Skip to main content
Computing at Cornell • CIT Contact Center (HelpDesk)

Frequently Asked Questions about Network IDs

Getting a NetID

Using Your NetID

NetID Passwords

e-mail and NetIDs

More about NetIDs

Getting a NetID

What is a NetID?

A Network ID (or NetID) is a personal, unique identifier assigned to you. It consists of your initials followed by one or more numbers. You use it, along with a password, to obtain access to online services, such as e-mail and administrative systems.

A password is required with your NetID to ensure that no one but you can access your confidential Cornell information. Your NetID and password also give you access to services that are exclusive to the Cornell community.

Who is eligible for a NetID?

NetIDs are issued to members of the Cornell community, affiliates, and exceptions with sponsor. A single individual can have only one NetID.

Members of the Cornell community are students, faculty, staff and alumni. The faculty and staff category includes full-time and part-time faculty; visiting faculty; professors emeriti; full-time, part-time, and temporary staff; and retirees who are receiving Cornell benefits. The student category includes part-time extramural students, summer session students, and distance learning students.

Note: Faculty, staff, and students at Weill Cornell Medical College can be issued a NetID if they need access to online services offered on the Ithaca campus. A NetID may be requested by sending the completed Application for a Network Identity, along with a photocopy of the requester's Cornell ID card or valid government-issued photo ID card (such as a driver's license or passport), to the CIT Contact Center.

Affiliates are employees of institutions affiliated with Cornell University. These institutions are:

  • Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research
  • Center for Religion, Ethics and Social Policy
  • Cornell Alumni Federation (publishes Cornell Magazine)
  • Cornell Compact
  • Cornell United Religious Work
  • Military Sciences and their officers (i.e., ROTC)
  • Paleontological Research Institute
  • Telluride Association
  • U.S. Plant, Soil and Nutrition Lab

Exceptions with sponsor are individuals sponsored by Cornell unit heads (or their designees). These individuals do work that furthers the mission of Cornell University and require a NetID to fulfill their responsibilities to the university. Sponsored NetIDs may be requested by sending the following three documents to the CIT Contact Center (HelpDesk):

  1. A completed Application for a Network Identity
  2. A photocopy of the requester's valid government-issued photo ID card (such as a driver's license or passport)
  3. A letter of sponsorship from a Cornell University department, stating:
    • the individual's name
    • the work that the individual is doing
    • the Cornell business function of that work
    • why a NetID is necessary to do that work
    • a date when the NetID should expire, or when the sponsoring department should be asked to confirm whether the NetID is still needed

    This letter must be printed on the department's Cornell letterhead and signed by the unit head (dean, vice president, vice provost, or designated representative).

When do new students receive their NetID?

New students receive their NetID and activation code beginning in early April. During the activation process, they are introduced to policies governing the use of Cornell’s computing resources. They can choose to view a brief online orientation to Cornell's computing-related services called Travelers of the Electronic Highway.

Students who don’t receive their NetID before they arrive on campus, or during registration, can check by visiting the CIT Contact Center, 119 Computing and Communications Center (CCC), or calling 255-8990. It is open Monday-Friday, 8 am to 5 pm (extended phone hours until 8 p.m. during the academic year). Students must have a valid Cornell ID to get a NetID.

When do new staff and faculty members receive their NetID?

New faculty and staff receive their NetIDs as part of the employment process.

I am a Cornell alumnus. Can I get a NetID?

Yes -- in fact, you may already have one. Anyone who attended Cornell since 1990 should have a NetID. Also, Cornell began issuing NetIDs to all alumni in February 2007. You can check by searching for your name in the Cornell directory.

If you know your NetID but need an activation code to set your password, or if you have not been issued a NetID, please complete the request form provided by Alumni Affairs and Development.

I had a NetID once, but then I left Cornell. Now I'm back. Will I get the same NetID?

Yes. Your NetID is a part of your permanent university record, and will never be assigned to another person.

Can I get a NetID for my spouse and/or children?

