FAQ - Netids, Passwords, and Accounts: How to Get Them, What They're Good For, and Password and Login Problems

Table of Contents About UIC NetIDs, the ACCC Common Password, and ACCC Accounts Do I really need a UIC netid and ACCC Common password? Even if I'm not going to use an ACCC email account? What ACCC services will I use my UIC netid and ACCC password for? How do I get my UIC netid, my ACCC common password, and open my ACCC accounts? What about ACCC passwords? How much will my ACCC account cost? Do I have to renew my account? What if I leave UIC? What are the rules for using ACCC services? My account has been suspended. How do I unsuspend it? I have a computation-intensive project. What machine should I use? More about ACCC passwords How do I change my ACCC password? Or my Res-Phone password? I forgot my ACCC password. Or my Res-Phone password? What do I do? What will happen to my account when my password expires? Getting ACCC Accounts and Passwords for External People I have people who are not in the UIC phonebook (external affiliations) that I need to get ACCC netids and passwords for; how do I do this? Other IDs and Passwords I need to log in to register for classes, to check on my employment details, to log in to the hospital system, etc. What ID and password should I use? I have a hospital ITS ID and password. Can I use them to login to Nessie (or other Bluestem-protected Web services)? Problems with Logging In I'm trying to login but I can't get connected to argo/icarus/mailserv/tigger/UICalendar (or any other ACCC public server). Is it up? I'm trying to login to my account, and it keeps telling me that my login id or password is incorrect. What should I do? I'm trying to login on the Web, and Bluestem (which is used by Nessie, the Enterprise Password Reset Page and so on) says Incorrect ID or Password. What should I do? I'm trying to login on the Web, and Bluestem (which is used by Nessie, the Enterprise Password Reset page and so on) says IP not registered in the DNS. What should I do? I'm trying to login to a public lab computer, but it told me I was already logged in somewhere else.

Question 1.1 Do I really need a UIC netid and ACCC Common password? Even if I'm not going to use an ACCC email account?
Everyone at UIC needs to have a UIC netid and an ACCC common password. It allows you:

• To use various secured or personalized UIC and University of Illinois services, including the following
• Students need a UIC netid and an ACCC common password to get an Enterprise ID, which is required to register. (For more information, see University of Illinois Enterprise ID and Password in the ACCC Passwords page.)
• To use any ACCC service: email, dialin lines, personal computer labs and printers, public UNIX workstations, and storage space for personal Web pages.

The three parts that everyone needs are:

• a public UIC netid
• a private ACCC common password associated with your netid
• and students need a valid netid@uic.edu email address. It doesn't have to point to an ACCC email account, though.

Your netid is part of your UIC email address, so it needs to be public. That's why you need a private password to go along with your netid -- to that other people can't impersonate you online.

Specifically, you'll use your UIC netid and ACCC password to:

• access your ACCC electronic mail
• change the settings of your ACCC antispam filter
• use the ACCC public personal computers
• use the ACCC dialin telephone lines
• log in to your ACCC UNIX account
• set the email account that email sent to your netid@uic.edu email address is actually delivered to
• and to access ACCC, UIC, and U of I secure/personalized Web sites, including the following:
  • online student and teaching resources, including UofI-Online and the Student Access System
  • many of the UIC Library's online references and databases
  • UIC Human Resources and U of I Human Recourses online systems
  • the Enterprise Password Reset Page
  • and many UIC, UIUC, and U of I Web pages that require a Bluestem login

Question 1.2 What ACCC services will I use my UIC netid and ACCC password for?

1. You will use the same password for almost all ACCC and UIC computer-related and online services. ACCC Passwords explains more about your ACCC password, how it works, and how to change it.
   
   
2. A UIC netid and ACCC common password allows you to log in in the ACCC public labs, to use the ACCC dialin lines, UIC Wireless, and Res-Net, and posting to the UIC Announce system.
   
   
3. Your UIC netid and ACCC commond password come with an ACCC Novell Server Services account, which allows you to use the ACCC's public personal computers (running Mac OS X and Windows XP), including printing and a small amount of online disk storage space; see ACCC Facilities. They also come with an account on the ACCC's Blackboard Web teaching and learning environment that is used in many classes at UIC.
   
