Changed Default Browser, Now CSC VPN Is Broken

[leafy1]

I changed my default browser to FireFox, but for some reason Cisco Secure Client AnyConnect VPN continued to make me log into my university's portal using Google Chrome. I uninstalled Google Chrome, and now when I try to connect to the VPN using CSC, I get the error: "Authentication failed due to problem navigating to the single sign-on URL." 

I uninstalled and reinstalled CSC, as well as restarted and fully shutdown and rebooted my laptop. None of these have fixed it. 

I found another web forum that recommended restarting Windows NAT. When I did this, I learned my Windows NAT was never on to begin with. Turning it on did not fix the problem. Is there a way to fix this without reinstalling Google Chrome? 

[Marius Gunnerud]

This is quite odd.  It almost seems like there are some settings still pointing to Chrome for the AnyConnect connection, did you just change the default setting for web browser?  I would suggest looking through all default settings and make sure to change anywhere you still see Chrome referenced.  Other than that, you can also note down the URL / IP used to connect to AnyConnect, go to C:\ProgramData\Cisco\Cisco Secure Client\VPN\Profile and make a backup of the all the profiles and then delete the whole C:\ProgramData\Cisco folder. Then uninstall AnyConnect.  If you do not already have the AnyConnect installation file, browse to that URL or IP and you will be prompted to log in and the AnyConnect client should now start downloading and install.

[leafy1]

Thank you for your reply and apologies for the slow response. Something pointing to Chrome is exactly what I thought. I had already set FireFox as the default for all the file types I had available to set it as, and the default web browser. Despite Cisco AnyConnect still trying to open Chrome, other calls to the default web browser have opened FireFox. 

I took your advice to delete the Cisco folder after backing up the profiles, then uninstalling both Google Chrome & AnyConnect. On reinstall, I still get the same single-sign-on url error. I'm no longer working on anything that needs the VPN so it's not urgent, but I'm going to contact my employer's IT department tomorrow to see if they have advice. 

[Lascou]

I'm facing the very same problem. 

I have a Windows 11 laptop in which I use the Cisco VPN client. The laptop has Google Chrome as default browser. I Installed Firefox and made it the default browser. Now I get error "Authentication failed due to problem navigating to the single sign-on URL."

I noticed that if I switch back again default browser to Chrome it is fixed; but as soon as Firefox is made default, it's broken again. 

If I uninstall Chrome, and still have Firefox as default, no good, same error.

On the other hand, if I make Microsoft Edge the default browser, it works. 

It seems the Cisco client can pop up the browser for authentication, as long as it's not Firefox. 

My computer: Windows 11 Pro 23H2, Cisco Secure Client 5.1.6.103, Firefox 146.0.1.

[Lascou]

Mysteriously, I formatted my computer, reinstalled everything, and now the error is gone. Firefox is the default browser, and when I use the Cisco VPN client I do not get the error "Authentication failed due to problem navigating to the single sign-on URL". It opens Firefox just fine. So the error is not caused simply by having Firefox as the default browser. There is something else, in addition, that must be present for the problem to surface. 

[leafy1]

That's almost what happened to me! My computer went through a large system update from Windows and then the problem disappeared. 

[外贸小助手]

thanks