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Blackboard Browser Information

I M P O R T A N T:
To avoid the danger of security vulnerabilities,
we strongly advise that you use only supported browsers,
and always close your browser window after your session.

Is my current Web browser compatible with Blackboard?
What browser should I use with Blackboard?
How do I update my browser?
How do I configure my browser settings?
Internet Explorer 7 and Blackboard
AOL, pop-up blockers, firewalls, etc.
Is Blackboard secure? And what is SSL?
I'm getting this error message. What does it mean? Although you have been authenticated, you have to submit your credentials again... See Issue 2

Is my current Web browser compatible with Blackboard?

Test your Web browser for compatabilty with Blackboard here.

 

What browser should I use with Blackboard?

The following chart indicates compatible browsers for various operating systems.
Configurations certified by Blackboard and supported at UNH are highlighted in blue.

Release 9.1 SP11 Supported Browsers & Operating Systems

 
  • Certified: Fully supported technology with the highest level of testing before Blackboard release.
  • Compatible: Fully supported technology with minimal level of testing before release.
  • Provisional: Future Browser/Operating Systems will be considered and supported by Blackboard.
  • Unsupported: Browser/Operating System are not tested.

 

Microsoft® Windows® Operating System

 

Internet Explorer®10

Internet Explorer 9  

 Internet Explorer 8

 Firefox ESR1

Firefox (Final Release Channel)2

Chrome (Stable Channel)3

Windows® XP (32-bit)

Unsupported by Micorsoft

Unsupported by Micorsoft

Compatible

Certified

Compatible

Compatible

Windows Vista® (32-bit)

Unsupported by Micorsoft

Certified

Compatible

Certified

Certified

Compatible

Windows Vista (64-bit)

Unsupported by Micorsoft

Compatible

Compatible

Certified

Compatible

Compatible

Windows 7 (32-bit)

Provisional

Certified

Compatible

Certified

Certified

Certified

Windows 7 (64-bit)

Provisional

Certified

Compatible

Certified

Certified

Certified

Windows 8 (32-bit)

Compatible

Unsupported by Micorsoft

Unsupported by Micorsoft

Certified

Certified

Certified

Windows 8 (64-bit)

Certified

Unsupported by Micorsoft

Unsupported by Micorsoft

Certified

Certified

Certified

 

Apple® Mac OS® Operating System

 

 Safari 6.0.1 

 Safari 5.1 

Safari 5.0

Safari 4.0

 Firefox ESR1

Firefox4 (Final Release Channel)2

Chrome (Stable Channel)3

Mac OSX 10.5 "Leopard®"

Unsupported by Apple

Certified

Certified

Compatible

Certified

Certified

Certified
Mac OSX 10.6 "Snow Leopard®"

Certified (10.7.5)

Certified

Unsupported by Apple

Unsupported

Certified 

Certified

Certified

Mac OSX 10.7 "Lion®"

Certified (10.8.2)

Certified

Unsupported by Apple

Unsupported

Certified

Certified

Certified

1Firefox ESR is a release of Firefox intended for groups who install and maintain the desktop environment in large institutions.

More information is available at: http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/organizations/.

 

2The Firefox Release Channel is the fully tested version by Mozilla and intended to be the most stable. This channel is updated roughly every six weeks. 

More information is available at: http://blog.mozilla.com/blog/2011/04/13/new-channels-for-firefox-rapid-releases/.

 

3The Chrome Stable Channel is the fully tested version by Google and intended to be the most stable as the name implies. This channel is updated roughly every 2-3 weeks for minor releases and 6 weeks for major releases.

More information is available at: www.chromium.org.

 

4Firefox 8 and Mac OS are not compatible with the drag and drop functions on Blackboard Learn.

 

Technologies Not Supported

The following technologies are not supported in SP 11:

 

Other Support in SP 11

Accessibility and JAWS

Blackboard strives to make all its products as accessible as possible. JAWS for Windows 11 and 12 were used during accessibility testing in SP 11.

JRE Support

JRE (Java Runtime Environment) is not required for users to access and interact with the Learn platform with the exception of the following features and tools:

Blackboard has tested and supports these features with version 7 JRE. JRE 6 may work, but could result in unexpected behavior. The JRE can be downloaded from http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/index.html. Windows system administrators who want to provide auto-download for users can find the.cab file link for the appropriate JRE at: http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/autodownload-140472.html.


For information on security and JRE, see this Blackboard Security Advisory.

Java Applet Code Signing

Java applets bundled with Blackboard Learn 9.1 SP 11 are now signed with a timestamping authority, https://timestamp.geotrust.com, which certifies that the Blackboard code signing certificate was valid at the point in time when the applet was signed. Web browser client JDKs that trust the timestamping authority will run the applets without error, even after the Blackboard code signing certificate expires. All JDKs since version 1.5 trust this timestamping authority by default.

 

How do I update my browser?
If you need to download a newer browser, click on the preferred browser for your operating system below.

 
Windows
Macintosh
 

How do I configure my browser settings?
Blackboard needs to have your browser set to enable Cookies, Java, and Java Scripting. We also recommend refreshing the browser page on every visit so you always see an updated page. The instructions below may vary slightly depending on your browser version.

