Move-In Day Tech: What to Bring and What to Leave Home

Moving into a North Central University residence hall? Learn what technology to bring, what won't work on the campus network, and what to set up before you arrive.

Moving into a North Central University residence hall? Here's what to set up before you arrive, what tech to bring, and what to leave at home so you're online your first night on campus.

Before you arrive

1	Claim your NCU account Use the steps in New Student Account Claiming Process. You can only claim it once.
2	Set up MFA You'll need it to sign in to anything at NCU. See MFA: Setting Up Multi-factor Authentication (MFA).
3	Check your laptop Compare it with Technology Recommendations for Students and install any waiting Windows or macOS updates before move-in day.
4	Install Office and the Outlook app See Installing Microsoft Office on Your Personal Device and Setting Up the Outlook App on Your Mobile Device.

What to bring

Item	What to know
Laptop	A Windows computer or Mac. Chromebooks aren't recommended because many course tools don't run on them.
Phone with Microsoft Authenticator	You need it to sign in. Getting a new phone soon? Move Authenticator before you switch.
Game console, smart TV, or streaming device	Register it at devices.northcentral.edu before you connect it. See How To: Connect a Smart Device to NCU WiFi.
Printer (optional)	You don't need one. Students print for free on campus Canon copiers. If you bring one, plan to use a USB cable. Wireless printing won't work.

Leave these at home

Smart speakers, Chromecast, smart plugs, and other devices that need your phone on the same network may not work on campus. Check Smart Devices and the University Network before you buy or pack one.

Getting connected on move-in day

Device	How it connects
Laptops, phones, and tablets	Join NCU-Secure and sign in with your NCU account: Windows, Mac, iPhone & iPad, Android.
Consoles, smart TVs, and streaming devices	Register at devices.northcentral.edu first, then connect to NCU-Guest.

Get help

Still need help? Call the IT Service Desk at 612.343.4170 or visit Miller Hall 226, Monday–Friday, 7:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. CT.