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VPN Client 5.1.4.74 loses internet connection when using spotty wifi

wames
Level 1
Level 1

I have an issue where I use Cisco AnyConnect to connect to a remote environment hosted by a customer of my business. Several months ago, while connected on this VPN, I started getting incidents where I would lose my internet connection on the VPN, and thus my connection to a remote server in my customer's environment would get terminated. Note that the internet connection to my PC worked ok, it was just the VPN that was the problem. When this happens, the problem is fixed by disconnecting and then reconnecting to the VPN. There are also occasions where if I leave it long enough, internet connectivity on the VPN will be restored, but usually I don't bother waiting for this to happen.

These incidents often happen many times a day, and become a real productivity blocker. I figured out that this would happen when there was a short break in internet connectivity to my PC, usually from wifi coverage that was a bit spotty (the kind of thing that makes a video call freeze up for a second, then recover). It would also happen if I was using wired internet, then disconnected from it, and internet stopped for a moment while I automatically connected to a wifi network.

I wonder if the source of this issue is some timeout setting that needs to be extended, but unfortunately I'm not able to see what configuration options are available, as the customer is in control of this (as well as other things, like a firewall). I understand that when you stop sending packets through the VPN for too long, the connection will be broken, but I don't think that's my problem here, because the time that my wifi connection is lost is too short, and AnyConnect indicates that I'm still connected, I just can't access the internet anymore while I'm connected.

Are there any suggestions that I can use or suggest to the customer so that we can troubleshoot this together? Like I said, I only have access to a limited number of settings, and need to collaborate with administrators to change anything else.

6 Replies 6

marce1000
VIP
VIP

 

 - What can sometimes happen that due to the VPN overhead packets don't fit in the particular wifi and it's 'with'.
    Anyconnect will create it's own virtual adapter : you could try to reduce the MTU to it to 1200 , well check
    first the value that is initially being used : for guidelines and howto's checkout : 
                https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/535814/how-to-set-mtu-size-to-100-on-windows-10
    You won't need to fall back to 100 (probably) , just use the examples

 M.



-- Each morning when I wake up and look into the mirror I always say ' Why am I so brilliant ? '
    When the mirror will then always repond to me with ' The only thing that exceeds your brilliance is your beauty! '

Unfortunately, this didn't work. A reminder that I still have connectivity on my wifi, it's just that when I lose wifi connection for a moment, I no longer have it. This would suggest that packet MTU is not the issue.

 

  - Are you sure that this Spotify wifi connection is always 'solid available' and steady ?

  M.



-- Each morning when I wake up and look into the mirror I always say ' Why am I so brilliant ? '
    When the mirror will then always repond to me with ' The only thing that exceeds your brilliance is your beauty! '

Use NAM to select the connection 

MHM

ccieexpert
Spotlight
Spotlight

First thing is that if the change is only in one WIFI, then more than likely it is the WIFI connectvity is not stable.

If it works with other wifi then most likely that one wifi..

does it work on other wifi fine ?

The timeouts etc are large enough to cater for a small blip for a few seconds.

I would suggest collecting a DART

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/security/secure-client/221919-collect-dart-bundle-for-secure-client.html

 

that would provide more insight into the problem and why it is happening..

Thanks, I'll collect a DART to see if I get any evidence. I suspect that this is not the case, because I have coworkers connected to the same environment who are also having the same issue when working from home.