No. NetIDs are only available to individuals directly affiliated with Cornell University. Unless your family members are independently associated with Cornell, we cannot offer them NetIDs.

I am not on campus. How can I get a NetID without coming to Ithaca?

You can apply for a NetID by mail if you are in a distant Cornell location such as the Weill Cornell Medical Center. You can print the application form, or request that the form be sent to you by calling the CIT Contact Center at 607 255-8990 or e-mailing helpdesk@cornell.edu.

Complete the form, sign it, attach a photocopy of your Cornell ID card or your valid government-issued photo ID (driver's license or passport), and mail it to the address listed on the form, or fax it to CIT at 607-255-9270. Your NetID and an activation code to set your password (or a temporary password) will be mailed back to you first-class via US Postal Service mail within five (5) business days.

Your NetID and activation code (or temporary password) cannot be sent to you by e-mail, telephone, or fax machine.

How was my NetID created?

Your NetID was created from the initials of your name, as it appears in the university database, followed by a number. If you are a student, the database used is the University Registrar's Student Information System (SIS). If you are a staff or faculty member, the database used is the Human Resources System.

Can I change my NetID?

Your NetID may be changed only for the following reasons:

  • Your NetID was created incorrectly (i.e., as a result of a data entry error made by the university).
  • There is a personal safety issue related to the continued use of your NetID.
  • Your legal name has been changed. A legal document must be produced with the request.

Requests may be submitted in writing, stating the reason for the change, to computer_access@cornell.edu

Using Your NetID

What services does my NetID give me access to?

Having a Cornell NetID does not, in and of itself, give you access to information or services. It simply serves as an identifier that can be used to authorize your access to services you are entitled to use.

  • Current faculty, staff, and students: please see CIT’s Computing at Cornell pages
  • Alumni: please see the Frequently Asked Questions page from Alumni Affairs and Development
  • Affiliates: please check with the technical support provider in your department or unit
  • Exceptions with sponsor: please check with the department or unit offering the services you would like to access

What do I need my NetID for if I don't have a computer?

Even if you use your NetID for nothing else, students need it for CoursEnroll and Just the Facts, and faculty and staff need it for Employee Essentials. Faculty and staff, as well as affiliates, also need a NetID in order to maintain their individual listings in the Cornell University Telephone Directory and Cornell Electronic Directory.

Some information about you is automatically entered in these directories so that people can contact you. It is your responsibility to update this information, add optional information, or indicate if you want some information to remain unpublished.

You can use computers in the CIT's public computer labs and in many libraries. Several colleges and departments also run computer labs that may be available for your use. There are also Just the Facts kiosk computers at multiple locations.

What happens to my access to services when I graduate or when I leave the university?

Cornell ties what services you can access to the role or relationship that you have with the university. CIT works with the offices of record, sponsors, and service providers to adjust privileges when your role or relationship changes. Please remember that your access can be terminated with no notice for violations of the university policies on responsible use of computer systems. Therefore it is very important to know and understand these policies.

Students

  • Students who graduate or leave are classified as alumni. As alumni they retain access to some services, such as Just the Facts and Who I Am. Who I Am gives them access to a free e-mail forwarding service. In addition, they are given access to services designed specifically for alumni.
  • Students on a leave of absence can retain full access for up to 12 months following the leave date.

Faculty and staff

  • Faculty and staff on a leave of absence or on layoff status can retain full access for up to 12 months following the leave or layoff date.
  • Faculty and staff on disability can retain full access for the length of the disability.
  • Faculty and staff who retire and collect retirement benefits retain access to some services.
  • Faculty and staff who leave the university lose their access as part of the termination process. They are notified by e-mail at least two weeks before a scheduled deactivation. e-mail forwarding services are not currently available to former staff and faculty.

Exceptions with sponsor

  • Exceptions with sponsor lose their access when the sponsor has confirmed with CIT that the individual is no longer in need of services for performing work in support of Cornell’s mission. This will occur on the date specified on the application for duration of need, or in the course of the annual review process in the spring.

