Running Docker when on a Cisco AnyConnect VPN

If you are working with Cisco AnyConnect you will find that the normal docker address of 192.168.99.100 will be blocked. This means that although you can start the docker server (docker-machine start), you won’t be able to connect to it with the client (docker ps -a, for example), even when you’ve set the docker variables (docker-machine env).

Work around

Change the docker server default IP address and use the open source open connect version

Change the Docker server default address

Edit C:\Users<username>.docker\machine\machines\default\config.json and changing “HostOnlyCIDR”: “10.168.99.1/24”.

You might optionally need to created a new HostOnly network adapter for the “10.168.99.1/24” in the VirtualBox default machine. You can do this by copying and pasting the existing one, and changing 192.* to 10.*.

Try without first and see if it works.

Any running docker images (not the docker-machine itself) might need restarting after connecting to the VPN.

Use Open Connect

Download the windows version:

https://github.com/openconnect/openconnect-gui/releases/download/v1.5.3/openconnect-gui-1.5.3-win32.exe

Start the GUI, add a new Profile, and enter your company VPN hostname for the hostname (no need to enter any protocol or ports), and enter your VPN username.

NOTE: Make sure the Batch mode is not selected otherwise it will try and connect multiple times without prompting (as it will assume the credentials are in a default location). This could block you out from your company VPN, needing them to reset the connection

Click “Connect”, and then enter your VPN password prefix + your Symantec 6 digit code from your app in the prompt and it should connect.