Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About the Internet Courses on our Site

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1. I am using wireless and/or a router at home and cannot play the multimedia..
    
2. Why does my RealPlayer give the message "Invalid Socket," "no DNS Entry for server," "cannot connect to the server," "net congestion," stops working, or is otherwise unable to play the multimedia?
    
3. The multimedia lecture stops with this message: "Connection to server has timed-out..."
    
4. I am unable to log in to the course, although I am using the correct username and password.
    
5. When I try to access interactive components on the course website, such as the discussion boards, I receive an error message from Internet Explorer, or I cannot enter anything into a posting window.
    
6. Pop-up windows on the course site do not work or I cannot print my CE certificate.
    
7. I cannot paste my submission into the Discussion Board posting windows after preparing it in a word processing program.
    
8. I was able to log in to my course previously, but I am no longer able to?
    
9. I don't have my confirmation code which I need to obtain my Username and Password from the registration site.
    
10. What do I do if the RealPlayer does not appear when I click on a link to the audio on this Web site (or others)?
     
11. When I click on a multimedia link, there is no sound from the RealPlayer.
     
12. I cannot log on to the course with my PC or Mac computer, or remain logged on with my Mac.
     
13. When I submit my answers to the progress quizzes, my browser shows an error and I don't get the details of my results.
     
14. When I try to access an Adobe PDF document, I cannot view or download it, or I am asked for a password.
     
15. I am using a Mac with the Safari browser and I am having difficulties accessing all the features of the course.
     

16. Having difficulty playing multimedia on my MAC.

1. I am using wireless and/or a router at home and cannot play the multimedia.

We are finding that routers and especially consumer-grade wireless routers can block the multimedia presentations or cause a "General Error." Please try to connect to the Internet without using wireless. If you are not using wireless, but are connecting through a router at home, then try to make a direct connection to the modem using the Ethernet cable from the modem that would normally plug into the wireless router. Remove power from the modem for about 30 seconds and reboot your computer after making this connection.
If that resolves your problem, then the router was causing your difficulties.

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2. Why does my RealPlayer give the message "Invalid Socket," "no DNS Entry for server," "cannot connect to the server," "net congestion" and/or is frequently re-buffering, having timeouts or disconnecting?

The Captus Press web and multimedia servers have a capacity well in excess of the requirements for streaming our multimedia and our connection to the Internet backbone has a dedicated, T-3 bandwidth which substantially exceeds our current demand. Therefore, unless our system is down (typically, less than one hour per month, the difficulty that you are experiencing in receiving the multimedia presentation without interruption may be due to one of the following:

• For the best playback of the multimedia, please ensure that you are using the RealPlayer SP (the recent final release, not the beta version). Installing this player significantly improves the playback experience.

   To find out the version of the RealPlayer that you are using, open the standalone RealPlayer program from your program menu, (not from this website), click on the Help menu and select "About Real Player."

  The correct Build is 12.0.0.297 or later. If your player is not this version, please download and install the Free RealPlayer SP from http://www.real.com
  
  
• If you cannot connect to the multimedia lecture with the player or if you can connect and begin playing, but then it stops and you need to reconnect or re-enter your password, you are likely being blocked by a local firewall or router. If possible, exempt our web and multimedia servers from your firewall. Their IP's are 207.219.27.35 and .45. If that is not possible, try reconfiguring the RealPlayer to use http protocol as follows:
  
  Real Player Configuration - Detailed Instructions for a PC -- For a MAC, see Below
  1. Open the RealPlayer program and select Tools from the top menu and then Preferences.
  2. Under Connection in the Category window, select Network Transports.
  3. Click on Manually Configure Connection Settings on the right hand side to put a check in that box.
  4. Click on the RTSP settings button to open the RTSP Transport Settings Window.
  5. Check the box "Attempt to Use HTTP for all Content" and leave the other boxes unchecked.
  6. Click OK to save and close the RTSP Transport Settings Window, then click OK again to save and close the Preferences window.
  7. Close the RealPlayer and then try to access the lectures again.
  Note that using http to play the multimedia lectures will generally avoid the problem of restrictive firewalls and routers, but it may not always provide the smoothest playback.
  
