vCenter 5.5 Client Integration plug-in not working under IE and Chrome

[Caffeine_Free]

Has anyone encountered a problem where the Client Integration Plug-in doesn't work even though it has been installed? I have upgraded vCenter to 5.5 (from 5.0) and I am seeing the same problem across multiple PCs. When connecting to the Web Client the option to log ins using Windows authentication is grayed out. Also the option to open a VM console from the Actions menu is grayed out. I can launch the console from the Summary tab but it takes a long time for it to come up and show the desktop. When the console finally opens I am prompted to download the Client Integration Plug-in, even though it is already installed.

I have this problem using IE10, IE11 and Chrome. Opera on the other hand works fine.

Any thoughts and suggestions?

Thanks

[airt]

I had the same problem when opening it in Firefox 33.0, after I updated to vCenter Server 5.5. However, it worked for me in Chrome Version 38.0.2125.104 m.  After going to Actions > All vCenter Actions > Deploy OVF Template, I had to press allow to enable the plugin.

[M3GAVIRTZ]

For Chrome, try this:

Just before you sign into your server via the web UI, check the top-right of Chrome for the pop-ups.

Ours was blocking the Integration plugin from loading even though we installed it correctly. Add your vCenter FQDN/IP to the Allowed list for pop-ups. 

[Mr_G_Grant]

I got this to work on Firefox 34.0 by running the browser as administrator.

[Champeau]

Hey, I found this short article about a recent Chrome update that disabled NPAPI.  You can go back into Chrome settings and enable it here:

chrome://flags/#enable-npapi

Then just click enable.  I had to restart chrome before the change took effect on the vmware interface.

I hope this helps!

[bganjifard08]

All i have to say is BOOM! Champeau.... Nice post!

[Champeau]

No problem!  Glad it helped!

[Polar33]

Wow! Finally, exactly what I was looking for.

Thanks for sharing!

[jrblum]

You're my hero.

[gclarke02]

We force vSphere to use IE11 Enterprise Mode and the plugin loads for consoles.
We've used group policy to enable enterprise mode, and also to use a xml list to manage sites that need it, I added <domain>vSphere server name</domain>, and it works.

[VIR2AL3X]

Chrome 43 seems to have re-broken this plugin.  Even after enabling NPAPI it causes chrome tab to crash with "Oh Snap!" page.  When disabled, web client loads fine but prompts to download /run the plugin.  Additionally - chrome is removing the NPAPI feature in Chrome 45...see here.https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/6213033  VMware needs to update the plugin and come up with a true fix as this workaround is no longer going to be of any use.

[svenkatraman]

I am using chrome 43. Enabling NPAPI did not help me. Still I am seeing the "download client integration plugin" message while logging into VMware webclient.

-suresh

[VIR2AL3X]

Hi svenkatrama, even after downloading and installing the plugin you still need to enable the plugin.  Looked for the blocked popup in the upper right corner of the address bar. As per my previous message, at this point is where the Web Client would stop working for ma again with Chrome 43, and it seems as if this workaround , enabling NPAPI, is no longer valid.  Per the link in my previous message, Chrome will be fully removing the NPAPI feature/functionality in Chrome 45 so this is probable Google's way of giving users a head start of finding alternate means of using the web client via another browser in the interim, until VMware updates the client integration plugin.  Just an FYI - I haven't experienced this issue using Opera browser which is very similar to Chrome.

[Aanubis]

Perfect Champeau, Chrome 43, chrome://flags/#enable-npapi enabled and working now, cheers.

[bthai2]

I was able to fix the Client Integration error for vCloud Director with IE11 using these steps:

1.   add to trusted sites

2.   add to compatibility view settings

[LKUJAL]

quick work around for all IE compatibility problems: use F12 developer tools, switch IE mode from Edge to version 9 (or 8, or 6...).

this effectively downgrades IE to previous version.

I have to do this with a number of different sites (not just VMware) that use add-ins.

[Frank19]

I was never able to got it to work, try in Internet Explorer 11, received a pop-up that browser is not supported, needed to add it in the "compatibility view" to get rid of the pop-up but still no luck

cannot have it working in Firefox either.

To me that Vsphere Web Client is garbage, look like it's a BETA.

I have give up on that and using the vSphere client that work very well! I don't know why they are trying to change that to web base, at least if it was working fine it would be a different story

[emmelibri]

I agree with Frank19, the new Vsphere Web Client seems like beta + Adobe Flash is by far the worst choice that VMware made. Why not using HTML5?

[bostonshawn77]

this solved the problem for several folks in our office! Thank you!

I was able to fix the Client Integration error for vCloud Director with IE11 using these steps:

1.   add to trusted sites

2.   add to compatibility view settings