Many online BU resources require that you authenticate before being granted access. If you have problems logging into a web application, the following suggestions may be helpful.

Quick tips

Use the correct login information

In most cases, you can log in to online BU resources using either your BU username (e.g., terrier) or full BU email (e.g., terrier@bu.edu) and your BU Kerberos password. When an online resource uses Microsoft authentication, however, you must use your full BU email as your username. If you have forgotten your BU password, you can reset it.

If you are trying to log in with a BU Web Account (such as for BU applicants), your login will be the entire email address you provided when creating your account – for example, sampleperson@gmail.com.

Password Managers

If you use a password manager and recently changed your BU password, you may need to prevent it from automatically logging you in until you update the stored password. This process will vary by password manager, though many will offer to update your saved password the next time you manually use your new one.

Connect to the right wireless network

If you’re using Wi-Fi on campus, make sure you aren’t using the BU Guest network. You should use eduroam with your BU email and password. Some BU resources cannot be accessed from BU Guest or eduroam when using another institution’s credentials.

Look for Single Sign-on Options

Many online services, like Zoom, allow you to authenticate through multiple methods. In these cases, look for a Single Sign-on (SSO) option to ensure you authenticate with your BU login as expected. Often times, you won’t be able to log in otherwise.

Do basic browser troubleshooting

  • Quit or Exit the browser and try again – Sometimes all you need is a fresh start. See if quitting the browser and trying again helps.
  • Try a “hard’ refresh or clear your cache – Sometimes a hard refresh, holding Control or Command while refreshing the page, can clear issues. If not, you can also try clearing your browser’s cache.
  • Try a different browser or a private session – A quick way to troubleshoot issues is to use your browser’s private, incognito, or InPrivate browsing window to create a clean session. You can also use another browser. For example, if you use Firefox, try Edge or Chrome. This can help reveal if your issue stems from your current session, your browser settings, browser extensions, or something else like your network.

Still not working?

If you’ve tried the above common steps, there are a few additional suggestions you can try.

  • Are you blocking JavaScript? – Many authentication services rely on JavaScript to function properly. Make sure JavaScript is enabled in your browser’s settings. Or, if you have an extension like NoScript, verify that the necessary scripts have been allowed to load on BU’s login pages.
  • Check for proxies or firewalls – Sometimes browser extensions or third-party VPN software can modify your browser’s or your computer’s proxy settings, routing your data in unexpected ways. Try searching your browser’s settings for “proxy” to see if anything custom has been set. You can also check your Windows or macOS network settings.
    • If you installed a third-party VPN software and cannot disable the firewall or proxy settings, you may need to uninstall it.
  • Are other websites working? – Try accessing other resources online. If those aren’t working either, there may be a problem with something else like firewall software, connection to your network, or the network itself.

Contact us for assistance

If all else fails, you can always contact us for assistance either in person or online. Make sure to let us know what you’ve tried from the suggestions above. If you’ve encountered any error messages, please include those as well.