  For a MAC:
  1. Open the RealPlayer program and select RealPlayer from the top menu and then Preferences.
  2. Click on Transports on the top of the window.
  3. Click on the check box for Manually Configure Connection.
  4. Click on the Configure button.
  5. Click on "Use HTTP only" button.
  6. Click OK and close the Preferences window.
  7. Close the RealPlayer and then try to access the lectures again.
  
  
  
• If you are able to access the multimedia, but playing is erratic or it frequently is re-buffering, try disabling TurboPlay as follows:
  1. Open the RealPlayer program and select Tools from the top menu and then Preferences.
  2. Under General in the Category window, select Playback Settings.
  3. Click to ensure the "Enable TurboPlay" check box is NOT  checked. (It is checked by default.)
  4. Click OK to Save and close the Preferences window.
  5. Close the RealPlayer and then try to access the lectures again.
  
  
• Your computer's CPU and/or RAM memory may not be not sufficient. (Check http://www.real.com for computer requirements.) Try to play other RealMedia sites on the Internet to verify this. (Available through http://www.real.com.) If this seems to be your problem, first try to close all unnecessary programs when playing the presentations. If this does not help, the only solution may be to upgrade your equipment.

• Your hardware or software setup is not optimal causing the RealPlayer to play erratically or not at all. Download and try to play a RealMedia file on your computer (not from the Internet) to see if your RealPlayer can work with a local file. If you cannot play the file you have downloaded, the solution may be to reinstall the RealPlayer. If this does not help, seek professional assistance.

• If you are using a phone modem, your hardware or telephone connection may be inadequate or is not performing adequately. You must have at least a 28.8 modem. Try to download any data or program files from the Internet. If your downloading rate is slow (typically less than 20 kilobits per second or 2.5 kilobytes (characters) per second), you will have difficulty playing the RealMedia presentations.

• If you are using a phone modem your telephone line may not support the required data rates. (This problem occurs in some rural areas.) Try to download any data or program files from the Internet. If your downloading rate is slow (typically less than 20 kilobits per second or 2.5 kilobytes per second), you will have difficulty playing the RealMedia presentations.

• If you also notice that web pages are slow to load, then your local network (for users within organizations) or your local Internet Service Provider (ISP) may be congested due to heavy demand. Try to access very early in the morning when ISPs are not busy or there are few other people accessing from your organization. If you are able to connect then, that is probably an indication that your ISP is overloaded during peak periods. Accessing during off peak hours or switching to another ISP are the possible solutions.

• The Internet or your local network or connection may suffer breakdowns and become slow or non responsive. This will happen once in a while and the solution is to wait for a few hours and try again.

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3. The multimedia lecture stops with this message: "Connection to server has timed-out..."

If you are not using the latest release, RealPlayer SP (the final release, not the beta version), please upgrade to the latest version first, which may resolve your problem. If this does not resolve the problem, then it may be due to your local network. You can then try to make a minor configuration change. Under the "Tools" menu, select "Preferences" and click on "Connection" on the left hand side under "Category." In the Connection Window, set the "Server" box in the "Network Time-out" window to 300. This may resolve the problem. If this does not help, try reconfiguring the RealPlayer to use http protocol as described above in FAQ #2. If the problem is resolved by using http protocol then it is a local firewall or router that is preventing proper access to the multimedia.

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4. I am unable to log in to the course, although I am using the correct username and password.

First, ensure that your username and password are correct and that you are accessing the course site for which you are registered. If you have verified this information and you are still unable to login, then the problem may be that the secure login we are using is being blocked by security measures in your router, firewall or proxy server. Please use the following procedure to log in using basic authentication and ignore any security warnings about your credentials being sent in an insecure manner.

1. Open Internet Explorer, click on Tools from the menu bar and select "Internet Options".
2. Click on the "Advanced" tab and scroll to the bottom for the "Security" group.
3. Uncheck the box for "Enable Integrated Windows Authentication" and click on the "Apply" button.
4. Close all Internet Explorer Windows and then open it again to access the course.

Please note that you may need to reset Internet Explorer to Enable Integrated Windows Authentication in order to access Intranet websites that require a secure login.

