VMware Enhanced Authentication Plugin Not Working

For several versions of vSphere vCenter it is possible to logon with your windows credentials. Making it easier to only tick a box and logon instead of typing your username and password.
This nice and neat trick is done via the VMware Enhanced Authentication Plugin.
The only issue… it does need to work every time, else it is going to be an annoyance.
And , yes, it became an annoyance for me… especially when using Firefox.
So let me give you to possible solutions

Solution 1# (re)start the service

Check if the VMware Cip Message Proxy Service is running. Firefox will let you know that it is not running.
Easy, right ?
Refresh your browser page are open the vCenter webclient. After ticking the box you should see your windows username filled in.

Solution 2# trust the SSL certificate

Yes, the Cip uses a SSL certificate and nowadays browsers are becoming more strict about it.
When you start the webclient for the first time in a browser, the browser will detect that a plugin wants to start and it asks you if it is allowed. And it gives you the option to remember your choice. (Tip let’s remember that it is allowed to run the plugin.)

When I used chrome or IE I did get a warning pop-up and told the browser that it is ok. But when using firefox, I didn’t get a pop-up warning. And I could tick and logon but it wasn’t working.

So after some googling I found this artice https://www.jonkensy.com/vcenter-6-5-enhanced-authentication-plugin-not-working/ which guided me to the solution. For firefox it was to accept the certificate from the proxy service. How ?

1. browser to https:\\vmware-plugin:8094
2. Confirm the security exception (see image below)

Voila…. try it again by opening the webclient UI of vSphere.
Tick the box and logon…. you should see that it is entering your windows account detais