America Online (AOL), Prodigy, and CompuServe are Internet Service Providers (ISP). As part of their software, they each provide an internal Web browser.

Issue #1 : Using the internal browsers may cause sporadic problems with an online course. To minimize the possibility of browser-related problems, the helpdesk strongly recommends using an external browser (such as Microsoft Internet Explorer) when accessing our online courses and also when taking our browser test .

Most computers have an updated version of an external browser pre-installed.

It's easy to use an external browser:

1. Connect to the ISP, but do NOT go to any Web sites.
2. Minimize the ISP window;
3. Open the Internet Explorer browser, click on the address bar, type the Web address (or URL) http://online.umflint.edu and press the enter key to access the home page;
4. Login, as usual.

If you can't locate a Microsoft Internet Explorer browser on your computer, it's easy to download and install:

Download Now

Issue #2 : AOL users may be unable to send e-mail to or receive e-mail from other AOL users if they use the "Send E-mail" function of their course site. This glitch only occurs when both the sender and the recipient are AOL e-mail users.  For this reason, please use your free UM-Flint e-mail account for online courses. Apply for a uniqname and e-mail account with Information Technology Services (ITS) if you don't have one, and then contact us so we can update your profile in the online learning system.

CAUTION: When an ISP's internal browser is not in use, the ISP will consider the user inactive and will disconnect the user after a period of time. To avoid being disconnected, return to the main page of the ISP every half hour or so and click on a link, or check e-mail, or check the weather, or open a chat room on your ISP. Any one of these activities will reset the ISP's "inactivity timer." Then you can continue working on your online course.