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Computer Requirements: What are the minimum computer requirements for using WebCampus?

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ANSWER:

The following are recommended specifications to work with the online course system, which is officially referred to as WebCampus:

Platform:

  • PC (Windows XP, Vista, and 7)
  • Mac (OS 10.4 and above)

Hardware:

  • Sound card with speakers (for courses with multimedia)
  • Ethernet or Wireless network card (for high-speed Internet connection) or 56K modem (for dial-up Internet connection)
  • T1, DSL, Cable, or Satellite high-speed connection (56K dial-up will work, but the online course system will run slowly).

Software:

  • **Java JRE plugin (very important so that everything in the system works properly!) see below for recommended versions
  • Microsoft Office Viewers (for viewing and printing Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Visio files)
  • Adobe Acrobat Reader (for viewing and printing PDF files)
  • Real Player Gold SP (for viewing streaming video or listening to streaming audio clips)
  • QuickTime (for viewing QuickTime video)
  • Flash Player (for viewing animations or using interactive content)
  • Shockwave Player (for viewing animations or using interactive content)
  • Windows Media Player (for viewing streaming video or listening to streaming audio clips)

**Get Java (very important!)

  1. Java 6 Update 26 or Java 6 Update 31
  2. Click Run to download. Be patient!
  3. Click Run to install. Be patient!
  4. Follow the prompts to install the Typical Java installation. Be patient!

NOTE: If you are using a Mac, your Java versions are installed through software updates.

Browser:

Windows Platform:

  • Internet Explorer 7.0 & 8.0, & 9.0
  • Firefox All releases*

Macintosh Platform:

  • Firefox 3.5, 3.6
  • Safari 4

AOL Users:

If you use AOL as your Internet Service Provider (ISP), do NOT use the AOL browser.  Minimize the AOL browser and open Internet Explorer.

If you download a new browser version, you will need to download it, close your browser, and reopen your browser again, and then follow the steps to configure your browser listed in the steps below.

Browser Settings:

Your browser settings will vary, depending on the browser you choose to use. WebCT has developed a browser support site that will tell you exactly how to prepare your browser settings for your specific browser.

NOTE: If you followed the steps above to download and install Java, you do not need to follow these steps again that you will find again in the instructions below.

  1. Go to the Check Browser page
  2. Follow the steps you see on the page

IMPORTANT: Some browsers allow style sheets to be disabled. If your browser has this feature, do not set it to disable style sheets.

Browser Toolbars:

Uninstall Yahoo, Google, AOL, or any other Browser Toolbars

Although the browser toolbars are useful tools for searching the Internet, you must uninstall these for WebCampus to work properly. Open your browser. Your toolbar (if you have one) will be immediately under the line on your browser where you can type in a web address.

To uninstall browser toolbars:

  1. Click your computer's Start button.
  2. Click Control Panel. (You may need to click Settings first, and then Control Panel.)
  3. Double click Add/Remove Programs.
  4. Click the appropriate toolbar and click Remove.

Pop-Up Blocker Programs: 

Turn OFF pop-up blockers.

Please disable any pop-up ad blocker programs if they are installed on your system. Pop-up blocker applications work in the background while you browse the internet. When they detect a pop-up window that may be an unwanted advertisement, they automatically close the window. This functionality will prevent WebCT (Vista and Campus Edition) from performing properly.

Pop-up blockers may be installed as part of a browser toolbar, as part of your browser, as part of your virus protection software or even as a separate program. When you login to your course, and you have a pop-up blocker turned on, the Browser Checker will open and indicate that.

Examples of programs that may include pop up blockers include the following (you may want to click a link below to determine how to disable pop up blockers on your system):

If you have any further questions, please contact us for support. Thank you.

- WebCampus Support

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