To anyone who’s been on the innerwebs for any amount of time, you’ve either heard of or used two-factor authentication ("2FA" as the web geeks call it). This adds a second layer of protection to your online accounts by having you use a one-time code whenever you login to that account.

Think of 2FA as a second password you enter whenever you login to your account. Other than that, 2FA should not affect anything else about how your accounts work or your permissions on the site. It’s just an additional layer of security when you’re signing in.

In an effort to stay up-to-date with Internet security, Appliantology has implemented 2FA for all accounts starting next Friday, March 13.

This will this greatly enhance site-wide security and keep all our users’ accounts and data, especially payment information, that much more secure. 

Not only that, but 2FA will preserve site performance for you by hindering accounts that allow sharing of logins, which increases bandwidth on the site (which can lead to annoying load times) and operating costs. Appliantology's terms of service state that there should be one user for each membership/account.

So, how do you get 2FA? Well it’s actually pretty simple. You may already be using a two-factor authenticator. If that’s the case, simply link your Appliantology account to your authenticator and you’re good to go.

If you are not using an authenticator, there are multiple ones you can use. For example, 2FAS is an authenticator app you can use for free and it keeps your data private. It's also simple to set up and use.

2FAS has a mobile app and browser extension you can install. For more info and install instructions, click here.

There are tons of other 2FA apps out there from big names like Google and Microsoft. Any will work with the site so use whichever 2FA app you're comfortable with. We are recommending (but NOT requiring) the app 2FAS because it is open source, has a strict privacy policy, and works on multiple platforms (iOS or Android). In contrast, Google Authenticator scrapes all kinds of data from your phone each time you use it such as photos, contacts, location and more. But the choice is yours. 

Here's a video we made using the 2FAS app to log in to Appliantology. (If you prefer written instructions, scroll to the end of the post.)

Here are some FAQs about 2FA that may answer your questions:

Q: Will two-factor authentication prevent me from being logged in on multiple devices?I

A: No, two-factor authentication does not prevent you from being logged in on multiple devices. The first time you log into the site on a particular device, you'll be asked for your two-factor code. After that, the site will remember that device. So, for example, you can stay logged in on both your computer and your phone at the same time.

Q: Will the site automatically log me out now?

A: No. Once you log in on a device, you'll stay logged in, just like you always have been. So unless you intentionally log out, you'll only need to use your two-factor code when logging in for the first time on a device.

Q: Do I need an authenticator app, or can I receive the two-factor code as a text message?

A: You will need an authenticator app or browser plugin. There are tons of these out there, and none of them are difficult to use. We recommend the 2FAS app or browser extension simply because they have a good privacy policy, but there are authenticators available out there from all kinds of big names (Google, Microsoft, etc.)

Also, all authenticators are completely free to install and use. We're not talking about some proprietary software here.

Q: What happens if I lose my phone or otherwise can't access my two-factor authentication code? Am I locked out of Appliantology forever?

A: Certainly not. If you've lost access to your authenticator, then you can click the recovery link underneath the box that asks for the code. That will tell the system to send you an email which will let you reset your authenticator setup.

And if all else fails, you can always write us a contact form, and one of us on Team Samurai can manually reset you or help you out however else you need.

Q: How can all of my techs log into our account now that there is two-factor verification?

A: Each Appliantology membership is for a single individual to use. Appliantology accounts (logins) are not meant to be shared.

From our Terms of Service:  

Quote

 

2. Memberships

Each Appliantology membership is tied to a unique email account. This means one login, one member. You agree not to share your login information with anyone else. 

 

 
If you would like your techs to be able to have their own accounts, please let us know and we can set that up for you at a discounted rate.

Here is a written summary of how to use an Authenticator App

1. Download the Authenticator App of your choice from the Apple App Store (for iOS) or Google Play Store (for Android)
2. Pair the Authenticator App with your Appliantology Account (this is a one-time step)
   1. Open the Authenticator app on your phone and select the option to add a new account (it might use different phrasing such as “pair new service”).
   2. Begin the sign in process at Appliantology. After entering your username and password, a “Set Up Account Verification” window will pop up. It’s easier if you use a computer or separate device for this step, but you can do it all on your phone. See item D below.
   3. NOTE: you do NOT have to use Google’s Authenticator - it can be any authenticator app of your choosing.
   4. Scan QR code: Use your phone’s camera to scan the QR code provided by Appliantology. You can also enter a Key code manually if you are doing all of this on your phone (click “Not able to scan the QR code?”).
   5. In the pop-up window at Appliantology, enter the 6-digit code from your Authenticator App, then click Verify Code.
3. In the future, when you log into Appliantology you will just need to get the 6-digit code from your Authenticator App and enter it.
4. If the code doesn’t work:
   1. Make sure you are not putting any spaces between the 6 digits (copy/paste is always a good idea!)
   2. Was the authenticator app on someone else’s phone? Remember: only one person should be using an Appliantology account.