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5. I can obtain access to the course website, but when I try to access interactive components, such as the discussion boards, I receive an error message from Internet Explorer.

The course websites work best with Internet Explorer 7 or the Firefox Version 3. If you are using IE 7 but are still experiencing difficulties, try adding the course website to the trusted sites list in Internet Explorer.

To add the website as a trusted site:
1. Open Internet explorer.
2. Click on "Tools", and then "Internet Options" from the menu bar.
3. Click on the second tab "Security " in the Internet Options.
4. Click on "Trusted Sites"
5. Set the security level for trusted sites at the "Default" level.
6. Click on the button "Sites". Uncheck the box "Required server verification (https)...."
7. Type the following in "add this web site": http://*.captus.com , then click on the "Add" button. Click on the OK button twice.
8. Close your browser and re-open it before connecting to the course website.

If the above procedure does not resolve the problem, you may have a local firewall set up on your home system or perhaps you are trying to access from an organization that has a firewall. These firewalls can prevent you from accessing the course properly and generate such an error. In our experience this is the most common cause of the problem you are describing. If you are accessing from your home computer, and you have installed a software firewall, you may be able to configure it to allow access to the interactive course components. However, in some cases we have found that the firewall needed to be totally removed from the computer. Even disabling it does not help.

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6. Pop-up windows on the course site do not work or I cannot print my CE certificate.

If you are using Internet Explorer 7 that includes a pop-up blocker, you must set this feature to medium in order to fully access the course features. Access Tools > Pop-up Blocker > Pop-up Blocker Settings. In the "Filter Level" window, select "Medium..." In Firefox, choose "Options" under the Tools menu and the click on "Content" to enable pop-up windows.

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7. I cannot paste my submission into the Discussion Board posting windows after preparing it in a word processing program.

1. Open your word processor and type up your posting.
2. Highlight the answer and then click on "Edit" and then "Copy" from the menu bar.
3. Open Internet Explorer. Log on to the course and click on the appropriate discussion board.
4. Click on "New Discussion". Type the "Subject" of the posting. (You may also reply to a previous posting.)
5. Click inside the "Text" window and press <CTRL> + V to paste your text,
        Or
    Click inside the "Text" window and then press the Enter key. Click on "Edit" and then "Paste" from the menu bar.

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8. I was able to log in to my course previously, but I am no longer able to.

First note that all courses have a specified access period. Check whether your access has expired. Typically you can determine this from your receipt or by entering your confirmation code on the registration page where you obtain your username and password. Also, ensure that your username and password are correct and that you are attempting to logi n to the course site for which you have registered.

If you have verified this information and you are still unable to login, then the problem may be that the secure login we are using is being blocked by security measures in your router, firewall or proxy server. Please use the following procedure to log in using basic authentication and ignore any security warnings about your credentials being sent in an insecure manner.

1. Open Internet Explorer, click on Tools from the menu bar and select "Internet Options".
2. Click on the "Advanced" tab and scroll to the bottom for the "Security" group.
3. Uncheck the box for "Enable Integrated Windows Authentication" and click on the "Apply" button.
4. Close all Internet Explorer Windows and then open it again to access the course.

Please note that you may need to reset Internet Explorer to Enable Integrated Windows Authentication in order to access Intranet websites that require a secure login.

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9. I don't have my confirmation code which I need to obtain my Username and Password from the registration site.

If you have registered in an online that requires you to obtain your Username and Password by entering your confirmation code on a form, then check the form for a link to have your confirmation code emailed to the address your provided when you registered for the course.

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10. What do I do if the RealPlayer does not appear when I click on a link to the audio on this Web site (or others)?

First check that you have installed the RealPlayer. Downloading the software does not automatically install it. Execute (double-click) the downloaded file to install it. Secondly, you may not have installed your RealPlayer as an application to be used automatically by your browser. The RealAudio installation program will typically ask you whether it is to be installed on your browser(s). The simplest solution may be to reinstall the RealPlayer with your browser program(s) closed.

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11. When I click on an multimedia link, there is no sound from the RealPlayer.

