So, my college won't allow gaming consoles to be connected to their network, for some totally arbitrary reason. It's the sort of campus-wide network that you connect to, then go to a particular url and sign in using a personal student ID and password.

The question is, would they be able to tell if I connected my 3DS? Would they be likely to discover it (if they did, they would, of course, know that it was I, as I would've used my student login)? Would it be advisable to connect just long enough to download the Ambassador NES games?

I would say go for it as long as the penalties for such isn't to serious just in case they can track it!!!

I don't know how they would though, unless the network needs an IP Address to log in to it!!! I don't think the 3DS or any gaming console will have that!!! I could be wrong though!!!

Yea, I have the same issue so I am just going to go to our library for downloading all of them because it's an open network there. You could also go to a McDonalds if there is one nearby.

I don't think you have anything to worry about. I've downloaded quite a few things to my 3DS at college and everything was fine.

The odds of them noticing you downloading a few MB of data is very small.

Luckily my college lets us (and even shows how to) connect consoles to the campus network.

If you are REALLY concerned about it, just go to a free wifi place like Starbucks or McDonalds and download them.

They would still notice you even if you only download a few MB of data, but I wouldn't worry about it. I know places with that rule but they don't really enforce them so I'd assume you're fine.

If it's a large university, their network probably handles TBs of bandwith a day. I don't think a few MB would be significant enough for them to do anything.

Just wondering, but what is the reason?

IP addressing is how things get networked... Of course the 3DS and any gaming console is going to get assigned an IP address. Just so you know.

Exactly my point If I were him I'd do it anyway. Not like they're going to burst in and take his 3DS or kick him out or anything.