UBUNTU (CLIENT): FAILS # curl -vvvv https://184.72.98.54:8181 * About to connect() to 184.72.98.54 port 8181 (#0) * Trying 184.72.98.54... connected * Connected to 184.72.98.54 (184.72.98.54) port 8181 (#0) * successfully set certificate verify locations: * CAfile: none CApath: /etc/ssl/certs * SSLv3, TLS handshake, Client hello (1): * Unknown SSL protocol error in connection to 184.72.98.54:8181 * Closing connection #0 curl: (35) Unknown SSL protocol error in connection to 184.72.98.54:8181 RHEL (CLIENT): Different message: $ curl -vvvv https://184.72.98.54:8181 * Rebuilt URL to: https://184.72.98.54:8181/ * Trying 184.72.98.54... * Connected to 184.72.98.54 (184.72.98.54) port 8181 (#0) * Initializing NSS with certpath: sql:/etc/pki/nssdb * CAfile: /etc/pki/tls/certs/ca-bundle.crt CApath: none * Server certificate: * subject: CN=*.m-2.md * start date: Dec 08 22:29:35 2015 GMT * expire date: Mar 08 16:53:12 2019 GMT * common name: *.m-2.md * issuer: CN=RapidSSL SHA256 CA - G3,O=GeoTrust Inc.,C=US * NSS error -8179 (SEC_ERROR_UNKNOWN_ISSUER) * Peer's Certificate issuer is not recognized. * Closing connection 0 curl: (60) Peer's Certificate issuer is not recognized. More details here: http://curl.haxx.se/docs/sslcerts.html curl performs SSL certificate verification by default, using a "bundle" of Certificate Authority (CA) public keys (CA certs). If the default bundle file isn't adequate, you can specify an alternate file using the --cacert option. If this HTTPS server uses a certificate signed by a CA represented in the bundle, the certificate verification probably failed due to a problem with the certificate (it might be expired, or the name might not match the domain name in the URL). If you'd like to turn off curl's verification of the certificate, use the -k (or --insecure) option.