How do I connect multiple devices in my room?
Note: The IT Help Center will do what we can do get your device(s) working. However, device troubleshooting does go beyond the scope of our support and we may have to recommend that you contact the manufacturer if we cannot get it working.
About use of multiple devices:
- You will only ever have one Ethernet port assigned to you in your room.
- Routers and wireless access points are not allowed in BU residence halls (they can interfere with network access for other residents).
- Any device connected to the BU network must be registered on the network.
- You must register every device via Ethernet, even if you ultimately plan to use one or more of them wirelessly.
- If you plan to use a device wirelessly, it needs to be capable of running 802.1x or the VPN, as described at www.bu.edu/tech/help/wireless/.
required steps
1. Connect the device(s)
You can hook up multiple devices by using a hub or switch that you purchase or bring with you. Do not use a router or any wireless access point; these are prohibited in BU residences.
| What is the difference between a
hub, a switch, and a router? A router is too independent to cooperate well with the BU network, and so routers are banned in the residence halls. A router uses "Network Address Translation" (NAT) and does not work properly on the BU Residential Network. Instead, you want a "switch" or a "hub" -- different variations on the same theme, with the key point that they do not do their own network address translation. Good news: hubs and switches are less expensive than routers. |
2. Register the device(s) on the network
In order for you to connect to the Internet with all your devices, each device in turn must be registered on the BU network. You generally need to do this once a year, when you first arrive on campus. Computers should use standard NetReg, and devices such as Xboxes or VoIP phones use manual registration.
- In order to register a device, you will need to connect the device via Ethernet and know the MAC address. A MAC address comes in the form of something like (00:00:00:00:00:00) where the 0 is either a number or letter.
- If you have any trouble finding the MAC address, you'll need to contact the manufacturer or do an Internet search on something like "find MAC address for (name of device)."
- Note that if you intend to use the device wirelessly, it will have to be able to run either 802.1x or VPN, as described at www.bu.edu/tech/help/wireless. If that's not an option, you will need to run the device via Ethernet, using a hub or switch.
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