Are you new to the University of Münster? Do you have a new computer?

Welcome on behalf of IVV1 - as the IT department responsible for your institution, we are always your first point of contact for all IT-related questions. To make your start at the university as easy as possible, you will find basic information and recommendations from IVV1 and the CIT here. As the services and procedures of IVV1 and CIT change over time, this information will also be of interest to you if you have been working here for some time but have a new computer, for example.

  • IT-Portal

    The IT portal serves as an access point for managing your university ID. You can set up your passwords, apply for certificates and new IDs or group memberships as well as set up and access your university mail account via the IT portal. The CIT offers a start assistant with which you can edit the most important settings for the IT service. On this page you will find explanations of the most important functions and options of the IT portal.

    University ID(s)

    You will almost always use your university ID to log in to your computer, e-mail account and other university services. You will receive this at the start of your employment. Guests have the option of applying for a guest ID.

    Guest application

    Passwords

    Many university services require their own password. You can set up and test the following passwords in the IT portal:

    1. The university password
      This is your default password and is used for most services. It is always required when you are asked to enter your university password in instructions.
    2. The network access password
      The network access password is mandatory for logging into the university network. You need it to log in to the WLAN and the VPN. You can set, test and change it in the IT portal. You can find more information about the university network below.
    3. Copier PIN
      You need the copier PIN if you want to log in to the multifunctional devices to print, copy or scan.
    4. One-time passwords (OTP)
      The one-time password (OTP) is the mandatory 2-factor authentication used by the University of Münster and should be set up directly with the university password. It is a six-digit numerical code that is regenerated at regular intervals. You will often be asked to enter both the university password or network access password (see below) and a one-time password. You should also have set up an OTP generator on at least two devices so that you still have access to the OTP even if one device fails. Instructions for setting up and further information can be found here.
    5. Entra account
      You also need a password for the Entra account, which authorises you as an employee to use Office 365 and Adobe Acrobat Pro. You can find more information in the following section.

    Important: In the IT portal, you also have the option of taking precautions against password loss. We strongly recommend this, as it makes it much easier for you to reset your password. We also recommend that you use a password manager (e.g. KeePass - available from the Software Center, see below). This allows you to use complex passwords, as you only need to remember the password of the password manager. If you lose your university password and OTP despite all precautions, you will need to identify yourself at the CIT service desk to reset your password.

    Entra ID

    • You can activate your Microsoft Entra account in the licenses (software etc.) section of the IT portal. This allows students and employees to use Office 365 (Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, etc.); employees also have the option of using Adobe Acrobat Pro. Your Entra ID always follows the scheme Uni-Kennung@on.wwu.de. This is your user name with which you can log in to Microsoft Office or Adobe. You can also reset the password for the Entra ID in the IT portal.

    Please note: If you reset or change the password, it will take approx. 1 hour for the changes to take effect.

  • Computers, printers and telephones

    Computer

    • Every device, regardless of whether it is a stand-alone computer or a laptop, that is maintained by IVV1 is given a name with which it can be identified. The name can be found on a label stuck to the device. All devices are fully installed by IVV1 and are ready for immediate use. New devices are procured via IVV1 (see “Procurement” below)

    Important: From August 2025, all Windows devices must run the Windows 11 operating system. The use of Windows devices with older operating systems will be prohibited at the university from this date. If your device does not yet use Windows 11 or if you are unsure, please contact us in good time. We will install Windows 11 on your device or advise you on a sensible replacement if your device does not fulfil the system requirements.

    Printers

    • Network-compatible printers are supported by IVV1 on request and set up for network operation. In addition to network printers, IVV1 can also order USB printers for you. As a rule, we recommend printers that can be operated both as network printers and as USB printers.

    Telephones

     

  • Internet

    University network

    Some university services cannot be accessed from outside, but you must be connected to the university network. When working in the office, this usually happens automatically via LAN or WLAN. To use them from your home office, you need a VPN connection. You can find the details here.

    LAN

    • The most secure and fastest connection to the Internet and the university network is via a wired LAN. To do this, the devices are connected to the LAN sockets, which are available in all university rooms, via a LAN cable. Stand computers are only connected via LAN. If you have any problems, please make a note of the computer name and the LAN socket to which the computer is connected and then contact us. As a rule, laptops that are managed by IVV1 should also be operated via LAN (e.g. at the workplace) - we recommend using a dockingstation for this purpose. We will be happy to advise you on this as part of the procurement process (see below).

    WIFI

    • A stable WIFI-Network is available throughout the university. You can find it under the name “uni-ms”. To use it, you need to install the WLAN certificate and enter your university ID and network access password. Furthermore, the University of Münster also provides the WLAN “eduroam”, which is available at many universities worldwide. Further information can be found here (link to the CIT page on WLAN and eduroam).

    VPN

    • To work in the university network from your home office or on the road, you must connect via VPN. You can find instructions and all the information you need here.

  • Software

    IVV1 provides you with a wide range of software via the Software Center on devices managed by IVV1. You can install/uninstall the software offered there with a single click. If you require other software, please contact us. We will advise you on the procurement of the software and any necessary licenses.

    Software Center instructions

    Office 365 and Adobe Acrobat Pro

    • The Office 365 products (including Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook) and Adobe Acrobat Pro are already pre-installed. By logging in with your Entra account (see above), you can use the software without restriction

  • E-Mail

    There are various options available to you for the mail account provided by the university. We recommend using the Exchange mailbox that was already set up for you when you created your ID. You can use the Exchange mailbox with Outlook (instructions) or access it on the move at https://owa.wwu.de. Exchange offers a wealth of advantages, e.g:

    1. Unlimited storage
    2. Backup of mails
    3. Synchronized calendar

    If you still prefer the standard mailbox, you can access it here.

    We will be happy to advise you if you have any further questions.

  • Data storage and security

    The following principle applies to all data: Is it important? Then don't store it locally! Therefore, never back up your data exclusively locally on your computer. We generally recommend that you back up your data on the network drives we provide. These are fail-safe storage devices that we make available to you free of charge. Imagine external hard disks that are not connected to your computer via a cable but via the network and that cannot fall on the floor and break. We also create a daily backup of the network drives, so your data is particularly protected against loss. You can simply request network drives from us by e-mail. We offer network drives in two (technically identical) versions: As a user drive, to which only you have access, or as a project drive, which can be accessed by several people (e.g. a chair or a working group). We can adapt the storage space size to your requirements.

    Network drives instructions

  • Procurements

    Do you need hardware or software? IVV1 will be happy to advise you and procure the products you need.

    Simply send an e-mail to Ivv1@uni-muenster.de