I just moved into a student dorm for a semester abroad, and beforehand I emailed them asking whether they had ethernet ports to plug my router into (I use it to connect all my devices, and for WiVRn VR streaming). They confirmed that I could, but now that I’m here the wifi login portal is asking me to accept these terms from the ISP, which forbid plugging in a router. There’s another clause that forbids “Disruptive Devices” entirely, defined as:
“Disruptive Device” means any device that prevents or interferes with our provision of the 4Wireless to other customers (such as a wireless access point such as wireless routers) or any other device used by you in breach of the Acceptable Use Policy;
So what are my options? I don’t think I can use this service without accepting the terms, but also I was told by the student dorm support that I could bring a router, which contradicts this.
EDIT: some additional context:
- dorm provider is a company separate from my uni (they have an agreement but that’s it)
- ISP (ask4) is totally separate from dorm provider, and have installed a mesh network that requires an account. On account creation, there are many upsells including one for connecting more than one device. The “free” plan only allows me to sign in on a single device, and I can upgrade to two devices for 15 pounds.
- ethernet requires login too
- VR streaming requires a high performance wifi 6 network, which is why I bought this router (Archer C6 from tp-link)
As I understand it, people live in the dorms. Trying to focus on schoolwork 24/7 is an excellent way to burn yourself out and not graduate. Having down time for “non -essential activities” is important for mental health.
Yes but dorms are optional. No one attending Uni is forced to live in the dorms. Uni is not a boarding school at least to my knowledge.
Lots of schools have a “freshmen must live on campus” policy, at least.
“schools” ? This is university. Quite surprising to hear that Universities would have a policy “freshmen MUST live on campus”. Must be some kind of extreme private boarding “school”. I feel bad for you if you went to such a Uni.
This is true of a even some public universities in the US. I can’t remember if it was a rule where I was, but definitely most freshman did just live in dorms.
Lot of folks brought their own desktops to set up, and we were allowed Ethernet switches to hook up multiple devices - had to be wired. Wireless had two options, WPA# 802.1X or unencrypted captive portal guest. If your device didn’t support that, it had to be wired by policy.
And they weren’t wrong, I did a radio scan and they had the full sized enterprise access points about as good as they could (with a few low signal exceptions, and the air waves were still overloaded with too many people. The building uplink was perfectly fine, it was just overcrowded wireless.
This is common in America. We do it so that universities don’t have to compete with private landlords.
The state university in the town I live in has a policy that freshmen must live in the dorms unless they already live within city limits (small college town, so the university literally has a student body of about 1/2 the permanent residents of the town)
That is not universal. My local university forces you to pay to live on campus in the dorms for the first 2 years of your attendance regardless. You can choose to live elsewhere but you’re still paying the fees and no student is paying for two places to live lmao
It sucks if the University you chose forced such rules on students and included dorm as part of the tuition expenses. I cant imagine people taking on student debt with such high tuition+boarding. I guess anyone accepting at that local University is forced into this situation.
Completely irrelevant to your prior point of “you’re at Uni to learn AND NOTHING ELSE!!!”
People live in the dorms, that is what they are for. Part of living is having down time.