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?
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
