SARA/AnyConnect Troubleshooting

This document outlines some basics about SARA/AnyConnect and includes some self-help solutions.

How Do I Connect to SARA/AnyConnect?

Are you authorized to use SARA/AnyConnect?
Do you have the most recent software version?
Steps to connect to SARA

Having Problems? Where are you at?

Sprint Building

Home or Remote Location Network

Verify You Have a Working Internet Connection

Wireless Connection Problems
Laptop WIFI switch
Dell 620/630
Dell Latitude E6400
HP EliteBook 8440P
Toshiba Protégé R830 and R930 and Toshiba Tecra
Network Cable Connection (Not Wireless)

Common SARA Errors

Connection attempt has timed out. Please verify Internet connectivity.

Password is expired.

Passwords do not match.

Authentication Failed: during password change.

Login denied. Your workstation does not meet the minimum requirements for Sprint Enterprise Network
connectivity. Please contact the Enterprise Solutions Center for assistance.

Authentication failed: during SARA login.

Connection attempt failed. Please try again.

Certificate Errors.

SARA has determined that your login has not been setup for rights to SARA.

The secure gateway has rejected the connection attempt.

The VPN connection failed due to unsuccessful domain name resolution.

 The VPN client driver encountered an error.

Login Problems

Frequent Password Popups

Missing Network Share Drives

How to Login to SARA/AnyConnect BEFORE you log into your computer

Still Having Problems?

How Do I Connect to SARA/AnyConnect?

1. Are you authorized to use SARA/AnyConnect? To be eligible for SARA/AnyConnect, you must have an ADID
AND a Sprint asset assigned to your ID
Exempt Employees including Salary Plus Yes, no approvals required
Non-Exempt Employees, Contractors and Vendors Approval required, your Sprint Manager should go to
http://clickit and search for Remote Access: VPN
Request and Support to submit a request.

2. Upgrade/Reinstall SARA/AnyConnect: Check Software Center to make sure you have the most recent version.
If you’re getting errors with SARA/AnyConnect, the single most important thing you can do is to
reinstall/upgrade the SARA/AnyConnect program from Software Center.

WARNING!!! : MOKAFIVE LIVE PC USERS – If you use Mokafive Live PC virtual machine, you should NEVER
uninstall/reinstall/upgrade AnyConnect within Mokafive. If you’re having Mokafive AnyConnect issues,
submit a Mokafive ClickIT ticket.

**Almost ALL SARA/AnyConnect issues are resolved by simply reinstalling**

a. Go to Start, All Programs, Microsoft System Center, Software Center
b. Select the link Find additional applications from the Application Catalog Search for “AnyConnect”
c. Locate Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client
d. Install it to your system

How do I know if Cisco AnyConnect is installed? Click on Start, All Programs….You should see a Sprint
SARA folder with Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client similar to this….

You can also look in the system tray (usually lower right corner of your desktop window next to the
system clock). You should see a Globe icon, this is what you click on to start SARA/AnyConnect……
 The Cisco AnyConnect Login Window looks like this…….

3. Steps to connect to SARA/AnyConnect - Verify you have a working Internet connection - SARA/AnyConnect
does not create a connection to the Internet. Your laptop must already be connected to your
home/hotel/remote location network or other Internet Service Provider to use SARA/AnyConnect.

How do I know if I’m connected to the Internet? Before you attempt to connect to SARA/AnyConnect,
open your Internet Browser and try to access a familiar website like www.bing.com or www.google.com.
If you can’t connect to these sites, you won’t be able to connect to SARA. You should recheck your
laptop’s connections to the remote network.

Using an Aircard and Mobile Hot Spot? Connect to it first before trying SARA/AnyConnect. 3G/4G
performance will lag compared to the Sprint Enterprise Network. If you’re using an aircard or mobile
hotspot, even with good 3G/4G coverage, certain applications will have slow performance issues. Those
that require significant amounts of bandwidth will have difficultly functioning (Sprintcast, Streaming
Videos, Lync Call Quality and Screen Sharing)

4. Starting SARA/AnyConnect – There are two ways

a. Click on Start, All Programs…. You should see a Cisco folder with Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility
Client similar to this….

b. You can also look in the system tray (usually lower right corner of your desktop window next to the
system clock). You should see a Globe icon, this is what you click on to start SARA/AnyConnect……

5. Click on the Connect button on the login screen….

6. Login using your ADID and Password….. If you don’t remember your password or it has expired, you’ll need to
contact your manager to reset it using the Password Management Portal. The ESC does not reset AD passwords.

7. Click “Accept” when the “Authorized Use” Window appears – Your connection will disconnect within a few
minutes if this window is not Accepted….

8. That’s it! You’re connected!! How can you tell?

a. You should be able to access Sprint websites, just as if you were in the office
b. The AnyConnect icon in the system tray will have a “lock” on it……
Having Problems? Where Are You Located?

Sprint Building
If you’re at a Sprint location and connected to the Sprint Enterprise Network, you will not be able to connect to
SARA/AnyConnect. You must be connected to your home/hotel/remote location guest network to use SARA.

