FAQ
What is the difference between the university password, the OTP and the network access password and where do I have to use which password?
To use university services you need three passwords: the university password (also called central (standard) password, password, university password, e-mail password), a valid one-time password (OTP), and the network access password.
For most central services (IT portal, e-mail, PC workstations etc.) you need the university password. This password will be given to you in your enrollment or recruitment documents.
Many services like the IT portal require higher security standards, which can be met by using one-time passwords (OTP). As the name suggests, this password can only be used once to authenticate yourself to a service. Therefore, you do not choose this password, but generate it with an OTP generator. Instructions on how to set up OTP generators and link them to the IT portal can be found on our OTP site.
The network access password is only required if you want to connect your own computer/smartphone via a WiFi or VPN connection to the university's computer network and the Internet there. Before using it for the first time, you need to set the network access password yourself in the IT portal.
You can change all passwords / OTP generators at any time in the IT portal under Passwords and PINs. All you need is your current university password and a valid OTP.
I have forgotten / want to change the password of my impersonal university ID, what can I do?
If you are the owner of the impersonal university ID in question, you can change the password using your personal university ID: To do so, you must log in to the IT portal with your main university ID, select the item Passwords and PINs and then the sub-item Re-set passwords / pins. On this page you can select the ID whose password you wish to change from a drop-down menu.
I do not have an OTP generator set up for my impersonal university ID, what can I do?
As the owner of an impersonal university ID, you can register an OTP generator using your main university ID: To do so, you must log in to the IT portal with your main university ID, select the item Passwords and PINs and then the sub-item OTP of [your impersonal ID]. There, you can register new OTPs for that ID.
If you only need the OTP to log in to the IT portal (i.e. to prolong group memberships), then you should visit this special login page. Please use your impersonal university ID, the password of your impersonal university ID and an OTP that you would also use for your personal university ID as login credentials.
I have forgotten / want to change the password of my additional personal university ID, what can I do?
If you have merged the additional university ID with your university ID (see How can I merge several personal university IDs? in this FAQ) or have requested it as an administrative university ID and the password was never changed, you can change the password once via your main university ID. To do so, you must log in to the IT portal with your main university ID, select the item Passwords and PINs and then the sub-item Re-set passwords / pins. On this page you can select the ID whose password you wish to change from a drop-down menu. If you cannot select the desired ID, the general options for changing the password apply.
How can I change my passwords?
You can change your university password, your network access password and your OTP generator in the IT portal under Passwords and PINs. Some systems or services have their own password management, but most of them are still supplied via the IT portal. Wherever possible, passwords should therefore always be changed in the IT portal and not separately in the systems.
