

http://www.rz.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/dienste/netze/vpn-konf-linux.html

It would be great if you could help me!
________________________________


rebhana,

could you explain your way more detailed? because I am not so good in Linux, so i need a little help


Regards
Neo

[alanbuxey]

Neo, there appears to be confusion between the encrypted network you want to use (VPN) and the encrypted local link layer that you will need to use to get on the eduroam access point (WPA or WPA2 - 802.1X technology)

you will not be able to fire-up a VPN until you are associated and authentcated to the wireless AP,

now, to use eduroam Access point, you will need to authenticate using your home organisation details and your home id eg

youruserid@whatever-uni-you-are-from
yourpassword

BUT, these details must be sent back to your home site using your home sites chosen method....if your home site only supports
EAP-TTLS/PAP as the 802.1X type...then your client must support that.... check the details of your home site...ask for your home site eduroam support and get some details....you might strike lucky and find that you can use PEAP/MSCHAPv2 instead - which your N900 can happily use.

ONCE you have authenticated to the eduroam AP, then you should be able to happily use the VPN.

if you cannot use the VPN when you are properly online (check that by seeing if you can browse the web.....) then the visiting site isnt letting VPN traffic pass through their eduroam network...and
that is wrong. please get in touch

alan