   
4. After you activate your UIC netid and choose an ACCC common password, you can open account(s) on ACCC public UNIX server(s):
   • If you're a student: on icarus.cc.uic.edu
   • If you're UIC faculty or staff: on tigger.cc.uic.edu
   • And an email-only account, an account on mailserv.uic.edu
   • And for faculty and staff and for students who are sponsored by them, accounts on the ACCC Beowulf cluster argo.uic.edu.
     
     
5. Along with your account on mailserv (or icarus or tigger, but we recommend using mailserv for email), the ACCC provides everything you need to use electronic mail: An email address, an inbox, and a choice of email handling programs; see Using Electronic Mail.
   
   Note that you don't have to use an ACCC email account in order to use your netid@uic.edu email address. You can use your UIC netid and ACCC password to log in to set the email account that email sent to your is actually delivered to, which can be any valid email address.
   
   
6. Using your netid@uic.edu email address also gives you ACCC antispam filtering, regardless of whether it's delivered to an ACCC email server.
   
   
7. You can also use your UIC netid and ACCC password to open an account on and use UICalendar, a free synchronized online, Web, and PDA calendar and scheduling tool.
   
   
8. Opening an account on tigger or icarus provides you with space for a personal Web page; see Web Publishing at UIC. (As with all ACCC and UIC services, using ACCC Web space for commercial purposes is forbidden.)

You'll use your UIC netid and ACCC password to access:

• ACCC public personal computers
• ACCC networking facilities: dialup lines, Res-Net, UIC Wireless
• ACCC, UIC, and U of I secure/personalized Web sites, including the following:
  • online student and teaching resources, including BlackBoard and UIC Online

And, if you choose to open ACCC accounts:

• your ACCC UNIX account(s)
• your ACCC electronic mail
• your UICalendar online calendaring account

Question 1.3 How do I get my UIC netid, my ACCC common password, and open my ACCC accounts?

Getting a UIC netid and an ACCC common password is not a problem if you're a UIC faculty or staff member or an accepted student at UIC; you can do it online with a Web form.

UIC faculty, staff, and registered students are also eligible for a variety of ACCC accounts and services, which are free except for charges for printing in excess of a generous per-semester allowance. Signup for those accounts is also available online, via a Web form.

To get your netid and password:

Students:

To get your netid and ACCC common password, you need the following information:

• Your University Identification Number, UIN. Either:
  • Get your i-card: i-card information
  • Or use the UIN University Identification Number that is listed on your admissions letter as your Applicant ID
• Your Social Security Number, SSN
• Your Birth date
• Your Name

Faculty and Staff:

See your department's phonebook contact person to select your netid. You must do this before you begin the "activate your netid" process.

Student's netids are built automatically from their last name and first initial.

Once you have the proper information, you can probably activate your UIC netid and open any ACCC accounts you need by yourself using the ACCC Account Creation Web page. This page is a form that you fill in and submit on the Web.

To get ACCC netid and account Web pages from on the Web:

1. Go the the ACCC home page: http://www.accc.uic.edu or any other ACCC Web page and click on the purple Accounts button.
2. The three steps in getting your netid, password, and accounts are under New Accounts:
   1. Get a Netid (faculty and staff only),
   2. Activate Your Netid (everyone; includes choosing an ACCC common password), and
   3. Open an Acccount (faculty, staff, and registered students).

Do you have a question or need help? See the Client Services Office (Room 2267 SEL, 950 S. Halsted, 312-413-0003), or see a consultant in Room 181 BGRC (1940 W. Taylor), or in an ACCC public lab.

Question 1.4 What about ACCC passwords?

• You will be asked to choose a password before you can use your UIC netid or open an ACCC account. See How do I get my UIC netid, my ACCC common password, and open my ACCC accounts? for more information.
  
  
• ACCC Passwords describes the ACCC common password, what it's used for, and how to choose and change it.
  
  
• Choosing a Safe Password: The password changing Web page gives the rules for a valid password; they are very strict. The password you select will be tested against a number of rules; the password changing Web page may ask you to choose another password if your choice fails any of those tests.

• The ACCC Common password applies to all of your ACCC accounts, including icarus, tigger, mailserv, blackboard, UICalendar, Bluestem, dialin servers, public labs, etc. Your netid is part of your email address, so it's public knowledge. It's your password(s) that keeps your UIC, U of I, and ACCC services, account(s), and privileges private to you. Don't ever give your password to anyone else!
  
  
• See Choosing a Safe Password for more advice.
  
