Unable to login when away from home???

Unable to login when away from home???

by Jill Furnevall -
Number of replies: 5

People of Moodle, I wonder if you can offer me some help please?

I am currently studying an online course that is delivered via a Moodle platform.

I have a URL to access it and obviously a user name and password too.

If I try to access from home I have no problem, I log in without any issues at all. However, I often work away from home, in the UK and overseas and as soon as I am away from home I can’t seem to log in at all!?

My learning provider seems unable to offer any explanation or solution so I got in touch with Moodle directly and found my way into the Community.

I can access the URL, but my login details just send me round in circles, as if they are not recognised. Very occasionally, on a full reboot of my Mac, I am able to access the platform and may be able to read one of the lessons, but then I can’t access the next one and will be asked to re-login, which then doesn’t work and I am sent in the same circles again.

I am using Chrome on a MacBook Pro, but I have also tried to login with Safari too but to no avail.

Any help would be gratefully received.

Thank you.


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In reply to Jill Furnevall

Re: Unable to login when away from home???

by m question -

what do you mean by "sending me round in circle"?

what the error message you have when you log in to Moodle?

the problem might be due to wrong password, or problem in your internet connection


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In reply to m question

Re: Unable to login when away from home???

by Jill Furnevall -
What I mean is it asks me for my login details again and again and again... the issue isn't wrong password or the strength of the internet connection, it is as if it just won't let me login from where I am?


I first noticed the problem when working away in Abu Dhabi, I thought it might be a restriction because of the country's laws etc. But then the following week I was in London and it did exactly the same thing??


I wondered if it could be an issue with IP? If my IP address changes when I am on a different connection, maybe the system doesn't like that?

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In reply to Jill Furnevall

Re: Unable to login when away from home???

by Mary Cooch -
Picture of Documentation writers Picture of Moodle HQ Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Testers Picture of Translators

Hello Jill and thanks for posting in the forums. I know you said the company running the courses couldn't help but it might be worth asking them to ask their technical people  -ie the webhosts themselves - if they have any restrictions on IP addresses. They are welcome to come and ask on here. It might be that your IP address is restricted but it seems unlikely since others can access the site from different places -and you yourself say you can access the site but you can't log in. Let's see if others suggest ways you can test your login anonymously and get around it that way...

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In reply to Mary Cooch

Re: Unable to login when away from home???

by Jill Furnevall -

Thanks Mary, I've already tried that but they don't have an IT department so that didn't get me anywhere! Plus, although it was the only thing that came to mind, it does seem a bit unlikely as you suggested.

Fingers crossed for some other ideas...

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In reply to Jill Furnevall

Re: Unable to login when away from home???

by Ken Task -
Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers

The entity that is providing courses may not have an 'IT Department' but they do host their server with a provider.   The provider should have IT folks (I would hope!).

I doubt that the provider would communicate directly with you but provider should work with/provide technical assistance to their customer ... ie, the folks behind the moodle you are trying to access.

Moodle logs do track a members last IP address.   So the Moodle Masters of the site you are having issues with will need to find that information so they can give it to the provider tech support for their investigation.

You should know that providers normally don't respond technical assistance such as this in a timely manner.  It would be best if those who host the moodle, have direct access to the server where they could perform some network test right from the server.

Communications between a user (with browser) and a server on internet (any where on the globe) isn't  a two way street ... actually it's more like what one might see in Google Maps and Travel ... point A street address and getting directions to point B ... a route in networking terms.  So there might be some things you will have to provide to those attempting to assist in troubleshooting.

On your Mac, you do have an app to help called 'Network Utility'.  It's a tool to do some network testing.

Please see: https://www.macworld.com/article/2155660/troubleshoot-mac-network-issues-with-network-utility.html

Would offer this advice to begin with ... when away from home (normal location when accessing the site), before attempting to connect to it, clear the browser cookies and cache.   Then attempt connection/login.

'spirit of sharing', Ken

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