Script to Initiate VPN Session with OpenConnect on Windows 10: A Step-by-Step Guide

Prerequisites

Before you begin, you’ll need to have the following installed on your Windows 10 machine:

• OpenConnect (download the latest version from the official website)
• Administrative privileges on your Windows 10 machine
• A basic understanding of batch scripting and Windows command prompt

Creating the Script

Now that we have our prerequisites out of the way, let’s create the script! Open Notepad (or any other text editor) and create a new file. Save it with a `.bat` extension (e.g., `vpn_script.bat`).

@echo off
set vpnsrv=https://your-vpn-server.com
set vpnusr=your-username
set vpnpsw=your-password
set vpnproto=ssl

In the script above, replace `https://your-vpn-server.com` with the URL of your VPN server, `your-username` with your VPN username, and `your-password` with your VPN password. You can also modify the `vpnproto` variable to use a different protocol if needed.

Connecting to the VPN Server

Next, we’ll add the command to connect to the VPN server using OpenConnect:

openconnect --user=%vpnusr% --passwd=%vpnpsw% --protocol=%vpnproto% %vpnsrv%

This command uses the `openconnect` command-line tool to connect to your VPN server using the specified username, password, and protocol.

Adding Error Handling

To make our script more robust, let’s add some error handling to ensure that we can detect and respond to any errors that may occur:

if %errorlevel% neq 0 (
  echo Error connecting to VPN server!
  pause
  exit /b 1
)

This code checks the `errorlevel` variable to see if the connection was successful. If an error occurred, it displays an error message, pauses the script, and exits with a non-zero exit code.

Putting it All Together

Here’s the complete script:

@echo off
set vpnsrv=https://your-vpn-server.com
set vpnusr=your-username
set vpnpsw=your-password
set vpnproto=ssl

openconnect --user=%vpnusr% --passwd=%vpnpsw% --protocol=%vpnproto% %vpnsrv%

if %errorlevel% neq 0 (
  echo Error connecting to VPN server!
  pause
  exit /b 1
)

echo Connected to VPN server successfully!
pause

Scheduling the Script

To automate your VPN connection, you’ll need to schedule the script to run at startup or at a specified interval. Here’s how:

1. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog.
2. Type `taskschd.msc` and press Enter to open the Task Scheduler.
3. In the Task Scheduler, create a new task by clicking on “Create Basic Task” in the right-hand Actions panel.
4. Give your task a name and description, and set the trigger to “At startup” or a specified interval (e.g., every 15 minutes).
5. In the “Actions” tab, click on “New” and select “Start a program” as the action type.
6. In the “Program/script” field, enter the path to the script file (e.g., `C:\vpn_script.bat`).
7. Click “OK” to save the task.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter any issues with the script or the VPN connection, here are some troubleshooting tips:

Conclusion

In this article, we’ve shown you how to create a script to initiate a VPN session with OpenConnect on Windows 10. By automating your VPN connection, you can improve your online security, convenience, and productivity. Remember to customize the script to fit your specific needs and troubleshoot any issues that may arise.

With this script, you’ll be able to connect to your VPN server with ease, without having to manually enter your credentials every time. So, go ahead and give it a try – your online security (and your sanity) will thank you!

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