  

Question 1.5 How much will my ACCC account cost?

No monetary charge is made for most ACCC services, including email, the use of your ACCC UNIX server account(s), and the personal computers in the ACCC public labs, the ACCC seminars program, and most printing on ACCC printers.

We do, however, charge for the following:

• printing above a per-semester allowance
• the ACCC Server Services shared software program for on-campus offices and departmental labs
• purchase of personal computer software under U of Illinois or UIC site-licenses
• Res-Net network connections in the UIC residence halls
• Res-Phone telephone password for charging off-campus calls from telephones in the UIC residence halls
• large blocks of online storage on the ACCC UNIX servers
• specially arranged development or repair services

Question 1.6 Do I have to renew my account?

• Your free ACCC account(s) will remain active as long as you continue your association with UIC. That is, as long as you register for classes if you're a student or stay in the online phonebook and in Payroll if you're faculty or staff.

Question 1.7 What if I leave UIC?

• Your free ACCC accounts, including email, will expire after a grace period.
• For more information, see Terms of Accounts on ACCC Computers.
• Students living in the UIC residence halls must cancel their Res-Net and Res-Phone off-campuse phone service, however, whenever they move out of the residence hall. If you do not, you will continue to be charged for the service.

Question 1.8 What are the rules for using ACCC services?

The use of the ACCC's shared resources is a privilege, not a right. We expect everyone to use the ACCC services in an efficient, ethical, and legal manner.

• The ACCC Policies Web page has links to our major policy documents.
• The Acceptable Use Policy is of special importance.

Question 1.9 My account has been suspended. How do I unsuspend it?

• You need to stop by the CSO (2267 SEL, 950 S. Halsted) or the BGRC consultants office (181 BGRC, 1940 W. Taylor) to have see a consultant about the suspension.
• Accounts are NOT unsuspended over the phone!
• Reasons why accounts are suspended.

Question 1.10 I have a computation-intensive project. What machine should I use?

• Use the ACCC's on the ACCC Beowulf cluster argo.uic.edu; No general purpose usage (email, Web browsing, etc.) is permitted on argo.
• To obtain an account on argo, send email to systems@uic.edu with ARGO Account Request on the Subject: line and your name, netid, phone, and a description of how you would use argo. Professors: do not have your graduate students use your account; it is a violation of ACCC policy. Instead ask them to send email as above requesting their own account. They should mention your name.
• Your argo account will use your ACCC Common password.
• For more information, see the argo Home Page.

Question 2.1 How do I change my ACCC password? Or my Res-Phone password?

• You use the password change Web page to change your password. After you finish, set up a Challenge/Response or Emergency Email address so you can later change your password if you forget it.
• ACCC Passwords explains more about what ACCC password are, how they work, and how to change your password.

Question 2.2 I forgot my ACCC password. Or my Res-Phone password? What do I do?

• You need to stop by the CSO (2267 SEL, 950 S. Halsted) or the BGRC consultant's office (181 BGRC, 1940 W. Taylor) to have a consultant change your password for you.
• Password changes are NOT done over the phone! (You wouldn't want us changing your password without our knowing for sure that you were the one requesting it, would you?)
• What if you've forgotten your password and you can't easily stop by the CSO? No problem if you've set up a Challenge Response or Emergency Email address before your forget your password. For more information, see Setting Emergency Password Rescue Mechanisms -- The Details for an explanation and links.

Question 2.3 What will happen to my account when my password expires?

• Nothing will happen to your account; it will stay put.
• You can use an expired password to log in to the password change Web page to change your password. So if you remember your password, or if you've set a Challenge Response or Emergency Email address, you're set.
• If you don't remember your password and haven't set an emergency mechanism, then you'll have to come in to get your password changed. Password changes are NOT done over the phone! For more information, see I forgot my ACCC password. What do I do?.
• You can of course, change your password before it expires. :-).

Question 3.1 I have people who are not in the UIC phonebook (external affiliations) that I need to get ACCC netids and passwords for; how do I do this?

• For more information, send email to accounts@uic.edu.

Question 4.1 I need to log in to register for classes, to check on my employment details, to log in to the hospital system, etc. What ID and password should I use?

• For more information about these systems, see the University of Illinois Enterprise ID and Password and Other UIC Passwords sections of the ACCC Passwords Web page.

Question 4.2 I have a hospital ITS ID and password. Can I use them to login to Nessie (or other Bluestem-protected Web services)?

