Hi Val/Kevin

It's certainly worth trying to rule out Phorm as the culprit given its cookie management mechanisms, the Firefox plugin Firephorm should allow you to do that. It's not ready for widespread adoption as the developer points out but if you can find an affected user prepared to try it they find it here:

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/7536 

Registration required for the plugin download.

Phil

>>> On 19/11/08 at 14:33, "Glover, Richard" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> I might be way off the mark, but maybe it has something to do with the 
> Webwise/Phorm targeted advertising trial that BT are currently taking part 
> in? The latest trial kicked off on September 30th (according to their site 
> http://www.bt.com/webwise/).
> 
> From what I understand, it proxies http requests via some servers on the BT 
> network but the user has to opt-in for this to happen.
> 
> Maybe someone who knows more about Webwise could comment?
> 
> Rich
> 
> E-Learning Support Officer
> University of Teesside
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Blackboard/Courseinfo userslist 
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of MURRAY M.R.
> Sent: 19 November 2008 14:06
> To: [log in to unmask] 
> Subject: Re: BB access from home
> 
> Hi kevin,
> 
> Sounds like the issue AOL users faced - it turned out they were using a 
> custom browser (an AOL-badged version of IE I think) which routed traffic via 
> an AOL proxy - the cause of the problem. Perhaps BT are doing the same?
> 
> It would be worth asking affected users to try another browser - e.g. Firefox 
> - and see if they can then connect to your Blackboard server. One member of my 
> team uses BT as their ISP and connects to ours without any trouble using 
> Firefox. If that fixes it, you might want to look at the way IE is configured 
> and see if you can avoid the proxy for certain addresses...
> 
> Malcolm.
> 
> 
> ---
> Dr Malcolm Murray
> 
> Learning Technologies Team Leader
> IT Service
> Durham University 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Blackboard/Courseinfo userslist 
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Walsh, Kevin
> Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2008 1:32 PM
> To: [log in to unmask] 
> Subject: Re: BB access from home
> 
> We have been suffering similar problems at JMU, all related to users 
> connected via a BT broadband service. In our case, users haven't even been 
> able to load the login page (just get a blank screen), and similarly they've 
> had problems accessing our Citrix service.
> 
> In all cases, the user has still been able to access other web-based services 
> at JMU (e.g. email). In one case, a user couldn't access our homepage, and 
> after BT advising him it was a browser issue, he connected successfully via 
> his neighbours wireless network which appears to discount that theory.
> 
> We've been able to confirm in all cases that the user has connectivity by 
> getting them to do TRACERT and PING tests, and by analysing our firewall 
> logs. The problem does appear to be intermittent and doesn't affect all BT 
> broadband users. We've tried contacting BT but have not been able to speak to 
> anyone technical.
> 
> Kevin
> 
> Kevin Walsh
> Technical Director
> Computing & Information Services
> Liverpool John Moores University
> 24 Norton Street
> Liverpool
> L3 8PY
> 
> Tel: 0151 231 5565
> Fax: 0151 231 4176 
> 
> Map: http://www.ljmu.ac.uk/cis/aboutCIS/66343.htm 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Blackboard/Courseinfo userslist 
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Tranmer,Valerie 
> Anne
> Sent: 17 November 2008 14:51
> To: [log in to unmask] 
> Subject: BB access from home
> 
> Hi all
> 
> We have an increasing problem and wondered if anyone was seeing this or 
> could give us advice.
> 
> Many people, staff and students, are complaining that they cannot use the 
> full functionality of Blackboard from home.  Common problems seem to be:
> 1  user logs in but nothing happens - the page just loads forever or freezes
> 2  the login works but when they are within the blackboard site the 
> navigation buttons and content areas are blank.
> 
> All users are using BT internet, the large proportion of them with a BT Home 
> Hub.
> The antivirus software varies but include Norton, McAfee, SOPHOS JAVA is 
> installed as the latest version from java.com Happens with latest IE and 
> Firefox, and XP and Vista
> 
> 
> 
> Please has anyone any suggestions as to what to try / suggest to these 
> people?
> 
> Thanks
> Val
>