UserIDs and Passwords

userID

Every student enrolled at Binghamton University is assigned a userID.   The userID is used for all host systems and is retained throughout your stay at Binghamton University.  The userID is also used as the first part of your e-mail address.

Passwords

Students may have several different passwords to access a variety of systems. All students will have a BINGSUNS and a PODS password. PODS passwords are used for accessing email, Blackboard, computers in public areas, classrooms, the campus libraries, wireless, Campus Manager, and for releasing print jobs from the Pharos laser printing system. More information about passwords, including instructions about how to change them, is available in the Computing Accounts and Passwords document.

Computer Accounts

BINGSUNS Account

Every student is assigned a general access account on BINGSUNS, the central Unix server.   You will use your userID and your BINGSUNS password to access your BINGSUNS account.  This account can be used for academic work requiring a Unix operating system, for personal web pages and for reading e-mail with pine.  The general access account remains active for six months after you leave the university.

PODS passwords are synchronized with BINGSUNS passwords, thus changing your PODS password also changes your BINGSUNS password; however, changing your BINGSUNS password does not change your PODS password.

Electronic Mailbox Accounts

An electronic mailbox account is assigned to every student.  You will use your assigned userID and your PODS password to access electronic mail.   The mailbox can be accessed with a mail client of your choice (Mirapoint Web Mail, Thunderbird, pine and so on).  The electronic mailbox account remains active for six months after you leave the university.

BlackBoard account

Blackboard is a Course Management System that provides a powerful and easy-to-use suite of tools for instructors to build and manage virtual classrooms. Students enrolled in courses where the instructor is using the Blackboard course management system will automatically be assigned Blackboard accounts. You will use your assigned userID and your PODS password to access Blackboard at http://blackboard.binghamton.edu. More information about Blackboard can be found in the Blackboard documents.

Obtaining Computer Account Information with BU BRAIN

BU BRAIN Self Service is an online application designed to give students, faculty, and staff convenient access to campus tools and services. To access BU BRAIN you will use your PODS userID and password; however, to get your PODS userID and password initially, you first need to reset your PODS password. To do this go to BU BRAIN, click on PODS Password Reset, then enter your B-number and PIN (which you should have received when you applied for admission). Anytime you want to reset your PODS password you can always go back again to BU BRAIN.

Difficulties with computer accounts are resolved at the Help Desk.