Moving offices in NYC? The IT checklist (start 6 weeks out)

In New York, the IT side of an office move goes wrong in the same few places: the internet isn't installed on day one, the building's closet and wiring weren't checked, and nobody labeled anything. Start about six weeks out and the move is boring, which is the goal.

The short answer

Order internet service at the new space as early as you can (installs in NYC buildings can take weeks), walk the new space for power, cabling, and a place for your network gear, label everything before it's unplugged, and test every computer, printer, and phone the morning after the move.

6 to 8 weeks before the move

Order internet at the new address. Ask the building which providers are already wired in. New installs can need landlord approval, riser access, or a survey, so lead times vary. Order a backup connection too if you can't afford a day offline.
Walk the new space. Where will the router, switch, and firewall live? Is there a network closet, power, and ventilation? Are there network jacks where the desks will go?
Get the building's rules. Many NYC buildings require a certificate of insurance (COI) from every vendor, freight elevator reservations, and after-hours access for installers. Get these lined up early.
Decide on Wi-Fi coverage. Brick walls, elevator cores, and glass offices all affect signal. Plan where access points go, not just where the router fits.

2 to 4 weeks before

Phone numbers. If you have business lines, confirm how they move (porting or updating the address on a cloud phone system) so calls never go dead.
Update your address with your internet provider, phone provider, banks, insurance, and any software accounts that bill by location.
Inventory and label. Every computer, monitor, printer, and network device gets a label, and every cable gets a matching tag. Take photos of how things are plugged in.
Back everything up and confirm the backup actually restores before anything is unplugged.

The week of the move

Shut computers down properly; don't just pull power.
Pack network gear and anything with a hard drive yourself or with your IT provider, not the general movers.
Keep a list of passwords for the router, firewall, printers, and internet account where you can get to it (in your password manager, not on a sticky note).

Move day and the morning after

Set up the network first: internet, firewall, switch, Wi-Fi.
Then computers, then printers and scanners (they're the ones that usually need reconfiguring).
Test each desk: internet, email, shared files, printing, and phones.
Walk the space with a phone and check Wi-Fi in the corners, conference rooms, and bathrooms.

After you're settled

Update your address on Google Business Profile, Bing Places, Apple Maps, Yelp, and your website so customers find the right place.
Cancel the old internet service only after the new one has been stable for a few days.
Recycle old equipment properly, and wipe any drives first.

Quick answers

How early should I order internet for a new NYC office? As soon as you sign the lease. Lead times depend on the building and provider; earlier is always safer.

Do movers handle the computers? They'll move them, but networking and reconnecting is usually on you or your IT provider. Pack network gear and hard drives carefully.

Can we move without downtime? Most small offices can move over a weekend with little or no lost work time if the internet is installed and tested before the move.

Want it handled?

We plan and run IT moves for NYC and Long Island offices: internet coordination, cabling, Wi-Fi, and testing every desk, with a flat quote. See office network setup and IT moves, find us in Manhattan or Brooklyn, or book a business IT review.