Troubleshooting Access to Online Databases from Off-Campus

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Are you a student who may not be entering the correct login information? You use your RBC email address (without the @rbc.edu) when you login. Your default password is the capital letter P followed by the last six digits of your Social Security Number. It's the same as logging into Blackboard. If you're don't remember your user name/password, contact the Library or the Computer Lab for assistance.

Do you use AOL to access the Internet? If you are using AOL, we suggest that you log into AOL as you normally do, minimize the AOL screen, and then open Internet Explorer. Use Internet Explorer to access the VIVA databases. (FYI...Other libraries have experienced this same issue with AOL; it is not a problem limited to the Richard Bland College's proxy server.)

Is your browser set up to accept cookies? In Internet Explorer, go TOOLS > INTERNET OPTIONS > PRIVACY and adjust your privacy settings so that cookies are accepted. (If you are using a browser other than Internet Explorer, look for cookie settings within your browser's preferences/options component and adjust accordingly.)

Did you recently change your RBC email password? If you recently changed your RBC email password, it may be necessary for you to delete temporary Internet files so that your new password is actually accepted by the proxy server. To do so in Internet Explorer, go to TOOLS > INTERNET OPTIONS. (If you are using a browser other than Internet Explorer, look to clear the browser's cache of temporary files within your browser's preferences/options component and make the necessary deletions.)

Are you unable to connect to the VIVA databases from work? Please note that Internet access at certain offices and corporations can be limited by highly restrictive firewall settings. These restrictive firewall settings may prevent you from logging into VIVA using the library's proxy server. The RBC Library has no control over the firewall settings at your place of employment....you may want to discuss the issue with your network administrator at work. Access to port 443 is required for secure entry of your username and password.

Is JavaScript enabled within your broswer? In Internet Explorer 6, go to TOOLS > INTERNET OPTIONS > SECURITY. Click on the CUSTOM LEVEL BUTTON and be sure that Active Scripting is enabled. (If you are using a browser other than Internet Explorer, look for JavaScript settings within your browser's preferences/options component and adjust accordingly.)>

Do you have a personal firewall set up on your home computer? It may be necessary for you to make adjustments to your firewall settings. Access to port 443 is required for secure entry of your username and password. For personal firewall software, such as Norton Security, make sure that cookie blocking is set to "none" and that the browser privacy box is unchecked. You can always go back and recheck these later.

Are you on campus and unable to access anything but an Internet error page when you click on a VIVA database? The problem may be with our proxy server. Try accessing VIVA databases directly from the VIVA web site.

Still having trouble? Please give us a call at 804-862-6227 or send an email to library@rbc.edu.

   library@rbc.edu | Last Update: February 7, 2012