Before setting your UNIX/email password on an HSEAS host, please choose a
good password. Guidelines for choosing a good password may be found at
cng.seas.rochester.edu/CNG/docs/gpw.html.
It is critical that you follow those guidelines.
To simplify things, we will recommend that you login to the appropriate UNIX host in your department. While you should be able to set your password on any UNIX host in your department, there are often differences in how you do this depending on the OS and its revision level. Login with a SecureShell client. All of our UNIX hosts have a SecureShell login client (slogin) installed. slogin is part of MacOS-X (you need to access it via a terminal window). Free SecureShell clients are available for Windows systems and versions of MacOS prior to MacOS-X. For more information and free downloads, see cng.seas.rochester.edu/CNG/News/SecureShell.html.
To login to a UNIX/Linux host from a MacOS-X or other UNIX/Linux host, you issue a command (in a shell window)
slogin -l username host
| Note: a shell window is just a command or terminal window, for UNIX/Linux/MacOS, this is similar to a Windows/DOS command window. If you are already on a UNIX/Linux host, you are probably already working in a terminal window. MacOS also has terminal windows, but MacOS is geared more to working in application windows. To get a terminal window in MacOS, click on the Terminal icon in the dock, or open the Applications folder, then the Utilities folder contained within Applications, and then click on Terminal. Then issue the appropriate slogin command in that terminal window. |
The recommended hosts and password changing commands are:
| Department | Recommended Host | Password Changing Command |
|---|---|---|
| BME | nova.seas.rochester.edu | /usr/bin/passwd -r nis |
| CHE | oz.che.rochester.edu | /usr/bin/passwd |
| ECE | valhalla.ece.rochester.edu | /usr/bin/passwd -r nis |
| ME | fulcrum.me.rochester.edu | /usr/bin/passwd -r nis |
| Optics | moe.optics.rochester.edu | /usr/bin/passwd |
| CEIS | nova.seas.rochester.edu | /usr/bin/passwd -r nis |
| HSEAS | nova.seas.rochester.edu | /usr/bin/passwd -r nis |
If this is the first time you have contacted that host via SecureShell, or if it has been a long time, you might be prompted to accept the host's key signature. Do so; the server host and your client host exchange a key to verify each other's identity and to set up an encryption key-pair to secure your connection.
Once logged in on the appropriate host, you need to issue the appropriate password changing command (refer to the table):
You will be asked for your current password, then for your new password, and finally, for your new password again. If you enter your old password incorrectly, you have to try again, starting over with the 'passwd' command. If you do not enter your new password the same twice, then you will have to try again. Since you won't see what you're typing, this ensures you entered the same value.
| NOTE: The change you make in your department does not immediately propagate to HSEAS - and until that happens, your central HSEAS and departmental UNIX/Linux passwords are not in sync. You can correct this problem quickly. Either use your old password on central HSEAS hosts until the change propagates, or you can login to nova.seas.rochester.edu and repeat your password reset (it will know only your old password). Obviously, if you are in HSEAS or BME or CEIS, you don't have to worry about this. |
If you encounter some difficulty, stop by and see a systems staff (CNG) member for assistance. You may also contact problem@seas.rochester.edu by email for assistance.
Remember, never share your password with anyone - including CNG staff members, and never send it in an email message (we won't send you a password that way either). Also, do not use this password for anything else (e.g, for on-line banking, for registering at some website, etc.), and do not use a password you use elsewhere for your HSEAS UNIX/email (or Windows) account.
Last modifed: Thursday, 21-Jul-2022 13:55:00 EDT