Configuring Internet Explorer 6 to Work with Stanford Web Applications
On this page:
Note: To determine which version of Internet Explorer (IE) is running on your computer, go to the IE Help menu and click About Internet Explorer.
Overview
Internet Explorer (IE) is Stanford's preferred browser. IE 6 has been validated to work with all existing Stanford web applications.
IE must be properly configured to access web pages protected by Stanford's Web Authentication service:
- Stored web pages should be checked for newer versions every visit to the page
- Security should be set to medium
- JavaScript must be enabled
- Cookies must be enabled
- Pop-ups must be allowed
In addition, you may want to make IE your default browser. You may also want to copy your bookmarks from other browsers into IE.
Even with the proper browser settings, you may occasionally have problems accessing a protected page. In that case, delete the browser's temporary internet files, clear the history, stop using a proxy server, and then close and restart IE.
Configuring IE to Access Stanford Web Applications
- Start Internet Explorer.
- On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.
- With the General tab selected, click the Settings button, located
in the Temporary Internet files section of the window.
- Under Check for newer versions of stored pages, select Every visit
to the page. Then, click OK to return to the Internet Options window.
- Click the Security tab and then click the Custom Level button.
- In the Reset custom settings area near the bottom of the window, set
the Reset to setting to Medium, click the Reset button, and
then click OK. This also enables JavaScript.
When a warning message is displayed asking whether you are sure you want to change your security settings, click Yes.
Note: Resetting the security to medium is the easiest way to enable JavaScript. However, you can also enable JavaScript by scrolling down the Settings to Scripting of Java applets and clicking Enable.
- Allow Pop-ups for users NOT running Windows XP Service Pack 2: Resetting the security to medium (as described in the step above) is the easiest way to allow pop-ups. However, you can also allow pop-ups by scrolling down the Settings to Active Scripting and clicking Enable.
Allow Pop-ups for users running Windows XP Service Pack 2: Download and run the Windows XP SP2 Configuration Tool to disable the built-in pop-up blocker. You can also disable the pop-up blocker from the Tools menu. On the Tools menu, click Pop-up Blocker > Turn off Pop-up Blocker. If you see Turn on Pop-up Blocker instead, that means that the pop-up blocker is already disabled.
- Click the Privacy tab. To enable cookies, move the slider to Medium,
click the Apply button, and then click OK. (If the slider is already
set to Medium, click OK.)
- Click the Advanced tab. Scroll down to the Security
settings near the bottom of the window. Ensure that the boxes for both Use
SSL 2.0 and Use SSL 3.0 are checked.
- If you want to make Internet Explorer your default browser, click the Programs
tab. Check the Internet Explorer should check to see whether it is the default
browser box, click the Apply button, then click OK.
- Quit Internet Explorer and then start it again.
- The following message will be displayed. Click the Yes button if you
want to make Internet Explorer your default browser. Leave the Always perform
this check when starting Internet Explorer check box unchecked if you don
not want to see this prompt again.
Copying Bookmarks from Other Browsers to IE
- Start Internet
Explorer.
- On the Favorites
menu, click Organize Favorites.
- Click the Create
Folder button to create a folder in which to put the bookmarks you will
be copying. Give the new folder an identifiable name (for example, Netscape
Bookmarks). Then, click Close.
- On the File
menu, click Import and Export.
- When the Import/Export
Wizard is displayed, click Next to continue.
- In the Choose
an action to perform area, select Import Favorites and then click
Next to continue.
- Click Import
from an Application and then choose the application from which you want
to import the bookmarks. Click Next to continue.
- Select the folder
where you want to put the imported bookmarks and then click Next.
- Click the Finish button.
- When a message is displayed that says the bookmarks were successfully imported, click OK.
Troubleshooting Stanford Web Authentication Problems
Occasionally, when attempting to access web pages protected by Stanford's Web Authentication, you may encounter a problem. You are referred to the weblogin server and log in successfully. However, when you follow the link to the page you were trying to visit, you return to the web authentication page. Deleting temporary Internet files, clearing the the history, disabling the use of a proxy server for LAN connections, and then closing IE and restarting it usually fixes the problem.
- On the Tools
menu, click Internet Options.
- With the General
tab selected, click the Delete Files button, located in the Temporary
Internet files section of the window.
- Click OK
to delete all temporary Internet files and return to the Internet Options
window.
- Click the Clear
History button, which is located in the History area of the window.
- When a message
asks if you are sure that you want Windows to delete your history of visited
web sites, click Yes.
- Click the Connections
tab and then click the LAN Settings button, which is located near the
bottom of the window.
- Clear the Automatically
detect settings and the Use a proxy server for your LAN check boxes.
Then click OK to return to the Internet Options window.
- Click OK
to close the Internet Options window.
- Quit Internet
Explorer and then start it again.
