# What is wrong with my browser settings? Why can't I log into some sites? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 1, 2002, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-wrong-with-my-browser-settings-why-cant-i-log-into-some-sites/106664 "2002-05-01T15:47:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2002, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-wrong-with-my-browser-settings-why-cant-i-log-into-some-sites/106664/1 "2002-05-01T15:47:18Z")
I recently had to scrub my hard drive and start from scratch on my home PC. I have a copy of IE5 – and it’s not working very well for me. I know that it was generally considered one of the worst of the recent IE releases. I am going to download IE6 soon, but this is still bugging me. It seems like I am having a problem with cookies, because when I try to log into certain sites (webmail, online banking, etc) it will not let me – or as soon as I submit my login/PW I an redirected to logout page. Now, keep in mind that some sites that use cookies it will work fine with (SDMB, for example). I have both disk-saved and session cookies set to “enable”, my security setting are all defaulted to medium and I have skimmed most of the settings under tools–\>internet options and nothing looks unusual (although I must admit that I am not up to speed on everything under the “advanced” tab). Anyone have any clue as to why I can’t log into some sites? Thanks in advance. ---
**Author:** ![abel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@abel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abel)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2002, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-wrong-with-my-browser-settings-why-cant-i-log-into-some-sites/106664/2 "2002-05-01T17:35:58Z")
This is just a shot in the dark, but it might be a problem with the level of encryption your browser supports. You mentioned online banking, which would require at least 128 SSL encryption. I would suggest either upgrading to IE6 or looking for an encryption pack on Microsoft’s website. ---
**Author:** ![rookie523](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71c47a/32.png) [@rookie523](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rookie523)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2002, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-wrong-with-my-browser-settings-why-cant-i-log-into-some-sites/106664/3 "2002-05-01T17:57:04Z")
the problem i think is that you have previous cookies that are screwing up your login… delete all cookies and try again. you should be able to login. ---
**Author:** ![PBear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/839c29/32.png) [@PBear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PBear)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2002, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-wrong-with-my-browser-settings-why-cant-i-log-into-some-sites/106664/4 "2002-05-01T19:19:50Z")
Another setting to check is scripts. If disabled (my usual setting), some sites won’t let you in. Some tell you why; most don’t. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2002, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-wrong-with-my-browser-settings-why-cant-i-log-into-some-sites/106664/5 "2002-05-01T22:57:40Z")
Free-ish cookie managers: [download.com](http://download.com) search for ‘cookie’ ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-wrong-with-my-browser-settings-why-cant-i-log-into-some-sites/106664/6 "2002-05-03T12:22:45Z")
well, after some more tooling around, no luck. Scripts are enabled, I wiped out my cookie file and clean, and I downloaded IE6 (128bit encr.) , and I am still getting the same results. Any other insight? ---
**Author:** ![OneChance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/74df32/32.png) [@OneChance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneChance)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-wrong-with-my-browser-settings-why-cant-i-log-into-some-sites/106664/7 "2002-05-03T14:25:09Z")
Exactly which sites can you not login to? Are you getting any error messages? Try this: Delete your browser’s cookies and files, then open the browser and try to login to a site that has failed before. As soon as it fails, check your Temporary Internet Files folder and see if any cookies show up. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-wrong-with-my-browser-settings-why-cant-i-log-into-some-sites/106664/8 "2002-05-03T15:49:11Z")
Start:settings:control panel:internet settings Look around there & make sure that you didn’t set the security too high. ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-wrong-with-my-browser-settings-why-cant-i-log-into-some-sites/106664/9 "2002-05-03T18:40:54Z")
When I try to log into [mail.com](http://mail.com), I enter login / PW , and as soon as I submit I am being redirected to the logout screen. Can login in with no problems at work. When I try to log onto my online banking, the screen redraws, and it says that " I am not enrolled for online banking" , while the same login works fine from my PC at work. Security is set at medium.