NetID Passwords

Is it OK to let my family, close friends, supervisor, manager, or co-workers use my NetID and password?

No. Your NetID is for your exclusive personal use. If someone has your NetID and password, he or she can look up and/or change personal and confidential information about you, including your benefits package, your tax information, your grades, your web page, your address, and your emergency contact information. He or she could read your e-mail, and send e-mail from your address pretending to be you. He or she could also commit computer crimes through your account, and you could be held responsible for any damages that result. 

For those reasons and others, it is a violation of university policy to share your NetID and password with your family, your roommate, your supervisor, or your office's computer support staff. There is no reason for anyone else to know your password, despite what he or she tells you.

You are the only person who should ever use your NetID and password!

Likewise, you should never  use anyone else's NetID and password, even if the owner says that it is okay!

I have a problem with my password (I forgot it, or I never set one in the first place, or the system won't accept it or won't let me change it). What should I do?

Passwords are kept in an encrypted database, and cannot be looked up by anyone.

If you set up your password's security questions in advance, you can go to the Manage Your NetID web page to set a new password.

If you did not set up your password's security questions, you will need to request a new activation code so that you can reset your password. To make this request, visit the CIT Contact Center (HelpDesk) in person, or mail or fax your request to that office. You will need to provide proof of identity -- your Cornell ID card or your valid government-issued photo ID card (such as a driver's license or passport), or a photocopy of one of these.

If you make your request by mail or fax, your NetID and an activation code to set your password will be mailed back to you within five (5) business days. Your NetID and activation code cannot be sent by e-mail, telephone, or fax machine.

As soon as you have reset your password, you should consider setting up your password's security questions on the Manage Your NetID web page so that if you have trouble with your password again, you can set a new password yourself.

The address for the CIT Contact Center is 119 Computing & Communications Center (CCC), Ithaca, NY 14853. The phone number is 607 255-8990.

Why do I have to choose a complex password for my NetID?

Your NetID and password control access to highly confidential data, some of which requires protection mandated by federal legislation. Tools for cracking simple passwords are readily available, so it is essential that your NetID password be strong to prevent unauthorized individuals from discovering it.

Complex passwords are akin to deadbolt locks on a door . Just as deadbolt locks are far more effective than standard locks in preventing break-ins, so are complex passwords far superior to simple passwords in protecting access to your information.

In 2002, the university auditor recommended that CIT implement technical measures to ensure that users choose secure NetID passwords. The criteria for what constitutes a secure password were developed as a result, along with the web-based method for selecting a password.

E-mail and NetIDs

What is my e-mail address?

Once you have a NetID and you have set a mail account using Who I Am, people can e-mail you using the form NetID@cornell.edu. For example, if your NetID is ewe2, people can e-mail you at ewe2@cornell.edu. This is how your electronic mail address is listed in the Cornell Electronic Directory.

Can I create a custom e-mail address?

The Cornell Optional E-mail Alias service allows eligible individuals to create a Cornell e-mail address based on their name. (Who is eligible?) That new address will take the form of an alias plus "@cornell.edu" For example, phil.schmertz@cornell.edu. The optional alias does not replace your NetID or your NetID@cornell.edu address. E-mail sent to the alias or to your NetID address is delivered to your NetID account.

If you have a legitimate need for a separate e-mail address for a university department or registered student organization, you may apply for a Special Mailbox.

I don't want to mix my personal and departmental e-mail. Can I get a second NetID?

No. An individual can have only one NetID. If you need a separate e-mail address for a university department or a registered student organization, you may apply for a Special Mailbox.

More about NetIDs

Is there more information available about NetIDs?

Yes. These links provide more information about safe computing practices, policies regarding the use of NetIDs and Cornell's compting services, and more.

Authentication of Information Technology Resources Interim Policy

Information Technology Rights and Responsibilities

Didn't find the answer to your question?

  • Please ask the CIT Contact Center at 607 255-8990, 119 CCC, Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (extended phone hours until 8 p.m. during the academic year).
  • For help accessing Cornell's online services with your computer or from your location, check Getting Online at Cornell.