Winstat Solutions: Starting a Winstat Session

Most people are able to install the Citrix Receiver and log into Winstat without difficulty (see Using Winstat for instructions) but things do occasionally go wrong. This article is for you if you can log into the Winstat web page, but when you actually click on Winstat your computer either tries to download a file called launch.ica or nothing happens at all.

Check the Citrix Receiver

Usually this means that the Citrix Receiver, the program that allows your computer to talk to Winstat, is either not installed or not working properly. If it were, your computer would use it to open .ica files just like it uses Adobe Reader to open .pdf files.

To verify that the Receiver is installed, click on Settings in the Winstat web interface and then the Change Client button under General options.  If there is a Deploy link to the right of Native Client, click it and then click Install.  This will download the Citrix Receiver installation program. Run it once it has finished downloading. When the installer indicates that it has successfully completed, return to your web browser, click Continue, then Save on the Client Selection screen, then click on Winstat again.

Note that Chrome does not detect the Citrix Receiver and thus always thinks it's not installed, but the Citrix Receiver will work anyway (assuming it's been installed properly).

If the Citrix Receiver is installed but won't start a Winstat session, it may have crashed. If you can see it on the task bar, right click on it and choose Close window. If not, or if that doesn't help, reboot your computer.

Make the Winstat Web Site A Trusted Site for Internet Explorer

If you are using Internet Explorer, the Winstat web site must be considered a "trusted" site in order for it to start a Winstat session. To make it trusted, click on the gear icon (or Tools menu) and choose Internet Options.  Under the Security tab, click on the green check mark for Trusted Sites and then the Sites button below.  Add https://wi.ssc.wisc.edu to Trusted Sites and click OK.  You will then need to restart Internet Explorer for the change to take effect.

Getting Help

If after following these instructions you're still unable to start a Winstat session, we'll be happy to assist. Most SSCC members should contact the SSCC Help Desk, but members from the School of Education should contact either WCER Technical Services or MERIT Help Desk.

Last Revised: 5/21/2012