VPNC seems to timeout quickly- how do I lengthen the timeout?

spiffytech · 08-29-2006, 01:34 PM

I am running VPNC on (K)Ubuntu Dapper Drake, and my VPN connection seems to be timing out at an intolerably quick speed. If it goes unused for more than a few minutes, I have to kill VPNC and run it again. The only way around this is to do a ping to a computer that's behind the VPN, to keep the connection open.

Is there a way to extend the idle timeout for VPNC? Our Cisco router is set to time out at ten hours. Can I make VPNC just follow that?

acid_kewpie · 08-29-2006, 01:43 PM

if you read the vpnc manpage there is a --nat-keepalive option to do this

spiffytech · 08-29-2006, 02:25 PM

When I do "man vpnc" I can't find any mention of the --nat-keepalive option. Google searching returned no mention of how to use it, so I just entered "vpnc --nat-keepalive 99999" into the command line, which left me with what looked like a config dump. How should I use that option?

acid_kewpie · 08-29-2006, 03:17 PM

Code:

[chris@kermit ~]$ /usr/sbin/vpnc --long-help
Usage: /usr/sbin/vpnc [--version] [--print-config] [--help] [--long-help] [options] [config files]
<snip>
  --nat-keepalive <Seconds>
  NAT-Keepalive packet interval <Seconds>
      If non-zero, send out NAT-Keepalive packets at specified interval
    Default: 0
<snip>

spiffytech · 08-29-2006, 03:35 PM

I don't seem to have that option. I am using VPNC v. 0.3.3 from the Ubuntu repository. Is it possible that you're using a newer version than I am?

acid_kewpie · 08-30-2006, 01:44 AM

i'm on 0.3.3 but it does look like that option is a fairly recent patch, so might not be in the core source code yet. maybe it's just worth running a cron job to ping a node once envery minute?

spiffytech · 08-31-2006, 10:04 AM

Following that thought, I found a way to keep the connection open:

"watch --interval-45 ping <something_behind_VPN> -c1"

Watch repeats something at the specified interval, and the "-c1" ensures that the thing is only pung once each time, instead of the infinite pinging that occurs when you just type "ping". I've been using this all day, and my connection has stayed open!

acid_kewpie · 08-31-2006, 10:22 AM

not sure why you'd bother with watch for that, but as long as the job gets done.

greg73654 · 09-01-2006, 03:43 PM

I still need some help on Yahoo. They said that the pager host is csa.yahoo.com, but there are many questions I have. I basically need help with the "More options" on Gaim with a yahoo account. If some body could tell me what the setting on the pager host and port, file transfer host and port, and the proxy settings for a yahoo account that would be great.
Thank you

acid_kewpie · 09-01-2006, 04:35 PM

why on earth have you posted a reply to this thread about yahoo??

greg73654 · 09-03-2006, 08:19 PM

Sorry, thought it was the same thread....

barry_nay · 08-06-2009, 06:27 AM

try the "--dpd-idle 0" option for vpnc. My man page for vpnc describes it as follows:

Code:

--dpd-idle <0,10-86400>
          Send DPD packet after not receiving anything for <idle>seconds.  Use 0 to disable DPD completely (both ways).
              Default: 300
       conf-variable: DPD idle timeout (our side) <0,10-86400>

bunchipe · 10-08-2009, 01:04 PM

To keep the VPNC connection open indefinitely add this line

DPD idle timeout (our side) 0

to your .conf file in /etc/vpnc and I think that will effectively resolve the timeout problem.

For example:

IPSec gateway <your_gateway>
IPSec ID linux
IPSec secret <your_group_password>
Xauth username <your_username>
DPD idle timeout (our side) 0

acid_kewpie · 10-08-2009, 03:32 PM

Yeah... Three year old thread folks...

bunchipe · 10-09-2009, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acid_kewpie

Yeah... Three year old thread folks...

So what are you trying to say? This topic was relevant to me just this month and for people who search on this issue my post may be helpful. Are you saying that what I posted is outdated or irrelevant?