i may be a bird in a cage but at least it's your cage

Go you!

As far as your Internet access, contact tech support (be nice, but still firm; it gets you SO much farther) and tell them which ports you need to have opened up and see if they can do it. If they say no, ask to speak to their supervisor. Tell him it is necessary for your "communications applications" to work properly and ask him what the proper channels are for applying to get the ports opened. If HE gives you the runaround, ask to speak to HIS manager and ask him the same thing. If they don't want to do anything about it, talk to the apartment manager and tell him that tech support is not addressing your issue.

It's worth a try. I hope you get it worked out!