Troubleshooting VPN

Listed here are a few tips on how to get VPN to work for you.

Problems with installing the VPN client

1. When following the instructions for configuring VPN please use an account that has administrative privileges.
2. Remove old VPN programs:
   - On a PC, open Control Panel, open Add/Remove programs. In the list of programs, highlight any entry containing the words "Cisco VPN" and click Remove. Repeat the procedure for any entry containing the words "Juniper Network Connect".
   - On a Mac, to remove the old Cisco VPN client, please follow the instructions on this page Uninstalling the Cisco VPN Client. To remove an old version of the Juniper VPN software, follow the instructions on this page: Manually Remove Network Connect in Mac OS X.

Problems with establishing a VPN connection using the VPN client

Try Disabling Local Firewalls

You might have a firewall program running on your computer that should be disabled such as, Windows Firewall (included with Windows XP Service Pack 2), Zone Alarm, etc. When you are trying to connect, if you are prompted that the VPN Client is trying to access the Internet, be sure to "Allow" or "Unblock".

Opt-out of Domain Helper Services

Many ISPs have domain helper services that redirect traffic, for a variety of purposes. Occasionaly, this can cause problems with VPN. Contact your ISP to determine if and how you can opt-out of Domain Helper Services. For example, Comcast has an opt-out page here: https://dns-opt-out.comcast.net

Cannot access sites blocked by an internet provider

The VPN software used by Middlebury College only routes traffic to and from the College's servers. Therefore, it cannot help you if you are trying to access a site that is blocked by your internet provider or censored by a government entity.