In an increasingly connected world, VPNs have become a crucial tool for secure remote access. GlobalProtect is one such VPN service that’s widely used in corporate environments. In this article, we will guide you through the process of connecting your Ubuntu machine to a GlobalProtect VPN using a Windows 7 Virtual Machine (VM).
- Prerequisites
- Step 1: Install Windows 7 VM on Ubuntu
- Step 2: Install GlobalProtect VPN Client on Windows 7 VM
- Step 3: Share the VPN Virtual Adapter’s Internet Connection
- Step 4: Configure VirtualBox Network Settings
- Step 5: Configure DNS Settings on Ubuntu
- Step 6: Add a Route to Your Ubuntu Machine
- Conclusion
Prerequisites
Before we begin, ensure that you have the following:
- An Ubuntu machine.
- A Windows 7 ISO file.
- VirtualBox installed on your Ubuntu machine.
- GlobalProtect VPN client.
Step 1: Install Windows 7 VM on Ubuntu
Firstly, we need to install the Windows 7 VM on your Ubuntu machine. For this, we will be using VirtualBox, a free and open-source virtualization software. You can download it from the official VirtualBox website.
Once VirtualBox is installed, create a new VM and install Windows 7 on it using the ISO file.
Step 2: Install GlobalProtect VPN Client on Windows 7 VM
Once the Windows 7 VM is up and running, install the GlobalProtect VPN client. This client will allow us to connect to the VPN network.
Step 3: Share the VPN Virtual Adapter’s Internet Connection
After installing the GlobalProtect VPN client, we need to share the internet connection of the VPN virtual adapter. To do this, follow these steps:
- Go to “Network and Sharing Center” in the Windows 7 VM.
- Click on “Change adapter settings”.
- Right-click on the VPN virtual adapter and select “Properties”.
- Navigate to the “Sharing” tab and check the box that says “Allow other network users to connect through this computer’s Internet connection”.
Step 4: Configure VirtualBox Network Settings
In this step, we will configure the network settings in VirtualBox.
- Go to File -> Preferences -> Network -> Host-only Networks in VirtualBox.
- Add a network with the IP address 192.168.137.100.
- Modify the network settings according to your VPN configuration.
Step 5: Configure DNS Settings on Ubuntu
Next, we need to manually set the DNS in our Ubuntu connection configuration.
- Make a backup of the /etc/resolve.conf file by running the following command:
sudo cp /etc/resolv.conf /etc/resolv.conf.backup- Set the DNS to be 192.168.137.1 and another DNS server that is not in the virtual machine or the VPN network. This could be your router’s IP or your ISP’s DNS server.
Step 6: Add a Route to Your Ubuntu Machine
Finally, we need to add a route to our Ubuntu machine. This can be done by running the following command:
sudo route add -net 10.0.0.0 netmask 255.0.0.0 gw 192.168.137.1In this command, add -net 10.0.0.0 specifies the network we want to add a route to. netmask 255.0.0.0 specifies the subnet mask for the network. gw 192.168.137.1 specifies the gateway through which the network can be reached.
Please note that these steps assume the VPN subnet is “10.0.0.0/255.0.0.0”. Adjust the subnet and other settings according to your specific VPN configuration.
Conclusion
By following these steps, you should be able to connect your Ubuntu machine to a GlobalProtect VPN using a Windows 7 VM. This setup allows you to securely access your corporate network from your Ubuntu machine. Remember to adjust the settings according to your specific VPN configuration.
Yes, you can use other virtualization software like VMware or Hyper-V to create a Windows 7 VM and connect to a GlobalProtect VPN.
Yes, you can use a different version of Windows for the VM as long as it supports the GlobalProtect VPN client.
Yes, you will need administrative privileges to install and configure both the GlobalProtect VPN client and VirtualBox.
Yes, you can use a different IP address for the host-only network as long as it doesn’t conflict with your existing network configuration.
Yes, you can use a different DNS server by modifying the /etc/resolv.conf file. Just make sure it’s a valid DNS server that can resolve domain names.
If the VPN subnet is different, you need to adjust the "route add" command in Step 6 accordingly. Replace "10.0.0.0" with the correct network address and "255.0.0.0" with the appropriate subnet mask.
Yes, you can connect multiple Ubuntu machines by repeating the steps for each machine and ensuring that each VM has a unique IP address for the host-only network.
Yes, by sharing the internet connection of the VPN virtual adapter and correctly configuring the DNS settings, you should be able to access both the VPN network and the internet simultaneously on your Ubuntu machine.
No, this guide specifically focuses on connecting to a GlobalProtect VPN. However, you can follow similar steps for other VPN clients, but the specific configurations may vary.
No, it is not necessary. You can use the GlobalProtect VPN client for Linux directly on your Ubuntu machine if it is available. However, this guide provides a workaround for situations where the Linux client is not available.