First, check the functioning of your computer's audio by playing audio locally with previously existing software. Then, access the RealPlayer folder and double click on any .ra or .rm  file which was supplied with your player. If you hear nothing, then your player installation may be non-functioning. You can try to reinstall it. If that does not help, you should obtain technical assistance. If your player works with local files, but does not play audio from Internet sites, then see FAQ 1. above for a likely remedy.

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12. I cannot log on to the course with my PC or Mac computer, or remain logged on with my MAC.

First, be certain that you entered your password in lower case (the Caps Lock must be off) and that you have waited sufficient time (up to one minute) for your username and password to be validated. If that isn't the problem, then it may be that your browser is outdated or not supported. We have found that certain versions of Internet Explorer exhibit this problem. The preferred browser to use for the course sites is Internet Explorer, Version 7, or later, or Firefox 3. Internet Explorer Version 6.5 and Firefox 2 will also work correctly with the course sites.

For Mac users, some versions of the Safari browser may not enable you to log on to the course and remain logged on without disconnecting. Please download and install the free Firefox browser from http://www.mozilla.com/ to enable you to maintain your logon.

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13. When I submit my answers to the progress quizzes, my browser shows an error and I don't get the details of my results.

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14. When I try to access an Adobe PDF document, I cannot view or download it or I am asked for a password.

In order to download and/or view an Adobe PDF document from our website, you need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0 or later installed in your computer. We suggest that you open the Acrobat Reader prior to clicking on the link for downloading the participant's manual.

If you don't have the Acrobat Reader version 5.0 or later installed, please download the latest version from their web site. The URL is: http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/acrobat/readstep.html

If you have the Acrobat Reader installed , but left clicking on the file does not open it, or you are asked for a password and receive an error message when entering it, then try the following:

If you are using Firefox Browser:
1. Right click on the link for the slides.
2. Select  "Save Link As..." or "Save Link Target As..."
3. A window will come up and ask you where do you want to save the file. If not, it will be automatically saved to a default location, probably your desktop.
4. After saving the file, open the file with Acrobat Reader.

If you are using Internet Explorer:
1. Right click on the link for the slide.
2. Select  "Save Target As...".
3. A window will come up and ask you where do you want to save the file. If not, it will be automatically saved to a default location, probably your desktop.
4. After saving the file, open the file with Acrobat Reader.

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15. I am using a Mac with the Safari browser and I am having difficulties accessing all the features of the course.

The problem is likely with the Safari browser. Please download and install the latest version of Firefox from http://www.mozilla.com and use it to access the site. This should resolve the issue.

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16. Having difficulty playing multimedia on my MAC.

MAC users with OS X 10.6 or later should use the latest RealPlayer SP for the Mac.

To play the multimedia with the Safari browser (preferred)

1. If you have already installed the RealPlayer Version 11 or an earlier version of the RealPlayer SP for the MAC, you must first uninstall it (move it to trash).
2. Then download and install the latest RealPlayer SP for MAC OS X from: http://www.real.com . This must be downloaded on or after February 23rd to ensure you have the correct version.
3. When you click on the link to the multimedia, a black window with a blue square will appear. Click on the white triangle within the blue square to play the multimedia within the standalone RealPlayer.

To play the multimedia with the Firefox browser.

1. If you have already installed the RealPlayer Version 11 or an earlier version of the RealPlayer SP for the MAC, you must first uninstall it (move it to trash).
2. Then download and install the latest RealPlayer SP for MAC OS X from: http://www.real.com . This must be downloaded on or after February 23rd to ensure you have the correct version.
3. When you click on the link to the multimedia, a player window will open, but it does not show the bookmarks or the RealPlayer controls. Right-click on the window and select to stop playing the multimedia, then right-click again to select to to play the multimedia in the RealPlayer.

For MAC users with OS X 10.5 or earlier, we have found that the best playback of our multimedia will be obtained from the RealPlayer Version 10 for the MAC, not the latest release, which is version 11. Please check "About RealPlayer" on the RealPlayer Help Menu to check your version number. If you are not using Version 10, then we suggest that you uninstall your current version, and then download and install Version 10 for the MAC from the following URL: http://forms.real.com/real/player/blackjack.html

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Copyright © Captus Press Inc.. All rights reserved.
Revised: April 28, 2010