• Dean
• News
• Events
• Academics
  • Architecture
  • Landscape Architecture
  • Urban Planning & Design
  • Advanced Studies Program

• Admissions
• Library
• Research & Publications
• Professional Development
  • Executive Education
  • Loeb Fellowship
  • Career Discovery

• People
• Gallery
• Alumni
• Inside the GSD
  • Dean's Office
  • Student Services
  • Registrar
  • Finance Office
  • Computer Resources
  • Fabrication Laboratory
  • Building Services
  • Human Resources
  • Internal Publications

When you get to GSD

Make sure to have your account sheet handy. You will need to know your username and password for many of the following steps.

1. Register your computer with Packet Fence
2. Change your windows account password
3. Map a drive to 'DesignApps'
4. Install the Key Server software
5. Install a printer
6. Connect to a File Server
7. Change your unix account password

Register your computer with Packet Fence

When you first connect your computer to the GSD's network, it will be detected as a new machine on the network, and our network registration system, Packet Fence, will block your internet access. In order to register your computer and gain access to the internet you must open a browser and submit your HUID and PIN. Until you are registered your browser will display a page with the Packet Fence logo:

The first thing you should do is open Internet Explorer, Safari, or any other browser. No matter what page you try to reach, packetfence will block your attempts and force you to its login page. On the login page, you have two choices: you can authenticate your computer with your HUID and PIN (see: www.pin.harvard.edu/ if you need help with this) or, you can hit the "register later" button, and packetfence will temporarily let you have network access. If you choose "register later", you will have to authenticate within a few days, so it would be smart to spend your time on the internet getting your HUID and PIN ready to authenticate your computer.

Once you have authenticated, you have open access to the network for at least the rest of the academic year, unless you are quarantined with a virus.

Change your Windows account password

In order to complete this step you must use a computer that is attached to the Design Domain, such as one of the labs. To log on to the computer press the Control-Alt-Delete keys simultaneously. Enter your username and password exactly as it appears on your user account sheet (passwords are case sensitive, usernames are not). Select "Design" from the third field in the login screen as shown below.

Your password will probably expire. Following the on-screen instructions, change it to something private that you will remember. Your password can also be changed manually by pressing Ctl-Alt-Del after logging into the Design domain. This will invoke a list of commands including "change password".

Map a drive to 'DesignApps'

Windows | Mac OSX

Install the Key Server software

The Computer Resources Group actively maintains a library of software for the GSD user community. The majority of the software is key served. In order to use key served softare you must install the Key Client. Then you can install the program of your choice from public/software on your home drive.

Install a printer

Windows | Mac OSX

Connect to a File Server

Windows | Mac OSX

Change your unix account password

Finally, change your Unix account password. It is often helpful to change this password to match your windows password.

Change Password form