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I'm interested in picking one up for my personal laptop but I don't know which one to get. Are there any brands in particular that are worth the investment? I've seen some completely malfunction after a few uses and others not work at all. Thanks in advance.
CAC
Supply
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 48
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Same as many others, been referring my soldiers to militarycac.com for years. I have had a lot of soldiers recently having a lot of issues with windows 8 and 8.1. Almost to the point of making the old mac problems look easy.
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CW3 Michael Danberry
Thanks for the referrals SFC Calmes, The issue really started with Windows 8.1 when MS made Internet Explorer 11 the new standard web browser. DoD was (and still is) not ready for it. This is where compatibility view settings comes into play. Read more starting on slide 19 of http://milcac.us/tweaks Also, Windows 8.1 and ActivClient 6.2.0.x are not compatible with each other, so, people will need to uninstall it, then install ActivClient 7.0.2.25 (http://militarycac.com/army.htm#7.0.2.x_DOWNLOAD), then update it to 7.0.2.308 (http://militarycac.com/activclient7update.htm) I have a dedicated Windows 8 page located at: http://militarycac.com/windows8.htm if your Soldiers still have problems have them contact me via http://militarycac.com/questions.htm
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Why is Enterprise/OWA is more difficult to log into than AKO?
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CW3 Michael Danberry
Hello SFC Callan, can you define "More difficult?" I'll try to give you some ideas of why it might be more difficult for people. There are a lot of possible reasons. First, some people don't realize you have to use the EMAIL certificate when you have a choice of 2 certs. We've all been spoiled with AKO, because they suppressed the Email cert so, we didn't get confused. If your computer does not have the latest DoD certs (http://militarycac.com/dodcerts.htm) installed, you can have problems. Sometimes a few "bad" certs show up and cause problems with accessing web.mail.mil as well (see them listed on slide 15 of http://milcac.us/tweaks. Are you able to access other CAC enabled websites on this same computer? Are you using a Mac or a PC? As you can see, I have a ton of possible answers for your somewhat vague answer. I have all of the official help desks for DoD listed on http://militarycac.com/questions.htm
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1SG(P) (Join to see)
It's not a certificate issue. I've been selecting the e-mail cert. What frequently happens is I'll attempt to log into my enterprise e-mail. I'll get the "THIS IS A GUMMINT SITE" caveat page. I'll select the e-mail certificate and enter my pin. I'll then get a generic Explorer "This page can't be displayed" page. So I'll restart Explorer, successfully log into AKO, and click my in-box. I'll then log into Enterprise via AKO first. I estimate this works 50% of the time. It just seems that it sometimes takes multiple attempts to log into Enterprise, and I can occasionally only do it via AKO. But logging into AKO itself seems to rarely be a problem.
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CW3 Michael Danberry
Interesting, based on your reply, you are using a Windows computer. This issue is not as common as you might think, and therefore used to not be the case, but I'm hearing of it more and more lately. Windows 7 and below users can call the Army Enterprise Service Desk at [login to see] and ask for support.
Windows 8 users will want to install ActivClient 7.0.2.25 via links on: http://militarycac.com/army.htm#7.0.2.x_DOWNLOAD, the update it to 7.0.2.308 via links on: http://militarycac.com/activclient7update.htm. Windows 7 and below will want to install ActivClient 6.2.0.50 via links on: http://militarycac.com/army.htm, then update to the current version via links on: http://militarycac.com/activclient62update.htm Plus, users will want to go through this guide: http://milcac.us/tweaks
I'm still sorry to hear you are having these issues. But, until DISA knows about them, they can't assume you are having problems. They "think" everyone is getting on just fine, becuase they can't tell when it doesn't work. The way to contact them is via AESD at [login to see]
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SSG (Join to see)
Some of my battles have had that issue as well betting the "This page can't be displayed " message. I was surprised to find out that a lot of soldiers in my unit didn't know that you don't have to go through AKO to get your Enterprise.
I suggest if it is not a certificate issue to make sure your using IE 10 in compatibility mode. Try to log into Enterprise, but use the web.mail.mil in the address bar instead of going through AKO.
Enterprise usually prompts me to select another address web.mail-st01.mil or something similar I enter in my pin, then I bookmark that address.
If you get the "This page cannot be displayed" again try clearing you cookies, closing completely out of your browser and try web.mail.mil again.
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I still cannot get it to work. I have installed the certificates and gone through the process. when I try to use it to log on to AKO or access my outlook from home it says page cannot be displayed. I can use my CAC to get on MYPAY but not those. I have made sure the TTL and SSL's are correct. I am at a loss because it used to work for a couple of years for me then one day it just stopped. Any help would be great.
