Member Login > Help
Technical Support
Web Login Troubleshooting
Some aspects of the OABA Web site will require that you access OABA's Web Login page in order to authenticate. If you have browser-related problems with this process, the following instructions will be helpful.
Try a different browser:
If you have passed all tests and still need help, we'd suggest that you try using a different browser. For example, if you were using Internet Explorer, try using Mozilla Firefox (a free download from www.mozilla.org). If you were using AOL's browser, try using Internet Explorer. In terms of troubleshooting, the browser change will reveal whether or not the problem is related to a setting in the browser you were using or, instead, to your Internet connection.
Have you checked your computer for spyware?:
If nothing mentioned above has resolved the problem for you, it's possible that spyware is disrupting your browser and/or your Internet connection. Spyware can cause all sorts of problems so, in all mysterious troubleshooting situations.
Report a problem
If the following advice does not solve your problem, please contact us.
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Setting Cookies
Many pages on the OABA Web site provide information that is either limited to certain groups or individuals, or customized for the individual viewing the page. These pages require you to enter your password at the "Member Login" page. For this to work, your browser must be able to temporarily store a small amount of information, called a cookie, in memory. To log in, your browser must be configured to accept cookies.
The following instructions describe how to set most popular browsers to accept cookies. If, after following these instructions and restarting your browser, you still have a problem authenticating at the Weblogin page, please feel free to contact us.
Internet Explorer 6 for Windows:
1. Open the Tools menu and choose Internet Options.
2. On the Privacy tab, make sure you are set to at least Medium privacy
3. Still on the Privacy tab, click on the Advanced button and put a checkmark next to Override automatic cookie handling.
4. Set First-party Cookies to Accept (or Prompt if you prefer) . Set Third-party Cookies to Prompt.
5. Click on OK and then OK again.
You should not need to restart the browser at this point, but if you find that you still cannot access Weblogin, try a restart.
Internet Explorer 5 and 5.5 for Windows:
1. Open the Tools menu and choose Internet Options.
2. On the Security tab make sure that Internet is selected.
3. Click on the Custom Level button.
4. Scroll down to see the Cookies category and select "Enable" next to "Allow per-session".
5. Click on OK and then OK again.
6. You should not need to restart the browser at this point, but if you find that you still cannot access Weblogin, try a restart.
Internet Explorer 5 for Macintosh:
1. Open the Explorer menu and choose Preferences.
2. Under the Receiving Files category, select Cookies.
3. Next to "When receiving cookies" choose "Never ask".
4. Click on OK.
5. You should not need to restart the browser at this point, but if you find that you still cannot access Weblogin, try a restart.
Netscape 6 or 7 or Mozilla for Windows and Macintosh:
1. Open the Edit menu and choose Preferences (OS X users will find this under the Netscape or Mozilla menu).
2. Under the Privacy & Security categories, click Cookies. (If no subcategories are visible, double-click Privacy & Security to expand the list.)
3. Check off the option to Enable all cookies.
4. Click on OK.
5. You should not need to restart the browser at this point, but if you find that you still cannot access Weblogin, try a restart.
AOL:
If you are using AOL version 6 or older you may find that you cannot access Weblogin resources with AOL's built-in browser. Instead you should (while still connected to AOL) go to your Start menu or desktop and use an external browser such as IE or Netscape to access the site.
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Enabling Javascript
Some Web pages at Boston University require that JavaScript be enabled in your browser. Information on how to do this in various browsers is provided below.
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.x for Windows
1. On the menu bar click on "Tools" then "Internet Options."
2. From Internet Options, select the "Security" tab.
3. Click Custom Level.
4. Scroll down to "Scripting" and make sure "Active Scripting" is set to Enable.
5. Click "OK."
6. Click "Yes" or "OK" when asked, "Are you sure you wish to change the security settings for this zone"
7. Click "OK" on the Internet Properties window.
8. Close all open Internet Explorer windows and then relaunch Internet Explorer.
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.x for Windows
1. On the menu bar click on "Tools" then "Internet Options."
2. Click on the "Security" tab.
3. Click "Custom Level" button.
4. Scroll down to "Scripting" section.
5. Set "Active Scripting" to "Enable."
6. Click "OK" on the Internet Properties window.
7. Close all open Internet Explorer windows and then relaunch Internet Explorer.
Netscape Communicator 7.x
1. Select "Preferences" from the Edit menu.
2. Locate the "Enable Java" section in the "Advanced" category.
3. Select "Enable Java"
4. Click "OK"
5. Close all open Netscape windows and then relaunch Netscape.
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Removing a Password from the browser's saved password list
Saving your password in your Web browser's saved password list can expose the data it protects to anyone else who uses your computer, and possibly to others on the Internet.
Even though you may be the only person who can sit down in front of your computer to log in, you use your Web browser to open a communication channel to many sites on the Internet, opening up the potential for those sites to view information stored on your computer. While your browser is designed with the intention of safeguarding the information it stores, viruses, spyware, and malicious Web sites are designed to defeat security safeguards. The focus of many of today's viruses and spyware programs is identity theft, because that's where the money is.
Web Login detects the use of saved passwords and prevents them from being used to log in to Boston University Web sites. To gain access to Web Login-protected sites, you must first remove the password from your browser's saved password list, using the instructions below.
Netscape 7.x or Mozilla:
From the menu choose Tools->Password Manager -> Manage Stored Passwords. On the "Passwords Saved" tab you can either select and "Remove" only those associated with weblogin.bu.edu or choose to "Remove All."
Internet Explorer:
In IE you would delete all passwords by going to Tools->Internet Options->Content->AutoComplete->Clear Passwords. To prevent AutoComplete in the future, make sure AutoComplete is deselected for both "Prompt me to save passwords" and "User names and passwords on forms." Then click on OK. (In OS X this is located under Preferences->Network->Site Passwords.) If you don't want to lose password information stored for other (non-BU) sites, you should be able to select your BU login name and press the delete key to remove just that one username/password combination. IE will then prompt you to confirm that you do want to delete it.
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