Internet Explorer

Firefox

Safari

AOL Users

Internet Explorer 7 and Blackboard

Issue: The Visual Text Box Editor may not function properly using the IE 7 browser.
Symptom: The formatting and content controls will appear, but the text box itself will appear broken. This in turn may cause problems with certain functions that utilize the Text Box Editor, such as Content items, Discussion Board postings, Quizzes, etc.
Workaround: If you have downloaded IE 7, Blackboard suggests one of the following two workarounds:
  • Option 1:
 Disable the Visual Text Box Editor in Blackboard
(If you do not want to use the Visual Text Box Editor)
  1. Login to Blackboard
  2. On the MyUNH tab, click on Personal Information (in the Tools box at the left)
  3. Click on Set Visual Text Box Editor Options
  4. Under Set Availability, choose Unavailable
  5. Click the Submit button
  6. Click OK to return to Personal Information
  7. Click OK to return to the MyUNH tab
  • Option 2:
 Add Blackboard to your list of "Trusted Sites" in Internet Explorer 7
(If you do want to use the Visual Text Box Editor)
  1. Login to Blackboard. Make sure the Visual Text Box Editor is enabled.
  2. Navigate to a page that uses the Visual Text Box Editor.
  3. Determine if the Blackboard server is in the list of Trusted Sites:
    • When accessing Blackboard, a green check mark will appear in the Status Bar with the label "Trusted Sites". Your browser is configured properly; no need to continue.
    • If Restricted Sites (a red circle icon) or Internet (a globe icon) appears instead, the Blackboard server must be added to the list of Trusted Sites. Continue to Step 4.
  4. Double-click the Status Bar where the Restricted Sites or the Internet icon appears. The Internet Security Properties box will open.
  5. Click on the Trusted Sites icon under the Select a zone to view or change security settings heading. Click Sites to open the Trusted Sites box.
  6. The URL for the Blackboard server should appear in the Add this website to the zone text box. If not, enter the URL that is used to access Blackboard in the text box (see Step 6).
  7. Enter https://blackboard.unh.edu/
    • We suggest specifying a secure website. Note that a security-enabled website begins with https://, while a non-security-enabled website begins with http:// .
  8. Click Add.
  9. Click Close.
  10. Click OK on the Internet Security Properties box.
  11. Refresh the page.
  12. A message may appear in the Internet Explorer Information Bar:
    "This website wants to run the following add-on: 'Microsoft (R) Dynamic HTML Editing Control' from 'Microsoft Corporation'. If you trust the website and the add-on and want to allow it to run, click here..."
  13. Click the message and select Run ActiveX Control from the context menu.
  14. Click Run in the Security Warning box.
  15. The Visual Text Box Editor is now configured to operate correctly within this browser.

Blackboard and SSL

SSL secure technology is installed in Blackboard. A secure connection, recognizable by the HTTPS (HTTP) in the URL, means the information being exchanged between the Blackboard web site and your browser is being encrypted, adding an additional layer of security onto the environment.

Issue 1: Users may find themselves getting an annoying number of messages stating:
"This page contains both secure and non-secure items. Do you want to display the non-secure items?"
This notice means that the webpage is trying to display both secure and non-secure content. This is called 'mixed content'. Non-secure items are usually images or icons created by our content contributors which are being stored on a non-SSL host.
Workaround: If you find this bothersome, you might want to have Internet Explorer temporarily allow all mixed content.

To allow mixed content:

  1. In Internet Explorer, click the Tools button, and then click Internet Options.
  2. Click the Security tab, and then click the Trusted Sites icon.
  3. Click the Sites button.
  4. Uncheck the box Require server verification (https:) for all sites in this zone.
  5. In the textbox under Add this Web site to the zone, type *.unh.edu, click Add. (If you are also a GSC user then also add *.granite.edu).
  6. The sites will move to the trusted websites list. Click OK.
  7. Click on Custom Level...
  8. Scroll to the Display mixed content setting in the Miscellaneous section, and then click Enable.
  9. Click OK.
  10. Click Yes to "Are you sure you want to change security settings for this zone."
  11. Click OK. Close all boxes and you are done.
After allowing mixed content, you will see webpages with both HTTPS and non-HTTPS content with no message.
Issue 2: In the SSL environment, some users experience the following error:
"Although you have been authenticated, you have to submit your credentials again (most likely timeout has occurred)."
When you attempt an SSL connection, the server issues a certificate for the SSL session. This certificate has a time stamp. The certificate has a start time and expiration time. If your computer clock is off by a large amount of time - either preceding the start time, or going beyond the expiration time - then the server certificates appear invalid because its validity date range doesn't span what your computer thinks is "today."
Solution: Check the user's computer clock to make sure that the time, date, and time zone displayed by the computer are correct.
  1. Select Start.
  2. Select Control Panel.
  3. Select Date and Time Properties.
  4. Check the clock on the right hand side and make sure that everything is correct.
  5. Check the date on the left hand side and ensure that the correct date is highlighted.
  6. Select Time Zone and ensure that your computer is in the right time zone.
  7. Select Apply and then OK to change the settings.