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CW3 Michael Danberry
Hello SFC Day, I'm assuming you are using a Windows computer? Have you gone through my guide? http://milcac.us/tweaks Even if yes, please go through it again. Including the reset of the IE web browser. If you have Windows 7 or 8.1, you'll now have IE 11 and may need to added the websites you are havin problems with your compatibility view settings.
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I just wanted to chime in and tell you that I just went through the whole process of getting my reader to work on my MAC at home. Holy cow was it a process, but your website is phenomenal. The only suggestion I would have is on the page were it gives you the good and the bad for the key reader programs, I had no clue what some of those things were in the columns. Maybe a short blurb as to why you may or may not want a particular trait. Thanks again.
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CW3 Michael Danberry
Hello SSG Varner, did you follow this page? http://militarycac.com/macnotes.htm ? How can I break it down further? Are you referring to the CAC enablers on http://militarycac.com/cacenablers.htm ? It is not really a good or bad, but what is available and compatible. Windows users only have ActivClient or built in ability. Where do you think I should put it? I ask because I lose people already in the amount of reading on the site already, so, if I put it at the top, they'll ignore it.
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I have definitely used your site more than a few times, like every time I get a new soldier and always encourage them to have their own personal CAC reader in their room or at home. With that said, I am not a tech savvie person by no means, but I am having problems accessing my mail.mil email from home, keep getting
Error Code: 500 Internal Server Error. The server denied
the specified Uniform Resource Locator (URL). Contact the server administrator.
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The page cannot be displayed
(omitted the junk)
Technical Information (for support personnel)
Error Code: 500 Internal Server Error. The server denied
the specified Uniform Resource Locator (URL). Contact the server administrator.
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CW3 Michael Danberry
Hello SGT Holder, Error 500 is getting more and more common. I have this error code listed on http://militarycac.com/errorcodes.htm and gives ideas for both PC and Mac users.
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You've actually helped me many times in the past with getting my MAC & military to work at home. I ended up following your suggestion and am using boot camp to partition my MAC and am running Windows virtually (or something like that). I send soldiers in my unit to your site all the time for help at home and for the links you have for virus protection, etc. it's definitely a go to for me to help set up soldiers for home use when they bring their laptop to me. I know your site, and directions are great, when I am not computer savvy at all, but I'm the go to person at my unit to help get soldiers online :) thank you
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CW3 Michael Danberry
Hello SPC (P) Collins, thanks for sharing your story of letting us know you are the go to person. Be careful, that is how I started too. :)
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Chief, it has been very useful to me over the past few years. I appreciate that someone makes an attempt to help Soldiers get it figured out when working from home. I use Google Chrome on a Mac 10.6.8 with the CAC reader, and using the instructions it works fine. As a Mac user, it's always a little frustrating how military web-sites can be so Mac unfriendly. it's 2014 for gosh sakes. I still can't download an ERB without using Internet Explorer. Really?
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CW3 Michael Danberry
Hello SFC Collins, thanks for your reply. I'm happy that you are successfully using your CAC. Only thing I'd like to remind you of is Apple is no longer supporting your version of OS X (10.6.8 Snow Leopard). So, this means you are on your own. Apple only supports the current, and one previous versions for updates. So, 10.9.x and 10.8.x. Just please know that.
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SFC (Join to see)
OK Cool. I haven't had many problems with this version (I bought this one in Iraq in 08) and I am just hesitant to upgrade...unlike my wife who is a lot smarter than me. Perhaps I should get her to update my Mac for me
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CW3 Michael Danberry
People say that Macs are so easy. :) I don't agree completely. Anything is "easy" if you've done it a few times. :)
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Chief, you have been a God-send to all of us who have had to work from home! I'll never understand why the Army has not made this a full time position. To everyone out there, CW3 Danberry is the epitome of Selfless Service!
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CW3 Michael Danberry
Hello SSG(P) Benavidez, Thanks for the kind words. I can tell you that in 2007 when I put MilitaryCAC online, I surely "thought" the DoD would have been self sufficient by now. It seems as though they are distancing themselves even more. They don't want to support any current OS' that Soldiers are using, like Macs and Windows 8.
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CW3 Danberry- Thank you so much for taking the time to develop such a great resource. I have been using it for years and it has been a lifesaver as I am a diehard Mac user. For anyone else using Mac, I purchased Thursby's PKCard softward ($30) and its been great. Just updated with the latest update and now all my links work on OS Mavericks. Thanks again Chief!!!!
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CW3 Michael Danberry
Hello CPT(P) Freeland, thanks for sharing your success story with us. PKard is a great program and is the only one with a person for tech support. Most of the programs are a use on your own. :)
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Always present in the never ending fight to rid the Army of unconnected Soldiers!
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