Internet for Apartments: Everything Renters Need to Know

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Apartment life comes with lots of conveniences. Common homeowner hassles like mowing, appliance repair and garbage collection are often taken care of, but not everything comes included with the monthly rent. You'll likely still have the responsibility of setting up utilities... including your internet connection. 

Finding the best internet provider for your apartment can be tricky, but it's worth the effort to ensure service that fits your needs and your budget. I'll break down everything you need to know about internet service for an apartment, from understanding what the internet options are in your area to finding the right plan, setting up your equipment and keeping your connection secure.

Know your options

Before moving into a new apartment, ask the leasing office or property owner about your internet options. It's possible they'll say Wi-Fi is included with your rent, but don't count on it. What's more likely is that they'll tell you that "X provider" is the sole ISP for the building. Be skeptical of that statement: separate Your apartment's location may present more internet options than the owner is letting on. 

It's no secret that apartment owners tend to favor a particular internet provider, for convenience, cutting costs or both. But the Federal Communications Commission banned the practice of owners making exclusive agreements with ISPs back in 2008 and recently took further measures to increase competition in apartment buildings, so ISP exclusivity in apartment buildings is not as common.

The newest FCC ruling, passed in February 2022, prohibits revenue sharing between owners and ISPs and requires owners to disclose the existence of exclusive marketing arrangements in order to "promote tenant choice and competition in the provision of communications services" for tenants.

So I can get any internet service in my apartment?

Not necessarily. There's still the matter of which ISPs offer service in your area and which ones actually run service to your building. Owners can't enter exclusive agreements with ISPs, nor can they take part in revenue sharing by favoring one provider over another, but they still have an influence over which providers can run service lines to and through the building, such as a single cable or fiber provider.

That means it's possible that your building is only wired for one type of internet service, which will obviously limit your choices. You may be able to have a new line from a different provider run to your apartment, but you'll want to check with your leasing office or owner first. Installing a new cable line or fiber connection will require drilling and possibly mounting new boxes on the building's exterior, which may not be permitted in your lease. On that note, satellite dishes are typically not allowed at apartments, so don't expect satellite internet to be an option, either.

Cable, fiber, fixed wireless and 5G are best for apartments

Nearly 50% of the US population has two or more internet options with speeds of 100Mbps or higher from cable, fiber and fixed wireless ISPs.
FCC/Mapbox

A cable connection is your best bet when it comes to internet service in an apartment, as cable internet is available in more than 97% of urban areas, according to the FCC.