FAQ
Answers to the questions that reach us most often. If yours isn’t here: help.math@hu-berlin.de.
Account & login
I forgot my password – what now?
Use the CMS lost-credentials page. CMS will never hand out passwords by phone or email – any such attempt is phishing.
Which account do I need for what?
Your HU account logs you in to every Linux machine at the institute. If you still have a legacy maths account, drop us a short note at help.math@hu-berlin.de and we will sort it out.
My account is locked.
Drop us a short note from an alternative address to help.math@hu-berlin.de, ideally with your student or staff ID. Office hours (Mon–Fri 10–11) are usually fastest.
Pool & printing
When is the pool open?
Mon–Thu 8:00–18:00, Fri 8:00–16:00. With a key card, room 2.213 is accessible after 20:00 on weekdays – see key card.
My print job doesn’t come out.
Is there paper? We don’t provide paper – please bring your own A4 (80 g/m²). With paper present,
lpq -P d2207 or d2213 shows the queue. Cancel your jobs with lprm -P d2207 -.Is there a print fee?
Printing is free as long as you bring your own A4 paper – there is no credit system.
SSH & remote work
How do I connect from home?
Off-campus you need VPN first, then
ssh yourusername@ssh.mathematik.hu-berlin.de as usual.Which server for compute-heavy work?
alpha, beta, eta, zeta, theta – see the compute-server table. Please don’t run Matlab or simulations on the login server.How does my job survive a dropped connection?
Email & webmail
Which servers do I enter in Thunderbird / Apple Mail?
IMAP
mailbox.cms.hu-berlin.de port 993 (SSL/TLS), SMTP mailhost.cms.hu-berlin.de port 587 (STARTTLS). Full details on the Mail page.How big is my mailbox?
Managed by CMS – check current usage in webmail.hu-berlin.de.
Storage & backup
How much storage do I have in my home directory?
There is no fixed limit at the maths institute. Check your own usage with
du -sh ~. More details on the storage page.Are my files backed up?
Yes, the maths home is backed up daily. Accidentally deleted files can be recovered for up to 30 days – tell us quickly with the path and approximate deletion time.
Security & privacy
How do I recognise a phishing email?
More on IT security. Rules of thumb: HU staff never asks for your password. Hover over links to see the real target. When in doubt, forward to abuse@hu-berlin.de.
I accidentally clicked a phishing link – what now?
Change your password immediately via the CMS web form. Then let us know at help.math@hu-berlin.de.