About Carnegie Mellon Help

Editorial stance

This wiki is an independent, volunteer-maintained knowledge resource. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Carnegie Mellon University. Our editorial goal is practical accuracy: we document what actually works, based on community experience and publicly available information.

Why this exists

Carnegie Mellon has deep technical infrastructure — AFS, Andrew, cluster computing, SIO — but navigating it efficiently takes institutional knowledge that isn't always written down. This wiki consolidates the practical, how-to knowledge that the community has built up over years of trial and error.

What we cover

Identity & access

Andrew ID, two-factor authentication, account lifecycle, sponsored accounts
Academic systems

SIO, Canvas, degree audits, registration workflows, academic calendar
Computing infrastructure

AFS, Unix timeshares, cluster computing, software licensing, printing
Campus services

Wi-Fi, email, VPN, housing portal, dining services, transportation

How we work

Articles are written in plain language, tested against the current state of CMU systems, and updated as things change. Every article includes a last-updated date so you know how fresh the information is. We prioritize clarity over completeness — a short, accurate guide beats a long, outdated one.

Last updated: July 2026