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Introduction

This guide walks you through the process of setting up a Remote Access VPN on a Cisco ASA5500 firewall using Cisco ASDM.

The instructions are written in a beginner-friendly way, so even if you are new to Cisco firewall VPNs, you can follow along without missing a step.

Prerequisites

Before you begin:

Cisco ASA5500 firewall running ASA version 8.2.2 or later. Windows clients cannot connect if you are on ASA 8.2.1, because of a known Cisco bug.
Cisco ASDM (Adaptive Security Device Manager) installed and accessible
Basic admin login credentials to the firewall

Steps to Configure Remote Access VPN using ASDM

Step 1: Start the IPsec VPN Wizard in Cisco ASDM

Log in to your Cisco ASA5500 using Cisco ASDM.
In the menu, go to Wizards > IPsec VPN Wizard.
Follow the on-screen instructions.

Step 2: Configure VPN Tunnel Settings

2.1 Select VPN Tunnel Type

Choose Remote Access.
From the drop-down list, select Outside as the interface for incoming VPN tunnels.
Keep the box checked for: Enable inbound IPSec sessions to bypass interface access lists

Note: Group policies and per-user authorization lists will still apply.

2.2 Configure Remote Access Clients

Select Microsoft Windows client using L2TP over IPSec.
Enable MS-CHAP-V2 and PAP as authentication protocols.

2.3 Choose VPN Client Authentication Method

Select Pre-shared Key and input it.

2.4 Set User Authentication

Choose Authenticate using the local user database for authenticating remote users.

2.5 Add VPN User Account

Create a new username and password inside the user database.
You will use this account to log in from the client side.

2.6 Configure Address Pool

Create a pool of IP addresses for remote VPN clients.
Example: 10.10.20.240 – 10.10.20.249 (adjust based on your internal network).

2.7 Client Attributes

Leave this section empty (no additional attributes needed).

2.8 IKE Policy (Default)

Encryption: 3DES
Authentication: SHA
Diffie-Hellman Group: 2

2.9 IPSec Settings (Default)

Uncheck: Enable split channeling...
Uncheck: Perfect Forwarding Secrecy (PFS)

2.10 Confirm and Finish

Review the summary information.
Click Finish to complete the VPN Wizard setup.

Step 3: Add Transform Set

Navigate to: Configuration > Remote Access VPN > Network (Client) Access > Advanced > IPSec > Crypto Maps
Click Edit IPSec Rules.
Add: TRANS_ESP_3DES_SHA
Click OK to save.

Step 4: Save the Running Configuration

Save your changes to the firewall flash memory.
This ensures the VPN configuration persists after a reboot.

Step 5: VPN Setup Complete

You have successfully set up a Remote Access VPN on your Cisco ASA5500 firewall using Cisco ASDM.

Remote Windows clients can now securely connect to your network using the pre-shared key and user credentials you configured.

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How to Setup Cisco ASA5500 Remote Access VPN