Free WiFi is not exactly rife with apartment complexes and single units, but there are plenty of places where the internet is included with the rent. While some landlords might include internet with your monthly rent (this is most common with student housing), chances are better that you do not get Internet included with your rent in your lease (but you are likely to be Internet-ready).
Apartments usually do not come with WiFi. Instead, tenants need to contact an internet service provider, acquire a router, pay for internet, and then set up WiFi on their own. This process takes less than a day, and it usually costs less than $100 per month. However, property managers sometimes offer WiFi in the utilities.
For instance, if WiFi or Internet is included with rent, then there is usually a contract with the building from the company you are expected to use.
Sometimes, to make things convenient, a landlord might install a Wi-Fi router at the entryway, and just let you share this connection among all of the various apartments, and put the cost into the rent that every tenant pays. Other times, however, a router might not be installed, in which case, each and every apartment will have to install its own Internet connection, and pay for that itself.
Ask About WiFi Before Renting
If you are renting in that type of scenario, you will have to talk with individual landlords as to whether WiFi is included, and inquire as to having one router installed for everyone to use, since this is generally a better approach than having each individual renter pay their own setup/activation fees, as well as their own monthly fees. If you discover Wi-Fi is not included with a rental property, and need to get your own Internet installed, you will find the costs of getting started can often be quite steep.
The least expensive way to get WiFi in an apartment, if you are responsible for the costs and installation, is to look into your local Internet providers and speak with them about any deals that are available.
Even if your Internet costs are not included in your monthly rent, there are apartment buildings that try to make this affordable for you by investing in pre-wired services offered at a discount from their preferred providers. Many landlords will usually include your Internet service costs as part of your monthly rent, so you will not need to worry about setting aside a whole budget for this utility. When your utilities are included with your rent, you pay one bill each month to your landlord or property manager. Not only are you charging for the basics of utilities, but you are also providing your tenants with additional services.
WiFi Is Often Included in Utilities
If you are looking at a condo where you cover all utilities, that cost is probably simply folded into the rent. Generally, unless your rental unit is in a multifamily home, it is best to avoid including basic utilities in the rental price. The advantage to choosing an apartment with included utilities is you will not need to pay extra for an service since it is already included in your rental price.
Many apartment buildings include Internet services as part of their rent, which puts everyone in the building on the same, easy-to-access network. In Madison apartments that do offer free Internet, it is typically shared among many residents through a wireless router, which may impact your network’s overall speed and signal strength.
You generally cannot just pick up WiFi, since Wi-Fi is just the radio signal that allows you to access the Internet without the need for wired connections. It does not need to be this specific TP-Link bridge, of course — you could do it with any network extender that can bring wireless Internet to wired devices. If you have physical access to your building’s router (or an ethernet port on your apartment connected to the building’s router), you can simply plug your WAN port of yours into one of the building router LAN ports using an Ethernet cable.
Then, you can configure your WiFi network from your own personal router, as you would do with any other Internet subscription. In either of these scenarios, your personal router essentially views the building’s network as the Internet, allowing you to create your own WiFi network just like any other home or apartment.
A Few Apartments Have Only Cable Internet
Cable Internet is the most common Internet type for apartments, but your building might have been wired for fiber or perhaps fixed wireless. This means your apartment building is likely already set up for Internet and TV service by a large cable provider such as Xfinity, Spectrum, Cox, or Mediacom, or maybe by a regional cable company.
An internet-ready apartment means that an apartment is wired up to receive an Internet connection, making it easier for an Internet service provider (ISP) such as Comcast or Time Warner to activate a connection (as opposed to having an ISP have to install new equipment). This is because another provider is already using the main line to provide Internet connectivity for the rest of the apartments in the building, meaning that your provider would need to install a new, separate line.
Tenants May Need to Set Up WiFi
So, you will have to register with your internet service provider and set up an agreement for them to set up any necessary cables and hardware. Ask for an installer: If you are responsible for installing Internet on a provider by yourself, usually, an installer will come to your apartment to set things up.
Before signing a lease, check with the landlord to make sure that the internet can be installed by a provider. You might need to explore other options depending on your needs but check with your HOA or landlord to find out if your agreement allows you to have your own Internet.
You may have to contact your local utility providers if you are moving to a new apartment where utilities are not included, or if the apartment does not contractually agree with a specific company. Be sure to reach out to your utility providers several weeks before moving out, so that you have electricity turned on and Internet ready to work right when you move in. You will have to make arrangements for your services to be turned on, submit to a credit check, fill out paperwork, and arrange for time off from work so technicians can get into your apartment.