Suddenly can't connect via VPN

Question

Level 1

0 points

Suddenly can't connect via VPN

After months of being able to connect to my work VPN, I suddenly find myself unable to connect. I'm using the Cisco VPN client (have tried both 4.9.0.1-0080 and 4.9.0.1-0100). I am able to connect successfully using Windows XP both from my desktop PC and a Parallels install on the Macbook Pro. I have confirmed with another Mac user that they can still successfully connect.

(server name removed from log)
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Cisco Systems VPN Client Version 4.9.01 (0100)
Copyright (C) 1998-2006 Cisco Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Client Type(s): Mac OS X
Running on: Darwin 9.2.2 Darwin Kernel Version 9.2.2: Tue Mar 4 21:17:34 PST 2008; root:xnu-1228.4.31~1/RELEASE_I386 i386

191 09:53:13.282 04/04/2008 Sev=Info/4 CM/0x43100002
Begin connection process

192 09:53:13.283 04/04/2008 Sev=Warning/2 CVPND/0x83400011
Error -28 sending packet. Dst Addr: 0x0A0000FF, Src Addr: 0x0A0000AF (DRVIFACE:1158).

193 09:53:13.283 04/04/2008 Sev=Warning/2 CVPND/0x83400011
Error -28 sending packet. Dst Addr: 0x0A2581FF, Src Addr: 0x0A258102 (DRVIFACE:1158).

194 09:53:13.365 04/04/2008 Sev=Info/4 CM/0x43100004
Establish secure connection using Ethernet

195 09:53:13.365 04/04/2008 Sev=Info/4 CM/0x43100024
Attempt connection with server "<server>"

196 09:53:13.365 04/04/2008 Sev=Info/6 CM/0x4310002F
Allocated local TCP port 50104 for TCP connection.

197 09:53:13.365 04/04/2008 Sev=Warning/2 CVPND/0x83400011
Error -16 sending packet. Dst Addr: 0xA3E70011, Src Addr: 0x00000000 (DRVIFACE:2384).

198 09:53:13.365 04/04/2008 Sev=Info/4 CM/0x43100027
Unable to initiate TCP connection on port 443 with server "<server>"

199 09:53:13.365 04/04/2008 Sev=Info/5 CM/0x43100025
Initializing CVPNDrv

200 09:53:13.365 04/04/2008 Sev=Info/4 CM/0x4310002D
Resetting TCP connection on port 443

201 09:53:13.365 04/04/2008 Sev=Warning/2 CVPND/0x83400011
Error -16 sending packet. Dst Addr: 0xA3E70011, Src Addr: 0x00000000 (DRVIFACE:2384).

202 09:53:13.365 04/04/2008 Sev=Info/4 CM/0x4310002E
Unable to reset TCP connection

203 09:53:13.365 04/04/2008 Sev=Info/6 CM/0x43100030
Removed local TCP port 50104 for TCP connection.

204 09:53:13.366 04/04/2008 Sev=Info/4 CVPND/0x4340001F
Privilege Separation: restoring MTU on primary interface.

205 09:53:14.178 04/04/2008 Sev=Info/4 IPSEC/0x43700008
IPSec driver successfully started

206 09:53:14.178 04/04/2008 Sev=Info/4 IPSEC/0x43700014
Deleted all keys

207 09:53:14.179 04/04/2008 Sev=Info/4 IPSEC/0x43700014
Deleted all keys

208 09:53:14.179 04/04/2008 Sev=Info/4 IPSEC/0x43700014
Deleted all keys

209 09:53:14.179 04/04/2008 Sev=Info/4 IPSEC/0x4370000A
IPSec driver successfully stopped

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Any ideas?

Macbook Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.2)

Posted on Apr 4, 2008 7:57 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Apr 8, 2008 9:07 PM in response to Shag88

You might need to check with your network admin... They probably have the VPN set to require you to have a software firewall and that feature I believe is only compatible with the Windows VPN client.

I have the same issue which has been forcing me to use bootcamp.

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Answer 2

direwolf8

Level 4

1,280 points

Apr 9, 2008 10:42 AM in response to Shag88

I believe we had to download the latest Cisco VPN client to work properly on the Mac, and I think it's revision 5.x. We also found that the older client wouldn't work with too long an authentication string.

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Answer 3

jdelima

Level 3

515 points

Apr 9, 2008 7:23 PM in response to Shag88

Reset the Cisco VPN settings. Modifying networking parameters can cause problems including the client not starting up at all. This won't remove any settings from the client, just restart the service that can corrupt with networking changes. This may or may not help, but given you have confirmed another Mac client is operational, there is slim chance of a concatenator change that would only effect you.

Open a terminal and whack the following command in it:

sudo /System/Library/StartupItems/CiscoVPN/CiscoVPN restart

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Answer 4

Shag88 Author

Level 1

0 points

Apr 9, 2008 7:30 PM in response to Shag88

Thanks for the tips, everyone. Unfortunately, no success with any of them.

Other users with Macs can still connect just fine, so that should rule out the software firewall issue. I have the latest version of the VPNClient available for download on Cisco's site - 4.9.01(0100). If there's a 5.x version, I don't know where to find it. I also restarted the VPN service, but no change.

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Answer 5

May 11, 2008 10:23 AM in response to Shag88

Did you manage to get a solution to this?

I have the same problem, although I've never managed to get a good connection - which to be fair must be somewhat less frustrating.

I get the same errors in the log file.

FYI this is whilst trying to connect to Ford's VPN.

Any further ideas gratefully received.

Cheers

Graeme

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Answer 6

May 11, 2008 12:39 PM in response to Shag88

Have you tried using Apple's built-in VPN solutions? In the Network control panel you should be able to add a new network interface and select one of two VPN options: "L2TP over ipsec" or "PPTP" (depending on the requirements of your VPN connection).

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Answer 7

Greg Y

Level 1

19 points

May 23, 2008 11:02 AM in response to Shag88

Same issue, same "Error -28 sending packet" errors. What's frustrating is that the Cisco client (4.9.01) has run fine up to this week; now I can't connect. I can ping the destination IP address just fine, no one is aware of any changes on the company side and I haven't done anything to my Mac (a MacBook Pro running 10.5.2). I tried the above restart command in Terminal but while the process appeared successful, it didn't fix the problem.

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