Connecting iRFR without router

Use an access point connected to the console with the console configured in DHCP mode. In the shell, go to settings/network to access the ethernet configuration.  Set the IP to the default suggested by ETC https://support.etcconnect.com/ETC/Networking/General/ETC_Network_IP_Addresses or something else if you're a rebel.  The DHCP configuration is about half-way down.  The access point will have its own parameters (SSID/Password) that you'll have to configure and the iPhone will need to have its wifi configured to access that access point.

Is the router the problem or the internet connection?  If the latter, use a router NOT connected to the WAN.  If the problem is they don't allow any wifi connection, only wired, it is possible to connect the phone to ethernet with a dongle, but that defeats to purpose of having it.  You probably don't want the board connected to the internet in any case.

Use an access point connected to the console with the console configured in DHCP mode. In the shell, go to settings/network to access the ethernet configuration.  Set the IP to the default suggested by ETC https://support.etcconnect.com/ETC/Networking/General/ETC_Network_IP_Addresses or something else if you're a rebel.  The DHCP configuration is about half-way down.  The access point will have its own parameters (SSID/Password) that you'll have to configure and the iPhone will need to have its wifi configured to access that access point.

Is the router the problem or the internet connection?  If the latter, use a router NOT connected to the WAN.  If the problem is they don't allow any wifi connection, only wired, it is possible to connect the phone to ethernet with a dongle, but that defeats to purpose of having it.  You probably don't want the board connected to the internet in any case.

Yeah the problem is the 3rd party router.  Apparently it can mess with the university WiFi.  

This is what I was told and honestly this is a little beyond me...

Second, the way our network is architected (and this is pretty standard for a campus), there are several challenges to even providing a potential solution.  That is, while we could configure a wall jack so that you could wire the lightboard console into it and be on a specific VLAN for, say, your department, one thing we can't do is drop your mobile device into that same VLAN.  We only offer a limited set of SSIDs (e.g., eduroam, the PSK network, Guest), and there's no way to say "Ok, this specific device needs to go into this VLAN and is the ONLY thing that should."

My suggestion - don't try to involve the IT department by trying to connect to the university network. Explain to them that this wifi access (for the app to connect to the board) is a requirement for your students to be able to learn and you need to be able to set up an access point to do so.

Sometimes you have to explain your needs as if the console is a piece of research equipment instead of a computer.

I went around them once and they sniffed out the router and were non too impressed with me. 

If you can find a knowledgeable person in IT management, maybe they could grant an exception. Let them set it up for you where they control all the passwords and access.  Tell them::

The console must not connect in any way to the university VLAN, since anyone on the VLAN would be able to access the console. The problem goes both ways.