How do I sign up for wireless service?

Simply send an email to wifi@northwestapartments.com with your name, apartment number and WAN/MAC address of your wireless receiver. On your next rent payment (and subsequent payments) include the $20 monthly charge on your check/money order and write wifi in the notes section .

Recommended Wifi Equipment

If you do not already have WiFi capabilities on your system, you will need to purchase them. All of the equipment recommended here is compatible with 802.11b and 802.11g standards, so they will work not only here, but at you local cafe and a variety of other places.

Wifi for Notebooks with PC Card Slots

This is a fantastic card at a good price and Belkin has the best warranty in the business.
Belkin Wireless 54Mbps Notebook Adapter

The absolutely fastest and strongest connection will be had with Belkin's slightly more expensive Pre-N Wireless Network Card
Belkin Pre-N Notebook Adapter

Wifi for Desktops or Notebooks with USB

Netgear WG111 USB Wireless Adapter

Wifi for Apple Users that support Airport Extreme

Apple Airport Extreme Card

If you have an older Mac, contact me and we'll find something that will work for your setup.

How do I find my WAN address?

Windows 95/98/ME

  1. Click Start and select Run.
  2. Then type winipcfg in the Open: field and click "OK".
  3. Your hardware (MAC) address is displayed in the Adapter Address box.

Windows NT/2000/XP

  1. Go to the Start menu and select Run.
  2. In the text box, enter: cmd and click "OK."
  3. At the prompt, enter: ipconfig /all.
  4. Find the Wireless configuration data for your Ethernet adapter.
  5. Write down the 12 alpha-numeric digits listed as Physical Address (starts with 00).

Windows Vista

  1. Click the Start Button and select Start Search.
  2. Type cmd in the blank box. Hit Enter.
  3. In the command prompt window, type ipconfig /all.
  4. Find the Wireless configuration data for your Ethernet adapter.
  5. Write down the 12 alpha-numeric digits listed as Physical Address (starts with 00).

Mac OS X

  1. Open System Preferences
  2. Click on Network
  3. In the Show drop-down, choose Airport
  4. Your MAC address is listed next to Airport ID

Security & Safety

We do provide a Firewall between our network and the Internet, but you are responsible for the security of your own machine.
We ask the following of all Windows users:

  1. Please make sure you have all the latest Windows updates. You can do this by opening Internet Explorer and in the drop down menu choosing Tools, Windows Update
  2. Please make sure you are running a firewall built into your operating system. Windows users can increase security by installing a second free firewall from Zonealarm
  3. Please download and run AdAware to remove any malicious spyware from your machine
  4. Please use antivirus software.

We ask the following of all Mac OS users:

  1. From the menu at the top, click on the apple and choose Software Update
  2. Please make sure you have your personal firewall turned on by going to System Preferencess, Sharingg and then Firewall