www/articles/faq.md

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I sign up for an account?

• Go to the signup page and fill out the form.
• If you get stuck, ask in #thunix on newnet.net, or contact us.

How can I request an account recovery or public key replacement?

• Email us from the address you used to register and tell us:
  • your username
  • what you need (recovery / key replacement)
  • your new public key (paste it in the email)
• We’ll swap the key and let you know when it’s done.

Who is running thunix?

• Current system administrators: deepend, Naglfar

What happened to the old thunix? Why the name change?

• The original machine and founder disappeared without warning (including to staff).
• Most things weren’t backed up, so we rebuilt on new machines and moved to a new domain.

I want a new package installed, or I want something changed on Thunix!

• Good. That’s how systems become useful instead of decorative.
• Ask in #thunix on newnet.net, or contact us with:
  • what you want
  • why you want it
  • whether it needs to be available to everyone or just you

Can I get password-based login? Old thunix had it!

• No. Not for shell access.
• SSH is key-based because it’s more secure and, honestly, less annoying once you’re set up.
• Other services (like email) use passwords because that’s how the world works.

That’s too hard! Can you just open the port up for this service I have running?

• No.
• If you need access to something you’re running, use an SSH tunnel.
  • Example (adjust ports as needed):
    • ssh -L 8080:127.0.0.1:8080 youruser@YOUR_SSH_HOSTNAME

Old thunix did {fill in the blank}, and now it doesn't. Make it work like it used to!

• There was a big changeover. Some old stuff can come back, some can’t.
• Mention it in #thunix and we’ll see what’s realistic.

How can I access my thunix email?

• Use these settings in Thunderbird, Apple Mail, Outlook, mutt, a ham radio, whatever.

Incoming Mail (IMAP)

• Server: thunix.net
• Username: yourusername
• Password: your mail/service password (not your SSH key)
• Security: SSL/TLS
• Port: 993

Outgoing Mail (SMTP)

• Server: thunix.net
• Authentication: Yes (same username/password as above)
• Security: STARTTLS
• Port: 587