Upgrade/Reinstall SARA/AnyConnect: The most important thing you CAN do from a Sprint network location is
to reinstall/upgrade the SARA/AnyConnect program from Software Center. Almost ALL issues with SARA are
resolved by simply reinstalling and rebooting.

Home or Remote Location Network

1. Verify You Have a Working Internet Connection:
Before you attempt to connect to SARA/AnyConnect, open your Browser and access a familiar website like
www.bing.com or www.google.com. If you can’t connect to these sites, you won’t be able to connect to SARA.

Wireless Connection Problems?

 Click on the Wireless Network icon and make sure you’re connected to the correct WIFI network
name for your home/hotel/remote location (See Below)

 If you’re at a Hotel or a Non-Sprint company location, contact their IT department for assistance
connecting to their network.
 If you’re at home, check to see if other computers have an internet connection
o If No, contact your internet service provider for assistance.
o If Yes, make sure your Sprint laptop is connecting to home network.
o Restart your laptop and try to connect again
o Cycle the power to your router and/or cable modem Allow them time to reset before
trying again.
 Make sure your Laptop’s WIFI Switch is On.
o If your system isn’t detecting wireless networks, your WIFI may be turned off. Sprint
laptops have a wireless switch than enables WiFi connectivity. If this switch is turned off,
you won’t be able to connect to a wireless network
o These are just a few laptop models listed here as examples for assistance in enabling
your WiFi. If your laptop model is not listed here, then please refer to your laptop’s
User Manual or online documentation.

 Dell D620/D630: Enable the WiFi Using the Switch.

1. Off – WiFi Disabled.

2. On – WiFi Enabled.
3. Scan – Searching For WiFi Networks.
4. WiFi Light (Disabled).
If unable to connect to WiFi, ensure the WiFi switch is in the 2 position.

 Dell Latitude E6400: The switch for WiFi is located on the right side of the laptop just above the
headset input jacks.

 HP EliteBook 8440P: Enable the WiFi card by following the diagram and instructions below.

If the lights are amber you will be unable to use your WiFi connection, use the following diagram
and instructions to assist you in enabling the WiFi interface…...
 Toshiba Protégé R830 and R930 and Toshiba Tecra: Enable the system’s WiFi by following the
diagram and instructions below.
  Network Cable Connection (Not Wireless)
i. Reseat your cable connection
ii. Reboot your computer
iii. Power off your router and/or cable modem, then power back on (This also applies if you have a
Sprint Aruba router). Allow them time to reset before trying again.

2. Common SARA/AnyConnect Errors

Connection attempt has timed out. Please verify Internet connectivity

This occurs when attempting to connect to SARA. The below error indicates that your either don’t have internet access
or you are already connected to the Sprint LAN/Wifi (Verify internet access by going to an external website like
http://www.google.com or http://www.yahoo.com). Note: You cannot connect to SARA if you are already connected
to Sprint.
Password is expired
This occurs after entering your password. The below message indicates that your password is expired and you must
change it before proceeding. Type a new password twice that meets the current password criteria.

Passwords do not match

The below error indicates that the verify password did not match the new password. Carefully enter your password
change again.
Authentication Failed during password change
Error below indicates that the password change has failed. Change your password to a new one that meets the
established criteria and that you are not using an old password. Not all criteria can be published, if your password
change is failing there is likely something within the password you are attempting that should not be used. Once your
password is changed, you will need to lock the computer (after your desktop loads) and unlock it with the new/current
password.

Login Denied. Your workstation does not meet the minimum

requirements for Sprint Enterprise Network connectivity. Please
contact the Enterprise Solutions Center for assistance.
The below error indicates that your machine does not have sufficient protection or that it is infected by a virus. Make
sure that SEP (yellow shield) is running in the system tray (it is normal for the green dot to be missing when not

connected to the Sprint network). If it is not running (the shield is not present) you can attempt to manually start it
by using the following steps:

1. Press Ctl-Alt-Del and bring up task manager

2. Go to the Services tab
3. Click on Description column header to sort it alphabetically
4. Look for the Symantec services, there should be three
5. If any of their status say stopped, right click that line and select Start Service
6. When all Symantec services are running, close task manager and try SARA again

If the yellow shield is present SEP is running, double click the shield and click on LiveUpdate to force it to download the
most recent virus definitions. Once LiveUpdate is complete try connecting to SARA again. If you get the same error you
will have to take the computer to a Walk-In Clinic in your area. If there is no Walkin Clinic available, please take the
computer to a Sprint location and connect to the LAN or Enterprise WiFi and search ClickIT for: Symantec Endpoint
Protection and open a ticket for Symantec: Virus Software Support. Be sure to put in the Problem Description that you
are unable to connect to SARA due to login denied error message.
Authentication failed during SARA login

In the regular SARA login the following error indicate that the password you typed is may not be the correct password.
Check your password and try again. If the issue persists your AD account is likely locked out due to too many incorrect
login attempts (it will unlock automatically after waiting 30 minutes). If your issue is not resolved contact your manager
for a password reset.

