How to set up the University of Manchester VPN on Debian linux

(well, as of 2009/09/21 when I tried it)

I just did this on my default install of Debian testing.

• Install network-manager-vpnc-gnome using your favourite package manager.
• Add the following lines to /etc/dbus-1/system.d/nm-vpnc-service.conf (a permissions bugfix).

        <policy user="at_console">
                <allow own="org.freedesktop.NetworkManager.vpnc"/>
                <allow send_destination="org.freedesktop.NetworkManager.vpnc"/>
        </policy>

• REBOOT (important)
• Download the .pcf file from http://www.itservices.manchester.ac.uk/vpn/install/linux/
• Click on networkmanager, then VPN Connections → Configure VPN…
• Click 'Import' and locate the .pcf file downloaded earlier. You should get a dialogue like this:

• Fill in your username in the 'optional information' area.
• Click ok and close the network manager config window.
• Connect to the Uni network
• Click on Network manager → VPN Connections → IT Services (or whhatever you named the connection if you changed it)
• If all goes well you will be asked for your password and once accepted, a little yellow shield will be added to the network manager icon.