NYU Wi-Fi Tip: Location Location Location

By Keith Allison | March 9, 2022

TLDR: NYU Wi-Fi is in a lot of locations, but it's not everywhere. You may be trying to connect in a non-supported area. We have a list of locations.

One of the most common answers to reports of slow or unstable NYU Wi-Fi is people trying to connect from a non-supported location.

NYU Wi-Fi covers a large portion of the University in New York, Abu Dhabi, Shanghai, and at many global academic centers. This even includes some outdoor spaces, such as Gould and Schwartz Plazas in Manhattan and areas at La Pietra in Florence and NYU Abu Dhabi's Saadiyat Island campus. However, coverage is not universal and in the dense urban areas where NYU campuses are located,  it may not be clear whether or not you're in a supported spot.

If your connection is unreliable, the first thing you should do is check our list of NYU Wi-Fi enabled locations.

NYU Wi-Fi covers a lot of ground—but not places like private apartments, the local boba spot, the Tesla parked on the street, or nearby parks and green spaces.

If this location isn't supported, why do I see the 'nyu' network?

Wi-Fi signals are not entirely contained within the buildings. This means that an NYU Wi-Fi signal may overflow into nearby streets and spaces that aren't NYU Wi-Fi locations. This signal will likely be weak and unreliable. Because most devices are not very smart about how they detect and connect to a signal, it's possible your device may latch onto this overflow since it has previously connected to NYU Wi-Fi.

Unfortunately, there's not much that can be done to prevent this. If you experience slow or unstable NYU Wi-Fi service, check your device. If it's connected to the nyu network while you’re not in a supported location, you can either temporarily disable Wi-Fi and connect to a cellular network if you have one, or to a public Wi-Fi network provided by the city or a local business (but be sure you stay secure while on these networks).

Why don't you cover more outdoor spaces, such as Washington Square Park?

Washington Square Park serves a valuable role as a gathering spot for NYU students, faculty, and staff, especially on a beautiful day. However, despite being bordered by so many NYU buildings, the University does not own the park and is not permitted to extend NYU Wi-Fi service there or to any outdoor space that’s not NYU property. This is also the case at the plaza at MetroTech in Brooklyn, outdoor spaces near NYU’s global locations, and private businesses such as restaurants, cafes, and bars.

There are a number of outdoor spots with NYU Wi-Fi coverage in New York, as well as NYU Abu Dhabi's Saadiyat Island campus and outside of Villa Ulivi in NYU Florence.

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