Windows 7 VPN Client

Windows 7 comes with a built-in "Agile VPN" client which implements the IKEv2 key exchange protocol. Setup is a piece of cake. Just type in the IP address of the remote IPsec peer or gateway and click on "Connect".

A configuration example with a Linux strongSwan gateway can be found here:

http://wiki.strongswan.org/wiki/Windows7 .

Most VPN gateway vendors have an IKEv2 implementation but not many have
rolled it out yet. Windows 7 might change this situation quickly.

Andreas

Sonicwall has a vista 64 beta client too that works with some firewalls. For those needing the 64bit flavor

The DirectAccess, built-in vpn feature might not be the best option because it requires the Windows 2008 R2 server and support of IPv6-- which most companies have not adopted yet. It looks like it only supports the IKEv2 gateways (SonicWall is the sole provider here, I think).

It is in fact an IPSec VPN (even though they claim it’s not a VPN at all).

It looks like the server remembers user / login for each PC so the user doesn’t have to enter anything manually. Might be problematic for home PC’s, consultants, etc.

hope this helps

I've been using OpenVPN (provided by Surfbouncer) for a week now on Windows 7. It works fine. Follow the instructions at the link below.

http://www.surfbouncer.com/Windows_7.htm

A friend tried to find a Windows 7 64 bit VPN client. This is the first post that came up with his search.

So even though this post is 6 months old, it doesn't mentionShrewSoft's VPN Client, so I thought I would add it.


I have been using ShrewSoft's VPN Client. So far it has been solid and you can read about my experience here as it may help you.
http://rhyous.com/2009/10/29/windows-7-64-bit-vpn-client-shrewsoft/

Shrewsoft did NOT work well for me on win7 64-bit. On a fresh install, it BSOD at the end of installation. It now BSOD in normal mode and uninstalling shrewsoft in safe mode did not improve the situation. It left all of its drivers which could not be uninstalled at the driver screen. After some searches online, it looks like VPN clients in general including Cisco's have caused some nasty BSOD problems with win7. I would avoid shrewsoft unless you have a fresh install and wouldn't mind reinstalling Windows. I'll have to check out the built in one and see if I can get it to connect to my university.

barrtrek,

Did you read my post and use the correct version? You have to install version: 2.1.5-rc-4.

As mentioned in my post, I blue screened when installing the wrong version.

We have over 30 people running Windows 7 64 bit and using ShrewSoft's VPN Client. However, you have to install the right version, 2.1.5-rc-4, nobody has gotten a blue screen at our company.

Also, I have had tons of users email me or comment about this software and everyone says it works well. So I have to assume you installed the wrong version.

Also, you don't have to reinstall windows. When I installed the wrong version and got in a blue screen loop, I booted off the CD and instead of doing a new install, I just chose to revert to a previous System Restore state, which is very easy. Then I installed the correct version and away I went.

So anyone who wants can try this and if you do a system restore if they have a problem.

Ah, sorry, I should have clarified. I installed the release version before I even came upon your post. And for some reason I did not have a restore point. Maybe because I had just installed earlier that day.

I don't usually try out beta software especially if its something I'm going to have to rely on semi-regularly. But if its gone as well as you've indicated, I'll give it a shot.

I'm definitely going to check if system restore is on first  

you can also check out thegrenbow VPN Client for Windows 7 32/64-bit.: http://www.thegreenbow.com/vpn_down.html.

Well, so ShrewSoft works well and there have been mostly good feedback. If you want to read some of the feedback you can.
http://rhyous.com/2009/10/29/windows-7-64-bit-vpn-client-shrewsoft/

Glad to here that the newer version did work and it was the wrong version that Blue Screened you.

I will have to check out thegreenbow and see how it works.

Greenbow is only a trial version and you have to pay for the full release, while ShrewSoft's is free and working so stable, so I think I will stick with ShrewSoft.

I just downloaded the ShrewSoft VPN but I am having trouble opening the link above to find out more about it. (I am in China and info on vpn's is hard to get) I was wondering if you had to provide your own ip adrress or if the software had a server or two that it would auto connect to? This may sound like a stupid question but again I can't get much info here.

I hear that China's Government tries to block the common blog sites that wordpress or blogspot. I don't know if that is true, but I hear you can hit the sites anyway by using a Free Proxy. Just search google for Free Proxy. That is why I bought a real URL, but maybe you can't get there even with the real URL.

http://rhyous.com/2009/10/29/windows-7-64-bit-vpn-clien...

If you can't hit it directly, use a Free Proxy.

This topic has been closed by The_Prophecy