Having Problems Accessing NC Wise @ Home???

Many teachers have told me that they are unable to access NCWise while at home, even though they have followed the steps to obtain a PIN to access the WCPSS @Home portal.

UPDATE: WCPSS has recently upgraded the version of NCWise they were using. This version does not require JInitiator now, so, this is no longer a problem for WCPSS teachers. WCPSS teachers should ensure they have the latest version of Java, however.

There may still be hope. I have discovered that most people who are unable to access NC Wise are either

1. Using Windows Vista or Windows 7
2. Using Internet Explorer 8

It would appear that Oracle JInitiator (the program that "helps" NCWise run) does NOT work in the above situations. So, the easiest way to "fix" this is to use an alternative browser that does not need JInitiator to operate.

This means that I recommend downloading the Opera Browser. This browser uses it's own Java engine that does not require JInitiator, so, it can run NC Wise ANYWHERE, even on a Flash drive and even in Mac OS X or Linux.

STEP 1: Download Opera from http://www.opera.com

STEP 2: Install Opera (follow the directions on the download page)

STEP 3: Open the Opera browser and navigate to https://accessncwise.wcpss.net

STEP 4: Log in with your username (your email without the @wcpss.net part) and the PIN that was given to you

STEP 5: Log in to NCWise with your ncw****** username and password

These steps worked for me and this is how I access NCWise on my home computer. A couple of disclaimers...

• Opera is not compatible with Lotus Notes and will not work with the WCPSS Email system
• This browser is not endorsed by WCPSS Technology Services, but, it does work for me - your mileage may vary