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Notes on the Cisco VPN Client Software for Mac OS X

 

 

These notes are for an Apple G4 Ti Powerbook laptop running OS X 10.3.5 with security updates current to 9/9/04.  Don’t type the quotes in the following instructions – they are there to delimit the input phrases for you.

 

I. Install Cisco VPN client software

 

            A. The dmg disk image installs without a problem in the “Applications” folder.

 

            B. Recommendation: make a folder “vpn-cisco” in the “Applications” folder and move the vpn client

                software there.  Then copy the file with the “pcf” extension from the TLU install CD into this folder

                also.  This “.pcf” file contains the setup parameters that you’ll use to setup the client software when

                you first run it.

 

            C. To setup the Cisco VPN client the first time, click on “import” and use the browse function to find

                 the “.pcf” file.  Select it (click it).  Your setup parameters should now be in place.

 

 

II. Setup the OS X connection to your Y drive

 

            A. Connect to your ISP.

 

            B. Run the Cisco VPN software; click on connect button.  You’ll be asked for your TLU user name

                and password.  The VPN software window should indicate that you are connected.

 

            C. Open the OS X “connect to server icon”, which looks like a globe with a “?” in the middle of it.  It’s

                 in the Utilities folder, among other places.  It opens a server address window.

 

            D. You’ll be running a UNIX Samba connection.  Your machine should function as a Samba client by

                 default, with no sharing or security changes necessary.  In the box in the server address window,

                 type “smb://filesvr/’username’ ”, where ‘username’ is your TLU user name.  The TLU “filesvr”

                 machine will return an old style three-box window to you.  Enter “TLU” for your domain name and

                enter your TLU user name and password.

 

            E. An OS X Finder window will open with the contents of your Y drive in it.  The window will be

                named with your TLU user name.

 

            F. To close the Y drive, click on the eject (D) symbol next to the folder with your user name that

                appears in the left hand upper pane of the Finder window.

 

            G. To close the VPN connection, click on the “disconnect” button in the Cisco VPN software window.

 

H. (Perhaps the Apple VPN software internal to OS X will also achieve this linkage.  That’s another

      story …)

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