As I think about the hardware technologies that Windows 7 is likely to usher in, one of the most obvious is that 64-bit computing is going to become the standard. That’s not saying all that much, since Windows is already in a 64-bit version, nearly all current server operating systems are 64-bit, and the current version of Mac OS ships with a 64-bit mode as well. Indeed, the first 64-bit version of Windows was a version of XP released more than 4 years ago.
VPN Client 64 Bit For Windows 7? Oct 12, 2010. I'm trying to vpn client 64bit for windows 7 and everything seems in install fine, however after I try to launch it starts the connect and then just stops.These are the messages in the log file.
64-bit computing has one major and obvious advantage: It supports more memory. 32-bit operating systems max out at 4GB of memory, and that includes the memory used by components such as graphics cards. 64-bit computing also offers the potential of somewhat faster performance, since it would take better advantage of the 64-bit processors that are now standard in today’s personal computers. (In practice, though, I haven’t seen any real advantage here for anything but very large database applications, and you’re likely to be running those on a server anyway.)
That’s why, even with Windows Vista, any consumer PC you were likely to buy with 4GB came with the 64-bit version. As a result, many of the issues caused by a lack of drivers that early users encountered have been addressed. As I said the last time I wrote about it, my biggest questions centered on Flash for the 64-bit browser and VPN clients; I was also worried about NaturallySpeaking, but now there’s a good 64-bit version of that. As it turns out, there’s good news and bad news.
First, regarding Adobe Flash, the company continues to say it is working on 64-bit versions of its Flash Player 10 for both Windows and Mac. For now, the answer is pretty simple: Windows 7 defaults to the 32-bit browser; though there’s a simple menu item to bring up the 64-bit version. (In practice, you’re unlikely to see many other differences, though the 64-bit version adds some more security features.) Firefox is generally available only in a 32-bit version, though there are some sites with 64-bit versions out there. But again, the 32-bit version works just fine on the 64-bit version of Windows.
On the VPN front, the older Cisco VPN Client (IPSEC) was a pain to get running even on 32-bit Windows 7, though I was able to use the existing 5.0 version by following a workaround I found at sevenforums.com. When I last wrote about it, Cisco had told me the company was not going to do a version of the IPSEC client for Windows 7, instead promoting its AnyConnect SSL solution. That’s now changed. Cisco has released a beta version of its 32-bit client, version 5.0.06.0100 (corporate customers can download it from Cisco’s Web site). It installed and worked for me without a hitch. Cisco now tells me this version should go final before Windows 7’s official on-sale date, October 22.
As for 64-bit support, Cisco says the AnyConnect client works today—which doesn’t help if you connect to an older VPN)—and is “actively working through a plan for support for the Cisco VPN client.”
In the meantime, I’ve tried out NCP’s Secure Entry Client and found that does work on 64-bit Windows 7. It’s $144, but with a free 30-day evaluation period, so it’s not inexpensive, which makes me appreciate Snow Leopard’s built-in IPSEC client even more. Alternatively, you can use XP Mode or another virtual machine, such as VirtualBox.
Memory prices dropped dramatically earlier this year but are now rebounding. Still, you know that the long-term trend is always towards lower prices, and thus we’ll likely see more systems coming with 4GB and more of memory. That will likely mean that the 64-bit version of Windows 7 will eventually become more dominant than the 32-bit version.
I expect this will take some time, as there are still some compatibility issues to be worked out, mainly for corporate applications. But while it’s taking a bit longer than I would have guessed, the 64-bit transition seems inevitable.
For more of Michael Miller’s take on technology, read his blog Forward Thinking.
Select the appropriate VPN client product to download. | ||||||||||||
Client | Encryption | Version | File Size | Download | ||||||||
Cisco VPN Client — for Windows 7, including XP & Vista (32 bit only) | 3DES/AES | 5.0.07.0410 | 7.06 MB | Download | ||||||||
Cisco VPN Client — for Windows 7, including XP & Vista (32/64 bit) | 3DES/AES | 5.0.07.0290 | 4.8 MB | Download | ||||||||
Cisco — VPN client (32 bit/64 bit) Release Notes for Windows 7 | 5.0.07 | 456 K | Download | |||||||||
Avaya — VPN Client (32 bit) for Windows 7 | 3DES | 10.04.016 | 6.42 MB | Download | ||||||||
Avaya — VPN client (64 bit) for Windows 7 | 3DES | 10.04 | 6.58 MB | Download | ||||||||
Avaya — VPN client (32 bit/64 bit) Release Notes for Windows 7 | 3DES | 10.04 | 450 K | Download | ||||||||
Avaya — VPN Client for 64-bit Vista Users | 3DES | 10.0 | 5.35 MB | Download | ||||||||
Avaya Networks — Contivity Extranet Client - Windows XP | 3DES/AES | 6.02 | 4.12 MB | Download | ||||||||
Avaya Networks — Contivity Extranet Client - Windows Vista | 3DES/AES | 6.07 | 2.73 MB | Download | ||||||||
Avaya Networks — Contivity Extranet Client Release Notes - Windows Vista | 3DES/AES | 6.07 | 0.16 MB | Download | ||||||||
Cisco VPN Client — Windows XP | Triple-DES/DES | 5.0 | 8.08 MB | Download | ||||||||
Cisco VPN Client Release Notes — Windows XP | Triple-DES/DES | 4.85/5.0 | 515 MB | Download | ||||||||
Netscreen Remote VPN Client — Windows XP & Vista | Triple-DES/DES | 10.8.3 | 6 MB | Download | ||||||||
Netscreen Remote VPN Client Admin Guide — Windows XP & Vista | Triple-DES/DES | 10.8.3 | 9 MB | Download |