Get Tech Ready for Fall 2026: Your RU–N Student Technology Guide
- 23 hours ago
- 4 min read
Welcome to RU–N! Let's get your technology ready for the semester.
Whether you're new to Rutgers–Newark or returning for another semester, spending a few minutes getting your technology set up now can save you a lot of time later. From checking your classes in Canvas to finding what's happening on campus in RaiderLink, here are the technology essentials every Scarlet Raider should know.
At a Glance
Activate your NetID and confirm your Duo two-step login works
Connect your phone and laptop to Rutgers Wi-Fi
Open every course in Canvas and set your notifications
Download RaiderLink for campus events, student organizations, and your class schedule
Set up Rutgers email, Microsoft 365, Teams, and Zoom
Save the RUN–IT Service Center: Hill Hall, Room 109 · help@newark.rutgers.edu · 973-353-5083
1. Start with your Rutgers NetID
Your NetID is the key to most Rutgers technology — email, Canvas, RaiderLink, Wi-Fi, Microsoft 365, and many other university services all sign in with it.
Make sure you can sign in and that your Duo two-step login is working before classes get busy. A login problem is much easier to solve on a quiet Tuesday than five minutes before your first quiz.
Tip: While you're in your NetID settings, add a second Duo device or save your backup codes. If you lose or replace your phone mid-semester, you'll be glad you did.
2. Get connected to Rutgers Wi-Fi
Connect your laptop, phone, and tablet to the Rutgers wireless network early — that way you're not troubleshooting Wi-Fi five minutes before an assignment is due.
Set up each device once and it will reconnect automatically as you move around campus.
3. Check your courses in Canvas
Canvas is where most instructors post course materials, announcements, assignments, grades, and your syllabus. Sign in and open each of your courses so you know what's there on day one.
Then take one extra minute to set your Canvas notifications, so announcements and grade updates reach you the way you actually check messages.
Heads up: A course may not appear until your instructor publishes it. If a class is still missing close to the start of the semester, contact your instructor.
4. Download RaiderLink
RaiderLink is the RU–N student engagement hub — campus events, organizations, activities, resources, and important announcements, all in one place. It works best as an app on your phone, so campus life stays a tap away.
What you can do in RaiderLink
Sign in with your Rutgers credentials and you can:
Browse campus events and find things to do
Discover and join student organizations, and manage your involvement
Get campus announcements and communications meant for you
Reach commonly used Rutgers–Newark resources from one place
See selected academic information, including your class schedule
Chat with Raider to get quick answers to common questions
Get the RaiderLink app
Working from a computer? The RaiderLink web portal gives you the same community and resources in your browser.
5. Set up the tools you'll use every day
As a Rutgers student you have access to tools like Microsoft 365, Teams, Zoom, your Rutgers email, and other university-supported applications — most at no additional cost.
Rather than installing everything at once, start with your Rutgers email and whatever your courses ask for. When you need something else, MyTech@Newark is the place to find it.
Learning with Technology — your student technology hub on MyTech@Newark
Your RU–N Tech Check
Run through this list. If you can check every box, you're ready for the first week.
NetID works
Duo is set up
Phone and laptop are connected to Rutgers Wi-Fi
Rutgers email is working
Canvas courses checked
RaiderLink downloaded
Canvas notifications configured
RUN–IT contact info saved
Still have an empty box? That's exactly what the next section is for.
6. Know where to get help
You don't have to figure any of this out alone. The RUN–IT Service Center is the single place to go when something isn't working — a login that won't cooperate, a device that won't connect, or a course that won't load. Save the contact info in your phone now, before you need it.
RUN–IT Service Center
Walk in: Hill Hall, Room 109 — Monday–Thursday 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Email: help@newark.rutgers.edu — monitored 24/7, with a response within one business day
Call: 973-353-5083 — live phone support during Service Center hours
Online: IT Help Portal — submit a request or start a live chat
This guide is your front door. For a deeper look at any of these services — plus laptop kiosks, Technology Resource Centers, printing, and Digital Fluency
workshops — explore Learning with Technology on MyTech@Newark.
Welcome to the semester, Raiders.