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Connection Problems

What Web browser do you recommend using to access Blackboard?

Although any java-enabled browser will probably work, we recommend Internet Explorer 6 or Netscape 7.0 if you are running a Microsoft Windows operating system.  If you are running a Apple Macintosh operating system use Internet Explorer 5.2 or Safari 1.0.  We've had some problems reported from individuals using other browsers that we've been unable to resolve.

When I try to access the Blackboard login page I instead get a page saying that the server is down for upgrades.

You need to to clear both your memory cache and disk cache (if you are using Netscape) and clear your History and Temp Internet files if you are using IE. That will enable you to load the login page.  If you need some assistance to do this, contact the Technology Assistance Center at 540.654.2255.

Is there scheduled downtime for the Blackboard server?

The server that hosts Blackboard remains up and available through scheduled backups (daily starting at 4:30AM).  Scheduled upgrades and maintenance downtime is posted here.  Announcements of scheduled downtime will also be posted on the Blackboard system announcements page.

Why does my modem get disconnected when I'm taking a quiz in Blackboard?

Actually, this has nothing to do with Blackboard. If you connect to any server using a modem and you stay within one window of your browser for a period of time that exceeds your Internet Service Provider's idle modem disconnect policy (some are as short as 15 minutes), you will be disconnected. Students on campus using ethernet connections are not affected by this. Users of Earthlink, Erol's, Crosslink, Infinet, AOL and other providers are.

How can you prevent this from happening?  A simple way is to open another web browser window, and periodically click a link in that window to keep your connection active.

I was connected to Blackboard using my modem and was taking a quiz when my modem lost its connection. How can I get back my quiz information?

You can't. Once you click SUBMIT and you realize you've been disconnected it is too late to save your information. Prior to being disconnected you could have copied your information and pasted it into a word processing application to preserve a copy of it. Although it doesn't help much now, you might try this next time.