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Tip 1 - Getting Connected

Getting Connected

Get access to all the Trinity services you need for your course.

The following page will give you an overview of the following items:

  • Your Trinity IT username and password
  • Connecting to the Trinity Wi-Fi using the TCDconnect service
  • Connecting away from campus using your home broadband or your smartphone as a Wi-Fi hotspot

IT username and password

Your IT username and password are the vital keys to many essential services in Trinity College Dublin.

Some of the services they give you access to include; the Trinity Wi-Fi network, student email, the virtual learning environment, on-campus computers, as well as a host of other services.

How do I get my IT username and password?

To get your IT username and password, you first need to log into my.tcd.ie and start your online registration in the 'Register' section.

During online registration, details of your IT username and password will be in the intray messages in my.tcd.ie with the subject name: 'Your Trinity Computer Account'. If you cannot see this message, please click the ‘All Messages’ link which will refresh the intray.

Please note that your initial password must be changed within 14 days of your first login to a computer in Trinity. Details of how to change your initial password will be outlined in the intray message.

Log into my.tcd.ie to start your registration

Username and Password FAQs

How to change your password

If you ever need to unlock your account or change your password, then you can do so by logging on to the TCD Password Manager.

Please note, to access any of the features of Password Manager, you would have had to previously 'register' with the service before becoming locked out of your account or needing to reset your password.

Trinity Password Manager

Further information about the Password Manager

Trinity MyPassword (mypassword.tcd.ie)

Please remember to never give your login details to anyone else. You're responsible for any actions carried out under your login and you should familiarise yourself with the Trinity IT code of conduct.

Connecting to Trinity Wi-Fi on campus or in residences

The TCDconnect service allows students to connect their computer, mobile phone, or tablet to the Trinity Wi-Fi network to get fast secure internet access.

View the video below for instructions on how to connect to the Trinity Wi-Fi on campus or in residences. The instructions are also outlined below the video.

What you need to get connected

IT username and password

You must be a Trinity student with a valid IT username and password.

Valid operating system on your device

You can connect via a computer, mobile phone, or tablet provided they have one of the following operating systems:

Minimum RAM and hard disk space

Your laptop or computer must have the minimum of 2GB of RAM on Windows and 4GB of RAM on a Mac.

On Windows and Mac you should have the minimum hard disk size of 64GB with 20GB free space for carrying out major operating system version updates.

Security features enabled

Mobile phone users should have a passcode or a pin lock set on their device.

Connection steps

Broadly speaking there are four steps for connecting your device to the Trinity Wi-Fi using TCDconnect.

  • Connect
  • Register
  • Scan
  • Finish

Step 1: Connect

Connect your device to an internet connection:

  • If on-campus or in a Trinity residence, search for and connect to the Wi-Fi connection called: 'TCDwifi'.
    • Once connected, you will be prompted to enter your College username (without @tcd.ie) and password
  • If off-campus, connect to any internet connection.

Step 2: Register

For users who are connected to the 'TCDwifi' Wi-Fi connection, a webpage will automatically* open up at https://tcdnac.tcd.ie.

* For macOS, a window with the title "Join 'TCDwifi'" will automatically open. Please close this window, open a web browser and go to https://tcdnac.tcd.ie instead.

** If using an iPad, when the device registration page appears please tap the 'aA' button in the address bar and choose 'Request Mobile Website'.

On-campus or in a Trinity residence - Registration website

For users not connected to the 'TCDwifi' Wi-Fi connection, open up the TCDconnect remote registration webpage instead. (Please note that the remote registration service is only available for Windows and macOS.)

Off-campus (remote) - Registration website

On the respective webpage do the following:

  • Agree to the Terms and Conditions
  • Click on the 'START' button
  • Enter your College username (without @tcd.ie)
  • Enter your College password
  • Click 'Download'

Step 3: Scan

By tapping 'Download', a file called a 'Dissolvable Agent' will be downloaded to your device.

Once the file has downloaded*, run it** and a scan will start to determine if your operating system is compatible with the TCDconnect service.

* For macOS, if you are not prompted to download the 'Dissolvable Agent' after tapping 'Download', then close the window, open a new web browser and go to https://tcdnac.tcd.ie to try again.

** On mobile devices, the file will automatically run itself once you tap 'Download'.

Step 4: Finish

Upon completion of the scan, and provided your device meets the minimum requirements, the process will be finished.

If you had connected to 'TCDwifi' in Step 1, then you will be connected to the Trinity network and have internet access.

If you had completed the process up until this point off-campus, then once on-campus or in a Trinity residence, search for and connect to the 'TCDwifi' Wi-Fi connection to finish the process.

TCDconnect - Getting Help

For further assistance with the TCDconnect service please see the TCDconnect FAQ page. If you need further help please contact the IT Service Desk at itservicedesk@tcd.ie.

More about the TCDconnect service

Re-registering your device

If you don't connect to the Trinity network for 75 days, then you will need to re-register your device.

Connecting at home

Keeping connected at home will require you to have an internet connection. The two most common options would be to use your home broadband or your smartphone as a Wi-Fi hotspot.

Having trouble connecting to your home broadband?

If you are having trouble connecting to your broadband, try these simple fixes first:

  • Check that any cables or wires are not disconnected from the broadband box
  • Reset your connection by 'turning the broadband box off and on again' – be sure to unplug the electrical plug, wait for a minute, and then plug it back in again
  • Check your service providers status pages to see if there are any reported outages. If so, your connection should come back on it's own once they resolve any issues they are having

Using your smartphone as a Wi-Fi hotspot

If you don't have access to a broadband connection, you could also use your smartphone as a Wi-Fi hotspot. It's useful to keep the following in mind when considering this option:

  • Wi-Fi hotspots use the data bundle of your mobile phone plan - so if you don't have an unlimited data plan it could use up all your credit
  • Protect your hotspot with a password so that others cannot use your data
  • Wi-Fi hotspots use a lot of power so your phone’s battery can run down quickly; keep your phone plugged in while using it as a hotspot
  • You may be able to have multiple devices connected to your hotspot, but remember the more devices that are connected to your hotspot, the faster your data allowance will go and the slower your connection may become

For information about how to configure your smartphone for a Wi-Fi hotspot, please see the below link.

Instructions for using your smartphone as a Wi-Fi hotspot

Broadband and mobile data deals

If you are thinking about signing up for a broadband or mobile data plan, check out the HEAnet Store for offers available to Trinity students.

Mobile and Broadband offers on the HEAnet Store

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