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How to Configure AzureAD SAML Authentication for AnyConnect VPN on Meraki

282 words·2 mins
Guides cisco networking Meraki Azure VPN
Mike Vu
Author
Mike Vu
Table of Contents

Configuration steps on AzureAD and Meraki Dashboards
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This guide seems redundant, but there are some quirks that are not accounted for in the official Meraki documentation. I’ve included details to help avoid confusion during the configuration process

  1. Follow the steps in Meraki’s AnyConnect Azure AD SAML Configuration document. and stop at Step 7.

  2. Before you start Step 7, navigate to your Meraki Dashboard and navigate to the Security & SD-WAN > Configure> Client VPN page.

  3. Click on AnyConnect Settings and select Enabled.

  4. Copy your hostname to your clipboard under the Client Connection Details page:

client-vpn-menu

  1. Navigate back to Step 7 of the AnyConnect Azure AD SAML Configuration document. and follow the formatting instructions, using your hostname.
mx-security-mmgjjktzjp.dynamic-m.com/saml/sp/metadata/SAML
mx-security-mmgjjktzjp.dynamic-m.com/saml/sp/acs
  1. When you get to Step 9 of the document, make sure you add the hostname with https:// in front of it in the AnyConnect Server URL field:

anyconnect-server

  1. Navigate back to the AzureAD portal and click on the Single Sign-on menu.

  2. Check the Basic SAML Configuration box to ensure you’ve entered the correct hostname in the Identifier (Entity ID) and Reply URL (Assertion Consumer Service URL) fields:

azure-saml-menu

  1. Give AzureAD at least 30 minutes to accept the configuration. When I tested this, authentication kept failing within the first 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, I was able to authenticate without changing any settings.

Test Client VPN on your End Device
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If you did not set up an AnyConnect Profile for your end devices yet, follow the subsequent steps:

  1. Open the AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client on your machine:

  2. Copy and paste the AnyConnect Server URL into the VPN field.

server-url

  1. When you press Connect, a Microsoft popup window will appear and prompt you to login using your credentials.

vpn-client

sso