Installing ActiveX Controls
I don't know how to install an ActiveX control to play a game. How do I do this?
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What are ActiveX Controls?
Your Internet browser is capable of displaying all kinds of interactive content ranging from online banking and spreadsheets to media players and computer games – if it has the right add-ons and ActiveX controls installed. Among the more common ActiveX controls that you may have encountered are stock tickers, toolbars, and animations.
Like any program that you find on the Internet, ActiveX controls can be dangerous so only install ActiveX controls from reputable and trusted Web sites. For example, if you are setting up online banking using instructions provided to you by your bank teller and you are at the official bank Web site, then you can be relatively assured that the ActiveX control is safe. On the other hand, if a random popup ad tells you to install an ActiveX control in order to get a free virus scanner, don’t do it.
How to Install ActiveX Controls
First, you must have permission to install ActiveX controls. If your account is not set up with these permissions, you’ll need to sign in as the system administrator or ask another user with the appropriate privileges for help.
When a Web site requires an ActiveX control, your Internet browser may or may not show you what you need in order to install it. Assuming you’re signed in with administrative rights, go into Internet Explorer and click on Tools > Internet Options > Security > Custom Level. From there, scroll down to the ActiveX Controls section. Look for “Download signed ActiveX controls” and make sure that it is set to Prompt.
Now, you should receive a prompt in the form of a thin yellow bar that runs across the top section of your Web browser. This prompt identifies the publisher of the ActiveX control (like Adobe or Sun Microsystems) and asks you to click on the bar if you want to run the control. Clicking on the bar then allows the download to take place and you will see a series of typical installation prompts.
How to Disable ActiveX Controls
Should you later want to disable an ActiveX control, go back into Internet Explorer’s Tools menu and click Manage Add-ons? Find the ActiveX control in the list, highlight it, and click Disable.
