Personal Wireless Router

Sale, installation, and troubleshooting of supported wireless routers in University Apartment Housing.

Also known as AptNet or UAH Wireless/WiFi.

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***Please Note***

CUIT router sales are conducted via on-campus handoff. A technician will meet you at an agreed-upon time at the Alma Mater statue on the steps in front of Low Library to exchange a configured router for a check/money order. 

If you prefer not to wait: CUIT's recommended models can be found on Amazon and at electronic retailers at a lower price.

CUIT offers personal wireless routers for sale to use in UAH (University Apartment Housing) units that currently have CUIT-wired Ethernet service. These apartments generally have 100baseT Ethernet jacks which can handle the fastest, most up-to-date wireless routers. Some UAH buildings are using slower 10 mb/s connections, but using a robust wireless router is still advisable to maximize coverage distance.

To take advantage of these network connections, provide you with high-quality hardware, and set up a reliable and secure home network, CUIT offers two wireless routers for sale to residents of these Columbia-owned apartments.

To sign up for one of these packages, please note that you must already have a CUIT Ethernet jack. If you don’t have one, you can submit a request via the ApartmentNet service page.

    Pricing

    • Netgear RAX10: $70 router + $70 support fee: total one-time cost of $140
    • Netgear RAX30: $130 router + $70 support fee: total one-time cost of $200

    If you opt to buy from CUIT, a technician will schedule a time to meet you at the Alma Mater statue on the steps of Low Library and trade your check or money order for a configured router. All the necessary cables are included, and the router will be ready to use as soon as it boots up. Each router comes with a one-year hardware warranty.

    Please Note: Payment must be made via personal check or money order (payable to Columbia University). Unfortunately CUIT cannot accept cash, credit card, or bill to student accounts or rent.

    Please note that a reliable wireless network may not cover every area of your apartment, depending on the structure of the building, the layout of your unit, and the number of other wireless networks in the area. Units larger than a studio or a small one-bedroom should opt for the more powerful devices to ensure as much coverage as possible.

    Wireless Router & Home Network Request and Installation Procedure

    1. Please contact the CUIT Service Desk to begin the process by submitting a self-service web form or calling 212-854-1919. Feel free to ask any questions about which router to order at this time. The technician will ask if your apartment is wired with an Ethernet jack, which is required for wireless connectivity.
      • If there is no Ethernet jack in your apartment, the Service Desk technician will direct you to a web form to have an Ethernet jack installed in your apartment. 
      • If there is an Ethernet jack (or after the jack is installed), the Service Desk technician will create a ticket to track your request.
    2. Within 10 business days, you will be contacted by CUIT to set up a meeting to exchange a router for your check or money order. You can also ask any questions you may have at this time, and then you will be asked to confirm your request for the router and installation.
    3. The technician will bring all necessary equipment and cables, as well as your choice of router. It will be pre-configured, so when you return to your apartment and plug it in, it will be ready to browse as soon as it boots up.
    4. Should you require any further technical assistance, you can contact the CUIT Service Desk by submitting a ticket or calling 212-854-1919.

    Important Information for Residents using any other Wireless Router

    Brands and models of routers not offered for sale by CUIT are not recommended, and it is inadvisable to use any router that uses the older standards a, b, or g only, as the newer n and ac standards are recommended. General guidelines on setting up your own router are available for your reference.

    Incompatible connection highlighted

    Combination modem/wireless routers are incompatible with the CUIT Ethernet network. If your device has a coaxial cable connection for Verizon FiOS, Time Warner, RCN, or another cable provider connection, or a DSL phone line connection, it is not compatible with our network and will disrupt connections for other users if it is connected.

    Please be aware that if your router causes a network disruption, this may result in temporary suspension of your network service. CUIT will not provide refunds for ports disabled due to improperly configured devices (or infected hosts) attached to the Columbia network.

    FAQ

    Your wireless router will use the incoming Ethernet connection from your wall, which is generally 100Mbps in University Apartment Housing. However, the actual speed that you receive from your wireless router will depend on several criteria. The foremost will be the type of router you have. Wireless routers are most commonly available in two standards:

    • The 802.11n standard – which has a peak speed of up to 300 Mbps (Depending on router and the available speed of the jack)
    • The 802.11ac standard – which has a peak speed of up to 1000 Mbps (Depending on the router and the available speed of the jack)

    The second parameter that will determine your speed is the wireless card on your computer. The connection will only be as fast as the lowest standard of wireless hardware involved in the connection. For example, if your card is only of the 802.11n standard it will only receive at speeds based on the 802.11n standard, regardless of whether the router you have is of a higher standard, such as 802.11ac.

    Aside from hardware, speed will also be impacted by the number of users connected to your router at the same time. Any effect on speed is dependent on the amount of bandwidth usage by each user and the total number of users at a given time.

    Lastly, Columbia currently has a bandwidth quota for all users on the Columbia network. You can check if your computer's bandwidth is limited here.

    All devices on the market are approved by the FCC, which has a good public document on Radio Frequency Safety.

    Some models of wireless routers out-of-the box have no security precautions initially set up. The current recommended models sold by CUIT have randomly generated secure passwords set up out-of-the box, and if you buy one on your own, you can connect using the password on the device label and it will automatically guide you to the internet securely.