How To Change Your Password

To change your account password (used to login to mySNC, Gmail, Knightline) or to set it for the first time, visit the following web page and follow the prompts:

https://www.snc.edu/pw/

All passwords must meet the following requirements:

• Length of at least 15 characters (maximum 127)
• Contain at least 3 of the following 4 categories:
• Uppercase letters (A-Z)
• Lowercase letters (a-z)
• Numbers (0-9)
• Special characters (!, #, %, SPACE)
• Cannot contain your first name, last name, or login ID.
• Cannot contain certain common words. For security purposes, we can't provide the actual list of unacceptable words, but it includes words like: password, football, packers, knights, etc.
• Cannot contain certain common numeric sequences like repeated numbers (11, 22, etc) and sequential numbers (123, 789, etc).

Social Security Number

If prompted, enter the last 4 digits of your Social Security Number.

Nine-digit ID number

If you don't know your nine-digit ID number, this article will help:

• What is my college ID number?

Reset Google 2-Step Verification Settings?

If you select "yes", all 2-Step Verification methods will be deleted. This may come in handy if, for example, your verification method is text message but your phone number changes. Please note that you will only have 48 hours to set up 2 Step Verification again before getting locked out of your account. 

Errors

If you attempt to change your password and get an error (i.e. error code 53), that simply means that the password you entered does not meet the above requirements. Double check the length, make sure it doesn't contain any part of your name, and make sure it includes 3 of the above 4 categories of characters.

If you still get the same error, please check it again. For example, if your name is "Lee", and you attempt to change your password to "sleeplessinSeatt1e", that won't work because the password contains the letters "lee". Note also that it cannot contain common words (as described above). This can be difficult to troubleshoot because we cannot provide the actual list of unacceptable words. But look at the password you entered and change any common words (i.e. just change the spelling).

And if you still need assistance, please contact the ITS Service Desk.

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR OFF CAMPUS EMPLOYEES:

If you are using a college-owned computer off campus, your old password is cached on your computer. Your new password will work everywhere immediately, except when logging into your computer.

Each time you login to your computer, you'll still need to use your old password; don't forget it. Your computer will not know about your new password until the next time you login while on the campus network.

If you're somewhere near campus, note that you don't have to physically be inside a building to have your computer learn your new password; you only need to be connected to the campus network. So, if you have your laptop in a car, you can simply drive up next to any building where the WiFi signal reaches outside, login using your old password, connect to "snc" WiFi, log out, then login again with your new password to make sure it works.

Also, if you happen to print via VPN while off campus, this situation will affect you. You will not be able to print between the time that you change your password and you update it by coming to campus.

Alumni Accounts

If you're an alum without an account, or you had an account but it was disabled (perhaps due to inactivity), you can request that your account be enabled by completing the Alumni Computer Account Application Form.

Test It

To test your new password, simply visit gmail.com and login with your SNC email address and your new password.

Common Problem

We frequently hear of users who say that they enter their correct password while logging into Gmail (or other resources), but it still doesn't accept it. This problem can occur if you have saved your password in your browser or if you're using a password manager. Sometimes that tool is simply entering the wrong password. So, be sure that you are manually entering the correct password yourself, and not allowing another utility to change your entry.

Additional Resources

• Microsoft Password Requirements Document

Knightline Password

Knightline used to have its own separate login ID and password. But on August 23, 2017, we changed the authentication in Knightline so that it uses this account password.