Internet Browsers Report Blocked or Unsupported Plug-in Error When Using NI Web Tools

Updated Sep 19, 2023

Reported In

Hardware

  • CompactRIO Controller
  • PXI Controller

Software

  • LabVIEW

Other

  • Google Chrome

  • Mozilla Firefox

  • Apple Safari

  • Microsoft Edge

Issue Details

  • When I try configuring the LabVIEW Application Web Service or a Real-Time device using the Web-Based Configuration and Monitoring Tool, the expected page does not load in the browser. Instead, I see the following picture, but I cannot install the Silverlight plugin in my browser.

browser request to install Microsoft Silverlight
 
  • When I use the Web Publishing Tool in LabVIEW to create a remote front panel with the Embedded viewing mode, the generated web page returns the following errors:

    • This plugin is not supported.
    • NI has detected that your browser might be blocking a plug-in. Visit ni.com/info and enter the following Info Code for more information: BlockedPlugin
Error seen in Google Chrome

Error seen in Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge

 
Error seen in Mozilla Firefox

Error seen in Mozilla Firefox

Error seen in Safari

Error seen in Apple Safari

Solution

The solution to this issue depends on what tool you are using.

NI Web-Based Configuration and Monitoring Tool

You can use this tool to configure and monitor a remote device on a web browser or to manage web services published using the Application Web Server.

  • If you are changing the settings of the Application Web Server, you must upgrade LabVIEW to version 2021 SP1 or later. On version 2021 SP1, NI completely reworked the tool to work with modern browsers.

  • If you are configuring the web server in a Real-Time device, update the Linux RT Image device to 21.0 or later. The NI Linux RT System Image 21.5 supports a new workflow for accessing and managing Web Services deployed from LabVIEW 2019 and higher in modern browsers.

  • If you cannot upgrade the LinuxRT image or your target device is not a LinuxRT device, you can try using the Internet Explorer mode in Microsoft Edge, but note that this is not officially supported by NI.

Web Publishing Tool (Remote Front Panel)

  • If you want to have a view-only front panel, you can select either the Snapshot or Monitor viewing modes in the Web Publishing Tool. As of LabVIEW 2022 Q3, the Embedded option is no longer available.

  • If you must control the remote front panel, then you can:

NI Network Browser

  • If you're using the NI Network Browser application, you have to either use NI-MAX or the Microsoft Edge Browser with the Internet Explorer mode activated.

Additional Information

In previous versions, those tools depended on deprecated technologies, such as Microsoft Silverlight and the Netscape Plugin Application Programming Interface (NPAPI), which were supported in Microsoft Internet Explorer and old versions of other internet browsers.

Google Chrome version 42 and later, Mozilla Firefox 52 and later, Safari 12.1 in macOS Mojave 10.14, and Microsoft Edge (not on Internet Explorer Mode) are not supported browsers for these older NI web technologies.