Anyone know how to go about setting up a wireless router in a dorm room?

[Parks]

Posted: 9/3/09 at 11:38pm

For some reason, my school will not allow us to set up wireless routers in our own rooms. I understand that if you don't password protect your network, everyone will use it and it's bad news, but I would password protect mine. I spent over 2 hours today messing with settings trying to get it to work, but no luck. I was reading online that some people have gotten around whatever blocks the wireless router from working. Does anyone know how people do this? Thanks in advance!

[CyCoSpAz2]

Posted: 9/3/09 at 11:57pm

Your school legit blocks wireless routers, or just frowns upon them? I rigged one up at NYU by just tinkering with wires until it finally let me connect

[Parks]

Posted: 9/4/09 at 12:22am

I think they block them. I think you're supposed to have it registered in the network.

[CyCoSpAz2]

Posted: 9/4/09 at 12:30am

I'm trying to remember my experience. I think we were allowed to register two computers on the network, so I registered my laptop when it was connected to the ethernet. Then I proceeded to set up my wireless, installed the software, made a password and everything, and then connected to it. I was then told to reregister, so I just registered with my laptop on the wireless network and it worked from then on.

Not sure if that is helpful at all, but it worked for me. Good luck!

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 9/4/09 at 12:43am

Then why can't you just register in their network? Why are you so eager to disobey a policy you're not even clear on in the first place?

[Parks]

Posted: 9/4/09 at 1:15am

I wouldn't have any problem registering with the network if it accepted my MAC address for the router... the problem is I can't get my router to even WORK on the network.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 9/4/09 at 1:35am

I had a 25 foot ethernet cable before my dorm got wireless.

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 9/4/09 at 1:40am

If you're willing to fork out the money, I think Apple just makes this little thing that looks like a wall jack that's perfect for that. We take it on vacation and plug it in to keep from paying double at Disney. It's possible it wouldn't be any better than a router if they block them.

[scott68]

Posted: 9/4/09 at 1:42am

I never bothered to set up wireless, but other than that, my experience was quite similar to Cycospaz's, strangely enough . I just used one of the two wireless networks in my dorm. I say you get someone gullible and/or tech-savvy to set one up for you.

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 9/4/09 at 11:17am

I've never been on a college campus recently that does have a campus-wide wireless network. Are you off-campus? My boyfriend is in an off-campus apartment with a similar policy.

Side note: how do you set up a password on a wireless network? I have a wireless router at home and I just can't figure out how to password-protect it.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 9/4/09 at 11:23am

Get one of these!

http://www.sierrawireless.com/Product/usbmodems.aspx

Posted: 9/4/09 at 12:45pm

I remember the days when all we cared about was sneaking beer in. I'm so old.

[Parks]

Posted: 9/4/09 at 1:54pm

JerseyGirl, are you talking about the AirPort? I'm considering running out and buying one from the Apple store, trying it out and if it works, return it and go buy a used one off like eBay or something to save 20 or 30 bucks.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 9/4/09 at 1:57pm

Tacky.

[Parks]

Posted: 9/4/09 at 2:12pm

What can I say? I'm a real bargain hunter/just plain cheap.

[BDrischBDemented]

Posted: 9/4/09 at 2:13pm

I'd also consider the AirPort. I do know though that my freshman year on campus, one of my friends tried to set up a wireless router despite us also having a "no wireless routers" policies. It was okay for a week or so, but then apparently whoever worked in my school's technical services department realized someone had set up a wireless router and made them take it down. I'm not sure how they found out, knowing pretty much nothing about computers, but you just might want to make sure you can't be detected and if the policy for those who do have a router is just a slap on the wrist or something.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 9/4/09 at 2:16pm

Still tacky.

[jacobtsf]

Posted: 9/4/09 at 2:21pm

At my school an unapproved wireless router actually disrupts the rest of the college. Since the housing contract says this the college can actually kick you out of housing for taking away the internet from MANY people (though someone getting in trouble for the first time might just be asked nicely to unplug it).

This is actually happening right now in my housing, someone set up a router and refuses to take it down, they are now being told to pack their stuff and leave or the college will move all of their stuff into the hallway.

[Marianne2]

Posted: 9/4/09 at 2:33pm

That happened at my college my senior year as well. Someone set up a router in the dorm room, and it took down the internet in all the dorms for about a week. Everyone was mad about that.

[Parks]

Posted: 9/4/09 at 4:48pm

What I was told was that as long as you password protect it and only use it for yourself, you are fine--you're using the same amount of bandwidth (or whatever it is) that you would if you were plugged in with the ethernet cable.

AppleTVs are allowed to be registered. Do you think they would allow the MAC address of another Mac product? I'm about to go buy one... I'll keep you all informed. I'll try not to keep you in suspense for too long .

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 9/4/09 at 9:46pm

I used an airport in my dorm b/c my ethernet port wasn't functioning. It worked great.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 9/4/09 at 10:12pm

Back in my day we got in trouble for sneaking in a Crock Pot.

(And, no, that's not a joke.)

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 9/4/09 at 10:59pm

Parks, I am talking about the AirPort. We shared a connection at Disney with no issue.

[Parks]

Posted: 9/5/09 at 12:46am

The AirPort worked! :)

Posted: 9/5/09 at 1:31am

I don't recall crock pots but illegal popcorn poppers were quite wonderful- but you had to put a towel under the door to keep the RA from smelling it.