PHP mysqlnd sha256_password plugin "Access Denied", user works with cli mysql

I am trying to secure a mysql connection with SSL encryption and sha256 password. My setup works as expected from the mysql cli and using my own mysql password. When trying to connect as a user with sha256 pasword I get "HY000 / 1045": access denied for user "sha256user'@'192.168.120.45" (using password: YES) ", but I can connect one user to the mysql cli. I got the same problem both locally and when trying from a remote host.

[root@vt0-0-7 bin]# /ct/nih/mysql-5.6/bin/mysql -u sha256user -p -h 192.168.120.30
Enter password: 

...

mysql> SHOW STATUS LIKE 'Ssl_cipher';
+---------------+--------------------+
| Variable_name | Value              |
+---------------+--------------------+
| Ssl_cipher    | DHE-RSA-AES256-SHA |
+---------------+--------------------+
1 row in set (0.02 sec)

mysql> 

      

        
        
        
      

    

My php setup:

[root@vt0-0-7 bin]# php --version
PHP 5.6.9 (cli) (built: Jun  3 2015 13:06:06) 
Copyright (c) 1997-2015 The PHP Group
Zend Engine v2.6.0, Copyright (c) 1998-2015 Zend Technologies
[root@vt0-0-7 bin]# 
[root@vto-0-5 bin]# php -i | grep -n mysqlnd
6:Configure Command =>  './configure'  '--prefix=/ct/nih/php-5.6.9/' '--with-mysql=mysqlnd' '--with-pdo-mysql=mysqlnd' '--with-xsl' '--with-libxml-dir' '--with-mysqli=mysqlnd' '--with-openssl' '--with-zlib' '--enable-ftp' '--with-apxs2=/ct/nih/httpd-2.2.29/bin/apxs' '--enable-sockets' '--with-curl' '--with-mcrypt' '--with-readline' '--with-pcre-regex=/ct/nih/pcre-8.20' '--enable-soap' '--without-sqlite3' '--without-pdo-sqlite' '--enable-mbstring'
280:Client API version => mysqlnd 5.0.11-dev - 20120503 - $Id:3c688b6bbc30d36af3ac34fdd4b7b5b787fe5555 $
298:Client API library version => mysqlnd 5.0.11-dev - 20120503 - $Id: 3c688b6bbc30d36af3ac34fdd4b7b5b787fe5555 $
316:mysqlnd
318:mysqlnd => enabled
319:Version => mysqlnd 5.0.11-dev - 20120503 - $Id: 3c688b6bbc30d36af3ac34fdd4b7b5b787fe5555 $
329:Loaded plugins => mysqlnd,debug_trace,auth_plugin_mysql_native_password,auth_plugin_mysql_clear_password,auth_plugin_sha256_password
332:mysqlnd statistics =>  
521:Client API version => mysqlnd 5.0.11-dev - 20120503 - $Id: 3c688b6bbc30d36af3ac34fdd4b7b5b787fe5555 $
[root@vto-0-5 bin]# 

      

        
        
        
      

    

When I use a "custom password" user, PHP uses an SSL connection.

PHP connection code:

$this->dbh = mysqli_init();
$res = $this->dbh->ssl_set(DB_CLIENT_KEY, DB_CLIENT_CERT, DB_CA_CERT, NULL, NULL);
$user="sha256user";
$pass="Sh@256Pa33";
$connRes = $this->dbh->real_connect($dbHost, $user , $pass, $dbName, 3306, NULL, MYSQLI_CLIENT_SSL);

      

        
        
        
      

    

Edit: MySQL is compiled locally with:

$> cmake . -DWITH_SSL=system

$> mysql --version
mysql  Ver 14.14 Distrib 5.6.25, for Linux (x86_64) using  EditLine wrapper
$> 

      

        
        
        
      

    

Does anyone know where to look for the problem?