Connection attempt failed. Please try again.

Check for SARA.xml file Encryption

1. Click on Start and then click Computer
2. Double click on C: then select Program Data >
Cisco > Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client
> Profile
3. Locate the Sara.xml file, if it's showing green,
right click file and select Properties
4. Click the Advanced button and remove the check
mark from Encrypt contents to secure data
 5. Click OK and then OK again
6. After completing the steps, close AnyConnect and
re-launch the application
Note: If you are unable to find the Program Data
folder it’s most likely hidden. To unhide do the
following:
a. Click the Organize button in any folder
and then select Folder and Search
Options from the menu
b. Click the View tab and then select Show
hidden files and folders from the list
c. Click OK
d. If the issue persists check your Internet
Connectivity.

Certificate Errors
You've tried too many times to login with the wrong username or
password.
1. Close out of the SARA AnyConnect Program, reopen and try
again
2. If you continue to get this error, reboot your system

If typing the correct password and rebooting do not resolve your issue; your computer likely has a Machine certificate
issue. Take your computer to a local Walk-In Clinic or open a SARA Support ticket.

SARA has determined that your login has not been setup for rights to SARA

The following messages indicate that your account has not been provisioned for SARA access. Please submit an access
request using http://sara and if that fails then open a SARA Support ticket for the issue.
The secure gateway has rejected the connection attempt
The following error may indicate that your SARA access has been removed/restricted. If you believe this is in error
please open a SARA Support ticket.

SARA Profile: ou=restricted

The VPN connection failed due to unsuccessful domain name resolution

The following message indicates that your network or ISP has a DNS issue. You may be able to resolve this by
rebooting/restarting your network equipment (home router, cable modem, DSL modem) and your computer. If that
does not resolve the issue contact your ISP (Internet Service Provider).

The VPN client driver encountered an error.

The following indicates an issue with AnyConnect client software. You can try rebooting the computer. If rebooting does
not resolve the issue, you can try reinstalling from Software Center. Open Software Center, Installed Software, Select
Cisco AnyConnect…and uninstall. Next reboot and then open Software Center, Available Software and Install
AnyConnect. If AnyConnect is not found in installed or available software you will need to take the computer to a Walk-
in Clinic in your area or open a SARA Issue ticket. ESC will not be able to assist you with this issue while you are remote,
you will need to take your computer to a Walkin Clinic or to a Sprint Office location.

7. SARA/AnyConnect Login Problems

 I don’t remember my password: AnyConnect authenticates using the ADID and password (Windows
Login). If you don’t remember your password, you’ll need to contact your manager to have them reset it
for you using the password management portal. The ESC does not reset AD passwords.
 I remember my password, but I still can’t log into SARA/AnyConnect: To verify you’re using the correct
password. Go to Sprint’s External Webmail site https://om.sprint.com/owa . If you can log in there, you
should use the same credentials when logging into SARA.
 i. If it’s been 90 days since you last reset your password or if your Manager has reset it using the
Password Management Portal, it has expired. You will be prompted to change the password
when you login to AnyConnect/SARA with the expired password.
1. If you are unable to login to the computer with the current or old password you can try
using AnyConnect/SARA Pre-login to login to SARA before logging into your computer.
2. If you can’t login you’ll need to contact your manager to reset your password for you
using the Password Management Portal. The ESC does not reset AD passwords.

(Note: if you’ve changed your AD password while you were in at remote location, you’ll need to
synchronize your new password with your computer or you’ll get locked out.)
 Log into AnyConnect with your new password,
 Press CTRL-ALT-DEL to lock your screen,
 Press CTRL-ALT-DEL again to unlock your screen using your new password
 Remember to update your password on all of your mobile devices as well.

8. How to Log into SARA/AnyConnect BEFORE You Log into Your Computer (Pre-Login)
 Frequent Password Popups over SARA/AnyConnect - Lync and other programs try to load before you
can log into SARA/AnyConnect. As a result, you may receive quite a few password popups
 Missing Network Share Drives over SARA/AnyConnect-

One way to reduce password popups and missing network drives is to log into SARA/AnyConnect BEFORE you
log into your computer! Here’s how:

a. Press Ctrl-Alt-Delete at the logon screen

b. Click OK if prompted to acknowledge the legal notice
c. Click Switch User

d. On the next screen, click the Network Logon icon

e. The Cisco AnyConnect Window should appear, click Connect

f. Enter your AD credentials and connect to SARA

g. Click Accept to accept the legal notice

h. Click Other User

 i. Logon to Windows as you normally would
j. The AnyConnect icon will appear in the notification area with a globe and lock icon indicating you are
connected to Sprint - when you’re ready to disconnect, right-click the AnyConnect icon and select VPN
Disconnect

Still Having Problems?

 Logout and reboot your computer and/or remote network, it honestly DOES resolve a lot of issues
 Still having issues? Submit a ClickIT - Remote Access: VPN Request and Support Ticket