Topics Map > Networking > Virtual Private Networking (VPN)
After connecting to the VPN client, Internet connectivity stops working (including network shared drives). The network connection may show up as 'Local Connection Only.'
There is a security feature in almost all VPN configurations that blocks all local network connections while connected to the corporate network, via a VPN. This is to provide some degree of security by preventing someone with malicious intent from reaching the corporate server using your PC/Laptop as a stepping stone. I have an issue with the Cisco anyconnect. Once clients are connnected they can't access anything, including their default gateway. VPN client pool is in the same subnet than local network (139.16.1.x/24). Local network clients can access to DMZ, VPN clients can ping local network computers but they can't access to DMZ. The Cisco VPN adapter is special, in that in 'default' mode, it's designed to send every last bit of network traffic over the tunnel's link. I mirrored that configuration to test, and a normal tunnel actually wouldn't even let me ping the primary address of the local interface.
These steps are adapted from: http://msdynamicstips.com/2011/06/27/vpn-connection-disconnects-internet-connection/.
On Windows 7:
1. Click on the Start button.
2. In the search box, type ncpa.cpl. Press Enter.
3. The Network Connections window should open. Right click on the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client Connection. Click on Properties
4. Select the Networking tab.
5. Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) from 'This connection uses the following items.'
6. Click on Properties. Click on Advanced. Make sure there is nothing listed under Default gateway using the Remove button to remove any that are there.
7. Close the Network Connections window. Attempt to connect to the VPN and then the Internet.
Windows 8, 8.1, 10:
Instead of using the Start button, begin with the Search tool. The rest of the Windows 7 steps will work for Windows 8.
A customer did submit this tidbit:
My computer had a software named Connectify which is used for creating ad-hoc. And in the adapter settings there was an option regarding connectify. I disabled it and everything worked fine.
Technology Services note: Any software that allows you to share your computer's network connection with others will interfere with the VPN. Uninstall or disable the software, reboot your computer, and try the VPN again.
I use Cisco AnyConnect on my Windows 7 computer to make VPN connections. It also has capability to connect to WiFi. But I always had problems in connecting toWiFi with AnyConnect. Connection drops frequently and it keeps saying ‘Acquiring IP address‘.
AnyConnect installs a service called ‘Network Access Manager‘ which seems like takes over the native Windows WiFi connecting client. So when I click on the network icon in the System tray it says ‘No connections are available'(See below snapshot). Without AnyConnect, it always displays the WiFi connections available.
If you are facing the problem then you can try the following solution that worked for me.
- Open Services management console by running Services.msc from Run
- Find the service ‘Cisco AnyConnect Network Access Manager‘.
- Right click and stop the service.
- Now Cisco AnyConnect will say ‘NAM service unavailable‘
- Now Windows will use the native WiFi client to connect to the WiFi
- When you reboot your system, the NAM service will start and may cause problem again. You can disable this service in Services management console to prevent that.
AnyConnect has settings to disable the NAM feature. But that did not work for me. Even after disabling NAM service, I could not connect to WiFi. Windows network icon shows the WiFi connection but gives the error ‘Windows was not able to connect to…‘. I followed the below steps to do this.
Cisco Anyconnect No Network Connectivity
- Opened Anyconnect window and click on Advanced.
- Clicked on ‘Networks’ tab in the left side pane.
- Clicked on Configuration tab. Changed the NAM to disabled as shown below.