Sometimes Blackboard/myUMBC users have experienced a "looping" problem where the browser will continue to "redirect" in an attempt to open myUMBC or Blackboard. This is caused by anomolies in the custom authentication scripts written for the two applications. OIT is researching possible alternatives to the current custom login system for implementation in the future. For the time being; the solution is to close your browser and open a fresh one to continue using the applications.
Should you have questions or concerns, please send an email to blackboard@umbc.edu.
Comments (10)
Sometimes when logging into myUMBC after my boyfriend has signed out in the same browser window will cause our two profiles to cross and I'll have his folders in my inbox or his picture for my user image. Using a different browser window usually solves to problem, but I thought I'd throw it out there. Also, I have had the redirect problem before, but only when using Mozilla Firefox as my web browser.
Posted by Meghan Godwin | February 19, 2008 2:29 PM
Posted on February 19, 2008 14:29
I've found that going directly to blackboard.umbc.edu (instead of linking there), then clicking Login at the top, will help. It will tell me that I've been logged out of myUMBC, but clicking on the Blackboard tab will then put me into my Blackboard profile.
Posted by Travis | February 19, 2008 3:21 PM
Posted on February 19, 2008 15:21
Closing the browser & restarting it has not worked for me in the past, although closing the browser and opening a different one sometimes works for me.
Posted by Miriam | February 19, 2008 3:46 PM
Posted on February 19, 2008 15:46
Even though I do not receive much of it, I get spam spent to my UMBC email address. Why is it so extrememly hard to block a user from sending me junk mail, or report a certain message as spam? I don't think this should have to be such a difficult task.
Posted by kayla | February 19, 2008 5:13 PM
Posted on February 19, 2008 17:13
I have found the redirecting problem with both IE and Firefox anytime after leaving myUMBC or Blackboard up for a couple of hours without refreshing it (overnight or during a few classes).
Posted by Josh | February 19, 2008 5:22 PM
Posted on February 19, 2008 17:22
MyUMBC often does not like firefox. If I have issues I usually re-try with Explorer and it works just fine.
Posted by Brittany | February 19, 2008 6:51 PM
Posted on February 19, 2008 18:51
I'm a mac/safari user, and I've always used the login button at the top to avoid the looping problem. It does what Travis says and logs you out. Then you're free to click the tab again and it should fix the problem.
Posted by Helen | February 19, 2008 7:03 PM
Posted on February 19, 2008 19:03
I get it all the time on firefox. TO fix it, I just go to the cookies list and delete the one called something like UMBCAuthTicket under blackboard.umbc.edu
Posted by anon | February 19, 2008 8:11 PM
Posted on February 19, 2008 20:11
I've found that deleting all your cookies helps with this.
Posted by John | February 19, 2008 8:55 PM
Posted on February 19, 2008 20:55
OIT has been working on a solution to this for the past year. So far, no good, so I'm not expecting anything before I graduate.
That said, here is what I usually do.
If I get the loop, try going to the address bar in your browser. Type in http://130.85.12.16 and login. Or, just type in http://blackboard (no .umbc.edu, this will only work from machines on campus). This way, a separate cookie is created (I guess) and the problem wont occur.
Posted by Matt | February 20, 2008 11:47 PM
Posted on February 20, 2008 23:47