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ECF Login Validation and Troubleshooting

Published on August 3, 2017

This contains steps for validating log on and use of the new ECF application, as well as how to troubleshoot common errors due to browser or machine settings. The entire process from end-to-end should only take about 15 minutes to complete. If there are any issues or questions along the way, please contact the WI Help Desk at 608-261-4400 (Madison) | 1-866-335-2180 (Toll-free), or email helpdesk@wi.gov.

Login Validation

  1. Log into ECF at: https://ecf.wisconsin.gov/NavigatorP1/?desktop=ECF.

    Use your CARES mainframe ID, which would be the same ID you used to log into ECF before. Note: If you are not yet logged into WAMS, you may be prompted to login to WAMS first, in which case the standard WAMS login screen will display, prior to the ECF login screen.

  2. Select the Case Search option from the search list (as displayed in the screenshot below), where the options are: 1) ACCESS Tracking Number Search; 2) Case Search; 3) Individual Search; 4) QC Search; and 5) RFA Search.

    Figure 2 - Saved Search List
  3. In the Case Number field, enter a valid CARES case number (as displayed in the following screenshot).
    1. For more details regarding the Case Search page, refer to Ops Memo 16-26.


    Figure 3 - Case Search Saved Search

  4. Select a document to open by double-clicking on the document. The new document will display in a pop-up window.



Login Troubleshooting

Browser Issues: If upon loading ECF, you receive one of the following error messages, it is likely caused by an incorrect browser setting:

  • “IE8 is not a supported browser.”
  • “An error occurred when the browser attempted to load the ecm.js.jgz file from the application server. The ecm.js.jgz file is required by IBM Content Navigator.” Enterprise Mode should be disabled for ECF and is disabled by default, but if this error occurs, please follow the steps in Appendix A to turn off Enterprise Mode. Please note: this will not disable Enterprise Mode for CWW, which at this time should be enabled.

Firewall Issues: If upon clicking the ECF link, connection errors occur, it may be that a firewall rule is restricting access to the application. If this error occurs, please follow the steps in Appendix B to troubleshoot firewall rules.

Appendix A: Disabling Enterprise Mode

To disable Enterprise Mode, complete the following:

  1. Go to Tools Menu dropdown. (If menu hidden, make sure the browser window is active and then press alt key). Enterprise Mode option should be present. If Enterprise Mode is currently engaged, there will be a check mark next to it (as well as the Enterprise Mode icon in the URL/address bar).

    Figure 4 - Locating Enterprise Mode

  2. Select it again to toggle Enterprise Mode off. If you've done this right, there will no longer be a check mark or the Enterprise Mode icon in the URL/address bar of the browser.

    Enterprise mode is now disabled.

    Note: This action only takes effect to the specific URL which it is applied to. (i.e. To disable Enterprise mode on https://prd.cares.wisconsin.gov and https://prd.cares.wisconsin.gov/cares this method would need to be applied twice).

  3. If the issue persists, please email DHSECFsupport@dhs.wisconsin.gov.



Appendix B: Checking Firewall Settings

To verify the firewall rules from your network to ecf.wisconsin.gov (Navigator Application), please follow the below steps. There are 2 steps involved in this process, one is for enabling Telnet option on the system from which you are trying to test the Firewall rules and another is for testing the Telnet connection.

Step 1. Enabling Telnet Option on Windows

  1. Click Start > Control Panel.
  2. Click Programs and Features.
  3. Click Turn Windows features on or off.
  4. In the Windows Features dialog box, check the Telnet Client check box.
  5. Click OK. The system installs the appropriate files. This will take a few seconds to a minute.
  6. Click on Start > Search bar > type cmd > Hit Enter.

    Figure 5 - Finding The Command Prompt

  7. You will see command prompt window on your monitor.

    Figure 6 - Command Prompt



Step 2. Testing Telnet Connection

  1. [Domain Name or ip] is the domain name or IP address of the server to which you are trying to connect – Here ecf.wisconsin.gov.
  2. [port] is the port number where the server is listening – Here 443.
  3. Command to type = telnet ecf.wisconsin.gov 443.

    Figure 7 - Command To Type

  4. If the port is open, you will see a blank screen which means that connection is successful.

    Figure 8 - Successful Connection

  5. If there are no firewall rules opened from your network to ecf.wisconsin.gov, then you will see the below connection failed message on your cmd window.

    Figure 9 - Failed Connection

  6. To find details of ecf.wisconsin.gov:
    1. Command to type = nslookup ecf.wisconsin.gov
        2. Figure 10 - Finding ECF Details

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