[VPN] Managing browser proxy settings on VPN client

[Dale Shaw]

Hi,

Does anyone know of a clever way to manage web browser proxy settings on
VPN clients? Here's the situation:

A Windows XP Professional client has a modem dialup to an ISP. The user
dials up then establishes a connection to a Cisco 3005 VPN Concentrator
using the Cisco VPN Client (4.0.1). The problem is, the browser (IE6)
doesn't know or care whether or not the VPN tunnel is up - it has the
ability to set "per-connection" proxy settings, but what do I set them
to? If I set them to point at a proxy server accessible only over the
tunnel, the user won't be able to browse "in the clear" (directly via
their ISP, when the tunnel is down).

I would prefer not to have separate Dial-Up Networking connections for
"Dialup" and "Dialup + VPN" and I don't have the infrastructure in place
to do anything "fancy" like PBR or WCCP.

Looking for a low maintenance solution.. I have considered putting a
wrapper around the VPN client dialer that changes the appropriate
registry setting, but it's a bit gruesome.

Cheers,
Dale