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04/07/2008 |
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Preparing Your Computer for the eCampus
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Students who are enrolled in online courses need to have access to a computer, an Internet connection, and a supported Web browser. Having access to a computer with an Internet connections at home is recommended, since it is the most convenient way to get into your online courses. You will also be able to change any settings necessary to access your course on your home computer. You may also utilize the computer labs on campus in the basement of the main building or in the Caperton Center. |
PAGE CONTENT LINKS
Java | Browsers | Firewalls, Pop-up Blockers & Spyware | Software Plug-ins | Getting Started | Tutorial | Computer Requirements
| Sun Java Virtual Machine (Sun JVM) |
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All WebCT courses require the Sun Java Virtual Machine (Sun JVM) to be installed on your computer. Java is used in many web environments to enable online interaction. If you can't browse your computer to send files (documents, spreadsheets, etc.) or enable html in emails to change fonts, then you probably need to install and enable Java on your computer. To check to see if Java is installed on your computer and the version installed:
To install the correct version of Java: Go to Start > Settings > Control Panel or
Start > Control Panel After installing the JRE and rebooting your computer, do not download
updates for the JRE until you are alerted to through eCampus. Go to Start > Settings > Control Panel or
Start > Control Panel |
To access your courses on the internet, you need to have an Internet service provider (ISP), providing either dial-up (phone modem) or broadband (DSL, Cable, T1/LAN) Internet connection services. To access your online courses, you will need a browser compatible with the eCampus and it must be configured properly. For detailed browser information and step-by-step instructions on preparing your browser for use with the current version of the college's eCampus learning management sytem, please complete the WebCT Browser Tune-Up.
Problems accessing your course in eCampus?
Check the Browser Tips and Troubleshooting page if you are having problems getting into the eCampus. You also might want to try accessing the eCampus using another browser. If you are having problems while using Internet Explorer, then try using Netscape, Mozilla, or Safari. Check the Supported Browsers for Windows for Windows and the Supported Browsers for Macs page to see if your browser is compatible with the eCampus. Once you find what the compatible browsers are, you can download browsers that are compatible.
Attention AOL users!
1) Connect to the internet with AOL
2) Launch a private chat in AOL (to keep the AOL client open without
disconnecting)
3) Minimize AOL
4) Launch a different supported browser (e.g., Internet Explorer 6 or
Netscape 7)
5) Login to eCampus in the non-AOL browser
Your web browser must be configured properly in order to access and interact successfully in your courses. Click on a link below to double-check the settings for your operating system and browser.
| Windows - Browser Configurations | Macintosh - Browser Configurations | |
| Internet
Explorer Settings Netscape Browser Settings |
Internet
Explorer Settings Netscape Browser Settings |
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As a result of security risks on the internet (viruses, hackers, etc.) many companies and individuals use firewalls to protect their computers. These firewalls can restrict you from accessing materials or web sites over the Internet. If you are unable to view the eCampus Log In page on your computer, you may have a firewall restriction issue. Firewalls can be configured to allow access only to certain IP addresses or ports. If you cannot access your online course, you may have a firewall configuration issue. Personal firewalls, such as Norton Internet Security, McAfee Personal Firewall and Microsoft SP 2 Firewall can be set and controlled by the user, however, your worksite may have policies restricting the personal use of work computers and/or making changes to the firewall configuration.
Pop-up blockers (also known as pop-up killers, ad blockers, etc.) are programs that help to keep unwanted advertisements from popping up as you surf the internet. Unfortunately, they may also prevent necessary or beneficial windows from opening. WebCT tools, such as mail, discussion, and quizzes, all use javascript the same way that these pop-up ads do. So, if you have pop-up blockers installed or activated, you may not be able to access course materials or actively participate in discussions.
Spyware and other deceptive software can cause problems when using WebCT eCampus or other websites. If you are having problems accessing eCampus, then you should check for, then uninstall or temporarily disable these types of software.
