# Accounts

## Understanding NCIL Accounts

Your NCIL account is based on your GitHub account. If you don't have a GitHub account, stop reading and go make one: [https://github.com](https://github.com) — **use your dal.ca email address when you create your GitHub account**.&#x20;

Assuming you have a GitHub account, the next step is to send Aaron a ping on basecamp with your GitHub User ID. Aaron will then set up your accounts on the servers.

NCIL has two servers:&#x20;

1. The **file server**, NCILNAS. This is where all data and other files live.
2. The **compute server**, NCIL. This is what you log on to to run data analyses.

The compute server is connected to the file server, so you always have access to all the files on NCILNAS. However, you can't run analyses on NCILNAS — it's basically just a big hard drive.

Your GitHub username is what you use to log on to either server. However, when you log on to the file server (NCILNAS), you will use a password Aaron assigns to you — not your GitHub password. The password you get from Aaron is only used for accessing NCILNAS.

### Create an SSH key

Before Aaron can create an account for you on the compute server, you need to create and sent him an SSH key. This is an alternative to a password that allows secure access to the server. Follow the steps below to create one.

#### Mac Users

Open the Terminal app and run the following command, replacing `my_email`with your dal.ca address:

<pre><code><strong>ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C my_email@dal.ca
</strong></code></pre>

DO NOT ENTER A PASSPHRASE when prompted — just hit \`Enter\` twice.&#x20;

#### Windows Users

Hit the Windows key and start typing `Command Prompt`then open the app that shows up. In the window, type the following, replacing `my_email`with your dal.ca address, then hit `Enter`

```
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C my_email@dal.ca
```

DO NOT ENTER A PASSPHRASE when prompted — just hit \`Enter\` twice.&#x20;

### Send SSH Key to Aaron

#### Mac Users

In the Terminal, run the command:&#x20;

```
cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub
```

Copy the result (it will start with `ssh-ed25519 AAAA`and end with your email address), and send in a ping to Aaron

#### Windows Users

In the Command Prompt, run the command:

```
type .ssh/id_ed25519.pub
```

Copy the result (it will start with `ssh-ed25519 AAAA`and end with your email address), and send in a ping to Aaron.

### Changing your NCILNAS Password

When you're logged on to NCILNAS via a web browser, click on the "person" icon in the top right corner and select "Personal" next to the cog icon. You'll. see a Change Password button you can use.

### Password Reset

If you forget your NCILNAS password, you will need to send Aaron a ping so he can reset it. Aaron is patient the first time. If this is an issue for you, learn to use a password manager.

## Computers for Running Experiments

Because experiment computers are shared resources, and often multiple people run the same experiment, we use shared logins on the stimulus presentation and EEG recording computers. In general, the account name is "NCIL User" or nciluser and the password is a big secret

On Stimulus computers, the best practice is to create a new account for each experiment (or group of related experiments in a larger study). This ensures that everything is configured properly for your experiment, and won't get changed by someone when they start a new experiment. If you create an account for a new study/experiment, please use the secret password.&#x20;
