Doesn't make a lot of sense, does it?

no reason why it shouldn't, though you may have to argue with them a little bit. that's an area where i'm of limited help, since i've never had to set up a net. at college, i just turn on the card and POOF! internet. it, as they say, "just works" with a mac. if you are lucky, your router will also "just work". barring that, try your network preference settings, restart the router...the usual things.