Connecting To The Vpn Concentrator Using Http; Installing The Ssl Certificate In Your Browser - Cisco VPN 3000 User Manual

Connecting to the VPN Concentrator using HTTP

When your system administration tasks and network permit a cleartext connection between the VPN
Concentrator and your browser, you can use the standard HTTP protocol to connect to the system.
Even if you plan to use HTTPS, you use HTTP at first to install an SSL certificate in your browser.
1 Bring up the browser.
2 In the browser Address or Location field, you can just enter the VPN Concentrator Ethernet 1 (Private)
The browser displays the VPN Concentrator Manager login screen.
Figure 1-1: VPN Concentrator Manager login screen
To continue using HTTP for the whole session, skip to Logging in the VPN Concentrator Manager on
page 1-18.

Installing the SSL certificate in your browser

The VPN Concentrator Manager provides the option of using HTTP over SSL with the browser. SSL
creates a secure session between your browser (client) and the VPN Concentrator (server). This protocol
is known as HTTPS, and uses the https:// prefix to connect to the server. The browser first
authenticates the server, then they encrypt all data passed during the session.
HTTPS is often confused with a similar protocol, S-HTTP (Secure HTTP), which encrypts only HTTP
application-level data. SSL encrypts all data between client and server at the IP socket level, and is thus
more secure.
SSL uses digital certificates for authentication. The VPN Concentrator creates a self-signed SSL server
certificate when it boots, and this certificate must be installed in the browser. Once the certificate is
VPN 3000 Concentrator Series User Guide
interface IP address; e.g., 10.10.147.2 . The browser automatically assumes and supplies an
prefix.
http://
Connecting to the VPN Concentrator using HTTP
1-3