Setting Up Your Computer for WebCT

Enable Cookies & Popup Windows

Cookies are short pieces of data used by web servers to help identify web users. If you can't get into WebCT, and your username and passsword are OK, it is likely that your browser is not set to accept cookies. You will need to allow your browser (or firewall) to accept cookies.

Popup windows are often used for annoying advertsing, but in WebCT they are used for discussion, mail and quizzes. If these features don't work, you may have software on your computer that blocks the creation of popup windows. You will need to allow your browser (or firewall) to create popup windows. See an explanation at Portland Community College.

Don't Cache Webpages

You need to set the browser to show you the latest version of every page.

What you see on your WebCT screen is a page sent from a server. Sometimes your browser may be set to remember what that page used to be like, and it will show you an old version of the page, eg from yesterday or last week or 3 minutes ago. You need to set the browser to show you the latest version of every page, not use the copy it has stored in its cache memory; it must be set to "Compare the page to the cache - Each visit to the page".

For Internet Explorer on a PC:
1. In your browser window, click Tools and choose Internet Options.
2. Click on the Settings button next to "Temporary internet files"
3. Make sure that "Every visit to the page" is selected and click OK.

For Internet Explorer on a Mac:
1. In your browser window, click Edit and choose Preferences.
2. When the Preferences window opens choose Advanced.
3. Make sure the button next to "Always" is chosen, then click OK.

For Netscape on a PC or Mac:
1. In your browser window, click on Edit.
2. From the drop-down menu, select Preferences.
3. Click the "+" sign (or triangle) next to Advanced.
4. Highlight Cache.
5. Make sure that the "Every time" radio button is selected and click OK.

Don't Use a Proxy Server

We have observed some strange behaviours in WebCT which are almost certainly due to incorrect proxy settings in web browsers.

The proxy is a machine at ITS that stores all recent web page requests. When someone requests a page from an overseas site, it saves time if that page can be delivered from the proxy. The page is already stored in the proxy if someone else requested it previously.

Do not use proxy on lol.uow.edu.au

Netscape Navigator: In Windows and Macintosh, this is reached by Edit-Preferences-Advanced-Proxies.

Internet Explorer: In Windows, select Tools - Internet Options... - Connections - LAN Settings - Advanced. In Macintosh, this is reached by Edit-Preferences-Network-Proxies.

Don't use a Download Manager

Because of potential conflicts with WebCT's method of identifying you, you should turn off any software you use to manage downloads, such as RealDownload, GetRight, Go!Zilla, NetAnts, ReGet, NetVampire, Download Accelerator Plus, FlashGet, etc.

Install Java

Some of the instructions sent by WebCT to your computer are written in the Java language. Your browser won't follow these instructions unless you have enabled Java in your browser. Netscape 6.2.x users will need to install Java.

For Internet Explorer on a PC:
1. In your browser window, click on Tools in the menu bar.
2. From the drop-down menu, select Internet Options.
3. Click on the Advanced tab.
4. Scroll down to Microsoft VM
5. Ensure that "JIT Compiler for virtual machine" has been checked and click OK.

For Internet Explorer on a Mac:
1. From your browser window, click on Edit.
2. From the drop-down menu, select Preferences.
3. Select Java from the list in the left-hand margin.
4. Make sure that Java is enabled and click OK.

If you are using Netscape on a PC or a Mac:
1. From your browser window, click on Edit.
2. From the drop-down menu, select Preferences.
3. Click on the "+" sign next to Advanced.
4. Make sure that "Enable Java" and "Enable Javascript" are both checked. Click OK.

Install Acrobat Reader

Acrobat Reader is required to use PDF files as most lecture notes are stored in that format. It is a free program and you can download it from the ITS Software Downloads pages.