• Yes.
• The ACCC and ITS have an agreement that the ACCC and ITS netid are always the same, and when you log in using Bluestem, it checks both the ACCC and ITS passwords.
• In fact, if you have both passwords, a Bluestem login wouldn't know which one was used. It would just know that your UIC netid had been authenticated.

Question 5.1 I'm trying to login but I can't get connected to argo/icarus/mailserv/tigger/UICalendar (or any other ACCC public server). Is it up?

• Visit the ACCC UpReport page, a Web page that lists the ACCC public servers and services, and says whether (and for how long) they are available. The UpReport Web page is automatically updated every 10 minutes.

Question 5.2 I'm trying to login to my account, and it keeps telling me that my login id or password is incorrect. What should I do?

• Try logging in again, making sure you type your netid and password correctly:
  • All UIC netids are all lower case; did you use lower case when you typed your netid?
  • You may have typed your password wrong. Case matters in passwords; is your Caps Lock set, by any chance?
• Assuming that you do know your netid, if you try again and you still can't login, your password may have expired or you may simply have forgotten it. Go to the CSO (2267 SEL, 950 S. Halsted) and we change it for you.
• Password changes are NOT done over the phone! For more information, see I forgot my ACCC password. What do I do?.

Question 5.3 I'm trying to login on the Web, and Bluestem (which is used by Nessie, the Enterprise Password Reset Page and so on) says Incorrect ID or Password. What should I do?

• ACCC Web Security at UIC: Authentication with Bluestem and Ness explains how to login with Bluestem.
• If you run into problems, you need to be sure you are using a netid and a valid password.
  • ID or Netid. Bluestem can accept various UIC (and UIUC, and maybe others in the future) netids. But not all, so that might be your problem. And the format can be slightly different than other uses.
    • If you have an account on icarus or tigger or mailserv, then its login name is your UIC netid. If you use the UIC dialin servers or the UIC Public Labs, the login name you use there is also your UIC netid. Don't remember what it is? In almost all cases, you can lookup your netid in the UIC online phonebook. Also see General info on netids at UIC.
    • Be sure to always type your UIC netid in lower case.
    • For UIC applications only, if your UIC netid was adabyron, you could use either adabyron or adabyron@uic.edu when Bluestem asks for your netid.
    • However, for applications (such as Nessie and the Enterprise Password Reset page) that are homed at UIUC, you must always use the full adabyron@uic.edu format. The netid screen for each application will tell you where it is homed. Check at the top.
    • Or, you could always use adabyron@uic.edu format, in all Bluestem pages; that will always work.
  • Passwords.
    • Remember, passwords are case-sensitive. Don't get the capitals wrong.
    • You can use your ACCC Commmon password. You can verify it by logging in to your account on tigger, icarus, or by using Webmail.
    • If you have an ITS Winstation account, you can use that password. Check with ITS about verifying or changing your password.
    • You cannot use other passwords from departmental machines, or passwords to accounts on Yahoo or AOL.
• If your password is no longer valid, see other questions in this FAQ about getting it changed.
• If Bluestem told you there's a problem with your netid or password, and if you have confirmed them your netid and password by above methods and still cannot log onto Bluestem, please report this to www@uic.edu. Be sure to include what netid you typed into Bluestem, when this happened, and also cut-and-paste the Bluestem error message into the report.

Question 5.4 I'm trying to login on the Web, and Bluestem (which is used by Nessie, the Enterprise Password Reset page and so on) says IP not registered in the DNS. What should I do?

• If you get an error message like this from Bluestem, there is nothing wrong with your netid or password.
• The problem is with your personal computer, or, more precisely, with the people who gave you your network connection.
• Here's how to fix it:
  • If you are using a modem, cable modem, or DSL, Call your Internet Service Provider.
  • If the problem is on campus, talk to your departmental REACH person.
  • If the problem is with an ITS winstation, talk to ITS.
And tell them that they need to register your IP address in their DNS.
• Sometimes this is a temporary problem: Your ISP normally runs a Domain Name Server. If that server goes down, you'll get this bluestem message. Once they bring it back up, no problem.

Question 5.5 I'm trying to login to a public lab computer, but it told me I was already logged in somewhere else.

• See When I tried to log on to a public lab computer, it told me ..., in the labs FAQ.

Need Additional Help?