Note: It's important to note that vLab does not support Mac.

Windows Users
If you access the Internet from behind a proxy server, you may not be able to take a vLab. This affects AOL and Gateway.net users who use a modified browser and those who access vLab technology from behind a corporate firewall. Modified browser users should use either Internet Explorer (5.5 or higher) or Netscape Navigator (7.1 or higher). Users behind a corporate proxy server should access vLab technology through a commercial ISP account.

NOTE: If your company restricts telnet, you will not be able to use the online version of the vLab system. In some cases your network will require you to access through a special telnet gateway. If IP Inspector times out or returns an error message, contact your network administrator, or system manager. You must have PC/Client equipped with a browser and access to the Internet.

Netscape Navigator, Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox are the supported browsers
DSL, cable, or other broadband access speed is recommended for all lab types
For Client Server labs - broadband is the minimum requirement
For Cisco (telnet based) labs - 56K is the minimum requirement.
Specific client options must be "enabled" and network ports "open" in order to access the target virtual lab (vlab) environment. The vlab environment is specific to the lab type being accessed.

Non Microsoft Client Server labs:
Client Options (Enabled): ActiveX, Sun Java
Ports (Open): 443

Microsoft e-Learning Client Server labs
Client Options (Enabled): ActiveX
Ports (Open): 5905

Cisco
Client Options (Enabled): ActiveX, Sun Java, Native Telnet
Ports (Open): 23
If the ports specified above are not open, you will be prompted to download HTTP tunneling software provided by the vLab system.
The tunneling software performs detection for the use of a proxy server. Currently, proxy server support exists for ActiveX and .NET access protocols. If present, access is made via the proxy server. Otherwise, access will use HTTP tunneling via port 80.
VLabs supports the following tunneling options: ActiveX, Sun Java, and .NET.

Other considerations:
Personal firewalls (i.e. client based) must allow access to the ports specified for the specific vLab type, allow use our tunneling software if the specified ports are blocked, or be disabled to gain access the lab.

AOL or Gateway .net users:
If you are using a Gateway.net or AOL browser, you will not be able to take a vLab. These browsers use a modified version of Internet Explorer in addition to restricting services on various ports. Students using modified browsers should run Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator or Mozilla Firefox to access our site and take a lab.
If you are attempting to access the lab from behind a corporate firewall, you will not be able to take a vLab. You should access vLabs through a commercial ISP account.

Since there are numerous possibilities on how a client infrastructure environment can be configured, the potential exists where access to vlabs is prevented. In such cases, further analysis with Element K technical support will be required to assist in the troubleshooting process.