Step-by-Step Guide

Connect Gaming Consoles & Smart TVs

Register your PlayStation, Xbox, Apple TV, Nintendo Switch, or smart TV for wired ethernet in your residence hall room using MAC Address Registration.

Wired connections only. MAC address registration is required for wired ethernet connections in residence hall rooms only. For laptops, phones, and tablets, use EduRoam Wi-Fi — no registration required. For gaming consoles and smart TVs, please contact your RTA to connect to Claremont-ETC.

Before You Begin

  • Your device's wired (LAN/ethernet) MAC address — this is different from the Wi-Fi MAC address
  • A photo of the wall ethernet port in your room you plan to use
  • Your building name and room number
  • Contact your RTA — all requests must go through your Resident Technology Assistant
1

Find Your Device's Wired MAC Address

The MAC (Media Access Control) address is a unique hardware identifier for your device's network adapter. You need the wired (LAN/ethernet) MAC address, not the Wi-Fi MAC address. Here's where to find it on common devices:

PlayStation (PS4/PS5)

Settings → System → System Information → MAC Address (Wi-Fi)

Xbox (One/Series X|S)

Settings → Network Settings → Advanced Settings → Wireless MAC Address

Apple TV

Settings → General → Network → Wi-Fi → MAC Address

Nintendo Switch

Settings → Internet → Internet Settings → (network) → MAC Address

Amazon Fire Stick

Settings → My Fire TV → About → Network → Wi-Fi MAC Address

Smart TV

Check Settings → Network → About, or look for a label on the back of the device

Wired vs. Wi-Fi MAC: Most devices list separate MAC addresses for Wi-Fi and wired (LAN/ethernet). Make sure you're copying the wired/LAN MAC address — it will often be labeled "LAN MAC," "Ethernet MAC," or "Wired MAC." A MAC address looks like AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF — six pairs of letters and numbers separated by colons or dashes.

2

Contact Your RTA with Your MAC Address and Wall-Port Photo

All registration requests must go through your Resident Technology Assistant (RTA) — direct requests to the Help Desk will be redirected to your RTA for verification. Provide your RTA with:

  • Your device's wired (LAN) MAC address
  • A photo of the wall ethernet port you plan to use
  • Device type and name (e.g., "PlayStation 5")
  • Your residence hall building name and room number

Your RTA will submit the registration request to ITS on your behalf.

3

ITS Registers Your Device and Activates the Wall Port

ITS will register your MAC address and request TCCS (The Claremont Colleges Services) to activate your wall port. This typically takes 1–2 business days. Your RTA will let you know when the registration is complete.

4

Connect Your Device via Ethernet

Once registered, plug your device into the wall ethernet port using an ethernet cable. Your device should connect to the network automatically.

If the connection doesn't work immediately, wait up to 30 minutes for network changes to propagate. If it still fails, contact your RTA or submit a Help Desk ticket referencing your original registration request.

Troubleshooting

All wired MAC address registration requests must go through your Resident Technology Assistant for verification before ITS processes them. Contact your RTA with your wired MAC address and a photo of the wall port you plan to use.
Wait up to 30 minutes for network changes to propagate. Make sure you're using the exact ethernet wall port photographed in your request. Double-check that the wired MAC address you provided matches what the device actually uses. Contact your RTA or submit a follow-up Help Desk ticket.
Some devices (like Nintendo Switch or Amazon Fire Stick) require a USB-to-ethernet adapter to use a wired connection. Once the adapter is connected, find the wired MAC address from the device's network settings and proceed with registration. Your RTA can help identify the right adapter.
Yes — if your console supports WPA-2 Enterprise (i.e. asks for both a username and password), you can connect directly without registration. If your device only asks for a password (no username field), it does not support WPA-2 Enterprise and you will need to use Claremont-ETC instead. Please contact your RTA for assistance — they're happy to help! Ethernet registration is only needed for devices that connect via wired Ethernet.