Viruses can cause many problems on a computer. If your computer is infected with a virus, you may have problems using eCampus.
| Firewalls |
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To access your courses with personal firewalls on your computer, you can
do the following... Check the instructions for your personal firewall for details about how to configure it to grant access to the WebCT eCampus server, http://eCampus.wvu.edu. In addition to granting access to the WebCT eCampus server, you should make sure that port 8080 is open to allow communication with the eCampus server. eCampus uses port 8080; therefore, port 8080 must be opened for communication in your firewall. Check the documentation for your personal firewall for instructions on how to open access to port 8080. |
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To access your courses with a worksite firewall on your computer, you can
do the following... If you access eCampus from a company computer, you should contact your company's network administrator to determine what firewall restrictions are set and whether they can be modified to enable access to WebCT eCampus at http://eCampus.wvu.edu and to port 8080. |
| Pop-Up Blockers |
To access your courses while you have a pop-up blocker on your computer,
you can do the following...
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| Spyware |
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To learn more about spyware and check your browser for spyware and other
forms of unwanted software, visit the Doxdesk page on parasites at
http://www.doxdesk.com/parasite. To help you control these types of Internet programs, you can download and install a free trial version of a spyware detection and removal utility at http://www.pcsecuritynews.com. For further information, see Microsoft's page about Spyware and Unwanted Software. |
| Viruses |
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Scan your computer to check for viruses. If you do not have a virus checker, it is strongly recommended that you get one and install it. Two examples of well-known anti-virus programs are McAfee VirusScan and Symantec's Norton AntiVirus. Each of these companies also offer free scanning services:
Microsoft Support maintains a list of antivirus-software vendors. For more information about security:
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| Minimum Requirements | Recommended Requirements |
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| Minimum Requirements | Recommended Requirements |
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The following software plug-ins are available as free downloads. Plug-ins are software programs that add functionality to your web browser (e.g., run movies or view animations) or allow you to view special content (e.g., view PowerPoint or Word files). Your courses may require any or all of the software listed below. Check with your instructor for additional software requirements within your courses.
Click on the icons in the table below to download the corresponding plug-in. Follow the download instructions provided on that web site.
| Adobe Reader |
Instructions can be found on their web page. Adobe Reader allows you to view, search, and print documents saved as PDFs (Portable Document Format). [.pdf] |
| Macromedia Flash |
 Click
the "Install Now" button on their web page.The Flash Player allows you to view content, like graphics and animations, created with Macromedia Flash software. [.swf] |
| RealPlayer |
 Click the
"Download Free RealPlayer" link on their web page.The RealPlayer allows you to view streaming content, such as audio, video, animations, and media presentations, created with RealMedia software. [.rm .ra .ram .avi .aif .mpg .mp3 .wav] |
| Apple QuickTime |
After selecting your operating system, click the "Download Quicktime" button on
their web page..QuickTime allows you to view content, such as audio, video, animations, and panoramas, created with Apple QuickTime software. [.mov .avi .aif .mpg .mp3 .wav] |
| Windows Media Player |
Click the "Download Now" button for your operating system on their web page.Windows Media Player allows you to view content, such as audio and video created using Windows Media software. [.wmp .wma .asf .asx .avi .aif .mpg .mp3 .wav] |
| Microsoft PowerPoint Viewer |
Click the "Download" button on their web page.If you don't have the full Microsoft PowerPoint or Office application installed on your computer, you can view and print PowerPoint slides and presentations with this viewer. [.ppt .pps] |
| Microsoft Word Viewer |
Click the "Download" button on the right side of their page.If you don't have the full Microsoft Word or Office application installed on your computer, you can view, print, and copy/paste text from Word documents with this viewer. [.doc] |
| Microsoft Excel Viewer |
Click the "Download" button on the right side of their page.If you don't have the full Microsoft Excel or Office application installed on your computer, you can view and print Excel spreadsheets with this viewer. [.xls] |
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