Accounts and Passwords

You may have many accounts and passwords while at PSH; please read carefully. The three most commonly utilized account-related items are:

• the PSH LAN Account Form for requesting a PSH login ID;
• the Access Account Form for requesting a University-wide login ID; and
• the work.psu.edu site for changing your Access password.

Signature Stations

Signature Stations are used to activate your Access Account after you have registered for classes, or to reset your Access Account password. At PSH, Signature Stations are in the following locations:

• two in the basement of Olmsted
• one in E302 Olmsted
• one at the Library Front Desk, and
• one outside Housing E121

Student Accounts & Passwords

All students who attend Orientation should automatically receive Access Accounts.
Attended Freshman Orientation or Transfer Orientation But Don't Have an Account?
Start here to create your permanent Penn State Access Account.
Returning after a Withdrawal or Absence? Start here to create your temporary Friends of Penn State Account used to register for your first set of classes, OR visit the Registrar's Office in the Swatara Building to register for classes. (Please note: whichever option you use to register for classes, you will need to visit a Signature Station with your ID Card in order to reactivate your Access Account before the semester begins.)
Parent Account? Parents of students may wish to start here to create a Friends of Penn State account which can be used to pay/view student bills and tax information.
Want to Change Your Password? Simply visit the work.psu.edu site.
Forgot Your Password? Take your Student ID to any Signature Station at PSH or any other Penn State location.

Faculty & Staff Access "Thumbprint" Accounts & Passwords

The "Access" account is your "Thumbprint" account...your primary Penn State digital identity. This is the account you use for almost everything EXCEPT logging on to your machine in your office.
New and Need an Account? Use the Access Account Form to request your Penn State Access Account. Return the form to the HR Office or the Staff Assistant in your department. For extensive details, see here.
Want to Change Your Password? Simply visit the work.psu.edu site.
Forgot Your Password? Take your Penn State ID to any Signature Station: two in the basement of Olmsted, one in E302 Olmsted, one at the Library Front Desk, and one outside Housing E121.

Faculty & Staff PSH LAN Accounts & Passwords

The PSH LAN account is the account you use to login to your office computer. In classrooms, login using your Access Thumbprint account.
New and Need an Account? Use the PSH LAN Account Form to request your Penn State Harrisburg LAN Account. Return the form to the Staff Assistant in your department.
Want to Change Your Password? Simply hit CTRL-ALT-DELETE and choose "Change Password".
Forgot Your Password? Visit the ITS Office in E302 Olmsted and bring proof of identity. There is no other way to reset your PSH LAN password.

Laptop Accounts & Passwords

Your laptop MAY be set up with a separate, local login ID. If so, you will need to track this ID on your own and you will need to manage the password on your own. If you login to "This Machine" when you login to your laptop, it is not properly configured and you are in danger of losing access to the machine if you forget your password. You are better off if your laptop is set up to login with a PSH LAN Account or an Access Thumbprint account; contact ITS to have your laptop configured correctly.

If your laptop is properly configured to login to the PSH LAN or Access Thumbprint, but you go long stretches without connecting to the network, then your laptop password can be out of synch with your normal password. When you DO connect to the network, you will need to use your current password known to the network, not the lingering out-of-date password known to your laptop.

Unix and Mac Accounts

Most of our Unix and Mac accounts are set up as local login IDs on the machines, not as network-based IDs. Thus you will need to track your username and password on your own for these systems. If you forget the password or need to reset it, ITS can attempt to help. Unix Accounts are managed through Computer Science.

Friends of Penn State Accounts

Essentially anyone can apply for a Friends of Penn State Account. They are most often requested by alumni, parents, and prospective students. Visit the FPS website to request an account.

Short Term Access Accounts

If you have a visitor coming in to the University for a short-term visit (e.g. a day or a week), you may apply for a Short Term Access Thumbprint Account for the visitor. Many departmental SAs and AAs have pools of accounts; contact the appropriate person to request the account. If you are a Pool Administrator, or would like to create a pool for your department, visit this page and look under "STAA Management Center".

Other Accounts and Passwords

You may well have other accounts and passwords. Accounts on Unix machines, for instance, or accounts on various software applications that don't support the Access Thumbprint account. For these, contact the Administrator of the system or software application in question. ITS will not be able to help, although we are willing to try to point you to the right contact.