Changing Your Olin Network Password

What you should know prior to changing your password

Changing your password affects more than just your laptop. Most devices and various applications allow you to store accounts and passwords to make access faster and easier. These devices/applications will automatically retry the saved password when it can't connect to a service, and if this causes too many failed password attempts due to the changed password, your account will get locked out.

Before changing your password

To prevent account lockouts, we strongly encourage users to close out of any applications that use stored or cached credentials and clear the Windows Credential Manager of any Outlook/Exchange stored credentials:

  1. Open the Start Menu and in the search field type in Credential Manager
  2. Open up the Credential Manager program once the search is completed.
  3. Locate any set(s) of credentials that have Outlook or “olin.edu” in the name under any of the fields (Windows Credentials or Generic Credentials)
  4. Click the name to expand the set of credentials and then choose Remove from Vault

If you use any mobile devices (smartphones, tablets, etc.) to access your Olin email account, please set the device(s) to airplane mode prior to proceeding with the next steps in order to prevent any account lockouts.

We recommend reading Your Olin Password, What You Should Know for information on Olin's password requirements and other Frequently Asked Questions regarding passwords.

Changing your password

NOTE: Starting December 22, 2023, you must use the Microsoft Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR) tool. See: Recovering a Forgotten Password with Microsoft Self-Service Password Reset

Important Notes:

  • You must be enrolled in our Password Management site in order to use it.
  • Users with an Olin issued Windows computer, reference the Olin Issued Dell Computer section below first
  1. Close out of all applications.
  2. Browse to our password management site: https://password.olin.edu
  3. If you know your current password, Select: Change
  4. If you have forgotten your current password, Select: Reset
  5. Follow on screen instructions

After changing your password

For any devices that you had entered into standby mode or otherwise disconnected from any network services, please update the stored credentials for your email account, etc. in their relevant settings pages prior to bringing the device back online in order to prevent any network account lockouts.

If your account does end up getting locked out, you can unlock it from password.olin.edu.


Alternate Methods

Before attempting any of these alternative methods, please read and follow the Before changing your password section of this page

Olin issued Dell computers (Laptops or Desktops)

If you are ON campus

  1. Turn off all your wireless connections via the switch or setting on the device.
  2. Close out of all applications.
  3. Connect your computer to a wired Ethernet network jack.
  4. Change your password:
    1. Press Control-Alt-Delete
    2. Select “Change a Password…“
    3. Create a new password
  5. We strongly recommend rebooting your machine to finish the process following your password change

If you are OFF campus

  1. If you are off campus, VPN into the Olin network and ensure you are connected before proceeding.
    • If you cannot VPN into the network, STOP; please do not continue attempting to reset your password. Request help from the Olin IT Help Desk via email at helpdesk@olin.edu or phone at (781)292-2430.
  2. Close out of all applications.
  3. Change your password:
    1. Press Control-Alt-Delete
    2. Select “Change a Password…“
    3. Create a new password
  4. We strongly recommend rebooting your machine to finish the process following your password change
    • NOTE: If you are off campus and connected via VPN, please disconnect your VPN session before rebooting otherwise it will become locked out.

Personal (Off-Domain) Windows Computers

  1. If you are using a laptop, with wireless turned off and a wired connection to the network, navigate to \\fsvs01\Public\WirelessProfiles and copy the Off_Domain_Profiles folder to the root directory of your hard drive (the C:\ drive). You may already have the wireless profiles on your C: drive.
  2. Close out of all applications.
  3. Remove all saved instances of the old password:
    1. Hit the Windows key on your keyboard, type Credential Manager and hit the enter key.
    2. For every Olin-related credential (removing every credential recommended) click on the down arrow button and click Remove from Vault
  4. Change your password:
    1. Click Change Password
    2. Follow on screen instructions
  5. Re-add the wireless profiles, if necessary:
    1. Navigate to your copy of the Off_Domain_Profiles
    2. Double-click on the import file
    3. After the profile has been imported, press any key to close the window when prompted.
    4. Re-enable your wireless
    5. Enter your username and new password when prompted to connect to the wireless network.

Linux

Directions for reconfiguring wireless on Linux systems are available on the Linux wiki (http://linux.olin.edu).

Apple OS X

  1. Disconnect the computer from wireless network by turning Airport off via the Airport icon in the top right corner of your screen. Connect the computer to the wired network.
  2. Close out of any email application that may try to synch with your Olin Email.
  3. Remove all saved instances of the old password:
    1. Open the Keychain Access credential manager by searching for Keychain in all programs.
    2. This credential manager lists all the saved passwords on the system. Please note any credentials that are linked to Olin. These are generally wireless passwords and network server credentials.
    3. Control-click on any Olin credentials. Select Delete for each credential.
    4. The credential manager should now not list any Olin-specific passwords.
  4. Change your password:
    1. Click Change Password
    2. Follow on screen instructions
  5. Update password for all wireless profiles:
    1. Click on the Airport icon in the top right corner of the screen.
    2. Select Open Network Preferences.
    3. Click Advanced.
    4. Select the 802.1x tab.
    5. Select your Olin credentials in the menu to the left and update your password in the password field on the right.
  6. Launch your mail client and update your password when prompted.

Android

  1. Turn on Airplane mode by holding down the power button and selecting Airplane Mode
  2. Change your password:
    1. Click Change Password
    2. Follow on screen instructions
  3. Delete all saved Olin wireless networks
    1. Go to Settings>Wireless & networks>W-Fi-settings
    2. Press each saved Olin network and press Forget
  4. Enter new credentials in your Olin email Exchange account
    1. Go to Settings>Accounts
    2. Select your Olin Email Account
    3. Enter new password in the password field
  5. Turn off Airplane mode by holding down the power button
  6. Re-add wireless networks using settings available here

iPhone / iPad / iPod / iOS

  1. Remove all saved internal Olin wireless networks with format Olin.
    1. Go to Settings→Wi-Fi.
    2. Press the right arrow next to any saved Olin Wi-Fi network.
    3. Once selected press Forget this network at the top of the screen.
    4. Repeat for each saved Olin Wi-Fi networks.
  2. Turn on Airplane Mode
  3. Change your password:
    1. Click Change Password
    2. Follow on screen instructions
  4. Update old credentials from Olin email Exchange account
    1. Go to Settings→Mail, Contacts, Calendars.
    2. Select your Olin email Exchange account.
    3. Select the Account field (where it displays your email address)
    4. Update your password.
  5. Re-add wireless networks.
    1. Go to Settings>Wi-Fi.
    2. Choose any of the Olin Wi-Fi networks.
    3. Enter your updated credentials with the username in the form yourusername@olin.edu.
    4. Press Join in the lower-right corner.
    5. A security certificate will pop-up on which you should press the Accept option.
    6. Repeat these steps for each Wi-Fi network.
  6. Turn off Airplane mode