Common Causes of Difficulty

Internet ID & Password

When you connect to many resources, you are asked for your University of Minnesota Internet ID and password.

To look up your Internet ID, search for your name in the University's Student/Staff directory at: http://www.umn.edu/lookup

Your Internet ID will likely consist of a string of letters followed by a string of numbers.

If you’ve forgotten your password, you may contact the ITSS Helpdesk at 218-726-8847 for help (see Help Desk Hours).

Authentication Problems (logging into public PCs or using databases from off campus)

Almost all authentication problems on the Library's second floor PCs fall into these categories

1. You have a UMD e-mail account, but are NOT a current UMD student, faculty, or staff.

Currently, authentication is not available for people who are not a current UMD student, faculty, or staff. However, the Library does provide guest computers for visitors. Ask at the first floor circulation desk for more information on the guest computers.

2. You ARE a current UMD student or employee, but have not changed your x.500 password in a long time, possibly never.

Change your password at https://www.umn.edu/validate. After a delay (less than a day -- usually about ½ hour) you should be able to log in.

3. You ARE a current UMD student, but have suppressed your address info, including e-mail address.

Change your suppression of personal info to option 3 - suppressing only address and telephone. This can be done at http://www.d.umn.edu/register. A day later, you may re-instate full suppression of personal data. (By then UMD will have received the necessary data to enable authentication for you.)

4. You authenticated earlier in the day on another PC (in the Library or in an ITSS Full Access Lab), and did not successfully log out from that PC.

You will see a message like "You are trying to log in to too many workstations at once." Return to the PC you used earlier and log out (may require a reboot).

5. You ARE a current UMD student or employee, but your x.500 password is longer than 8 characters, and it was set prior to January 5, 2005.

You have two choices: On Library or Lab PCs, you could just type the first 8 characters of your password... or you could change your password at https://www.umn.edu/validate. After a delay (usually about ½ hour), you should be able to authenticate.

6. You ARE a current UMD student or employee, but your x.500 password contains a space.

Not all authentication systems are able to accept a password containing a space. Change your password to something without a space and try using it after 1/2 hour.

Firewalls

If you are connecting from off-campus, it is possible that your firewall is preventing access to the Library's databases. One common problem is related to the ports to which your computer is allowed to connect. If you are at a workplace, check with your computer security personnel to see whether the ports to which you have outgoing access have been restricted. Otherwise, check your own firewall software - it should have settings where you can open and close specific ports. Remember that routers may also have a firewall built in, and sometimes you need to look a the documentation for your specific brand and model.

To use the UMD Library's databases and library catalog, you need to allow outbound access to port 2443 for login.libpdb.d .umn.edu and port 8991 for prime6.oit.umn.edu. If this doesn't completely solve the problem you can also try opening port 2048.

Proxies

The library uses a proxy server to allow current UMD students, staff, and faculty access to licensed databases from off campus. If the computer you are using from off campus is also running a proxy server it can interfere with the library's proxy server. A good way to test connection problems with the library databases is to first verify that you can connect to the library's proxy server. To do this, connect to https://login.libpdb.d.umn.edu:2443 and enter your UMD x.500 user name and password. If you get a message that says "invalid user name or password" when you try this, read the password section of this page.

If you get a "page can not be displayed message" and you are at a work site or a high school, then you should consult with your network administrator. If the appropriate ports have been opened in the organization's firewall, then there may be a competing proxy server in use at your site. The network staff will have to help you select the right settings so the two proxy servers are not in conflict with each other.  In Internet Explorer use tools =>internet options =>connections tab =>LAN settings to check for proxy serttings. In FireFox use tools =>options =>advanced =>network tab =>settings button to check for proxy settings. Consult your network staff before changing these settings.

Cookies

Do you have cookies enabled? Our authentication programs require that your computer accept cookies (it’s OK to set it to only accept cookies that are returned to the originating server.) Check your settings if you experience problems using any of the library's databases:

In Internet Explorer, go to
Tools >> Internet Options >> Security
High security disables cookies; Medium security enables them.

In Mozilla Firefox, go to
Tools >> Options >> Privacy >> Cookies
Checkmark "Accept cookies from sites"
Optional: checkmark "for the originating web sites only" (older versions of Firefox)
Optional: Choose "Keep until" and pull down the dropdown box to make your selection.
Note there is an "exception" button for fine tuning.

In Netscape go to
Edit >> Preferences >> Advanced
See the text box on the right for the section on cookies.

Cookies and Proquest Databases: If you are getting unexpected search results from a Proquest database, you may need to clear your cookies by using a special Proquest cookie cutter. You can clear your cookies by going to http://www.umi.com/cookiecutter and clicking on the button titled "Click Here to Reset Your Browser."

Virtual Private Network (VPN)

You may be unable to use UMD's VPN software if any of the following are true:

• If your Macintosh runs Mac OS 8 or 9
• If your PC has Internet Connection Sharing turned on under Windows 2000 or XP

If you wish to turn off ICS, Click Start >> Settings >> Control panel >> Network Connections
Right-click on each network connection and select Properties. Select the Advanced Tab; if there is a checked box for ICS saying "Allow other network users to connect through this computer’s Internet connection," uncheck that box.

(Under Windows XP, the built in network bridge is part of ICS and will interfere with UMD's VPN. You may have to turn it off separately.)

Javascript

Javascript is necessary for many sites to work properly. To toggle Javascript on or off:

In Internet Explorer, go to
Tools >> Internet Options >> Security >> Custom Level
High security disables Javascript; Medium security (the default) enables it.

In Mozilla Firefox,go to
Tools >> Options >> Content
Check or uncheck "enable JavaScript" 
Fine-tune your javascript settings with the ADVANCED button (optional)

In Netscape, go to
Edit >> Preferences >> Advanced, and look on the right for Javascript.

Printing and general problems with computer technology in the library

If you experience trouble with printers, card readers, (or other computer-related things), see the ITSS lab consultant at the far-right side of the Circulation desk on the first floor. He/she can also be reached by phone at 218-726-8858.