PowerCLI "The request was aborted: Could not create SSL/TLS secure channel."

[ThinAppNeophyte]

I just installed PowerCLI 6.3.  When I try to connect, the login box pops up and then I get this error.  I've tried searching and can't seem to find an answer for this.  Can anyone help me figure out why PowerCLI can't connect?

PowerCLI C:\>Connect-VIServer SERVERNAME

Connect-VIServer : 9/30/2016 8:12:11 AM    Connect-VIServer        The request

was aborted: Could not create SSL/TLS secure channel.

At line:1 char:1

+ Connect-VIServer SERVERNAME

+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [Connect-VIServer], ViError

    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Client20_ConnectivityServiceImpl_Reconnect_WebEx

   ception,VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Cmdlets.Commands.ConnectVIServer

Then I get this error in Event Viewer.

Log Name:      System Source:        Schannel Date:          9/30/2016 8:12:11 AM Event ID:      36887 Task Category: None Level:         Error Keywords:      User:          SYSTEM Computer:      SERVERNAME Description: A fatal alert was received from the remote endpoint. The TLS protocol defined fatal alert code is 40. Event Xml:       36887   0   2   0   0   0x8000000000000000      41958         System   SERVERNAME        40

[LucD]

Do you get the same type of error when you try to connect with the vSphere Client?

Then KB2114357 might be applicable.

Are you using a self-signed certificate on the vCenter?

Then using Set-PowerCLIConfiguration with the InvalidCertificateAction parameter might fix it.

[ThinAppNeophyte]

I have looked at both KB2114357 and Set-PowerCLIConfiguration.  These don't seem to apply to this specific issue. 

I am able to log in with vSphere client.

Get-PowerCLIConfiguration is already set to InvalidCertificateAction = Ignore

VPX_PARAMETER is already set to SSL.Version = all

Any other suggestions?

[LucD]

Do you experience the same issue on multiple stations, or just one?

[ThinAppNeophyte]

I am attempting to use PowerCLI installed on the vCenter server.  I have not tried installing PowerCLI on any other workstations.

[LucD]

Can you try installing PowerCLI on another station?
I just wanted to check if this might be a global problem or a PowerCLI installation issue on that specific station.

[ThinAppNeophyte]

Ok, I am able to connect with PowerCLI C:\>Connect-VIServer localhost on the vcenter server.  But I get the error when connecting with PowerCLI C:\>Connect-VIServer SERVERNAME... strange.

[LucD]

That seems to indicate there might be a name resolution issue.

Can you resolve (fwd and reverse) the hostname of the vCenter?

[NickPNAP]

I ran across the same issue when we disabled TLS 1.0. Set-PowerCLIConfiguration  didn't work for me ether. From what I could find out, Powershell uses TLS 1.0 by default. So, you have to switch it to using TLS 1.2.

The following command solved my issue:

[System.Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = [System.Net.SecurityProtocolType]::Tls12;

Good luck.

Nick

[tiaagomez]

I changed it to just TLS and it worked for me.

[System.Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = [System.Net.SecurityProtocolType]::Tls