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Wireless
is the way forward for business travellers – Six Tips to get
the most out of it
Posted: 2 October 2003
In case you hadn't noticed, there's an awful lot of talk recently
about wireless computing and mobile hotspots. Access points (the
small radio transmitters and receivers that allow wireless connections)
are being installed in an increasing number of public places to
allow those with wireless-equipped PCs to access their corporate
networks or the Internet when on the move, allowing people to be
productive from anywhere, at any time.
Hot-spots, hot-zones and new wireless services are emerging in
airports terminals, hotels, conference areas, restaurants and coffee
shops. And with a little planning, businesspeople can take maximum
advantage.
To help the budding wireless road warrior, Sameh Farid, IBM Middle
East, Egypt and Pakistan’s Manager of PC Division, offers
six steps to become a wireless guru, or at least a successful wireless
business traveller:
1. Get Equipped
To do wireless notebook computing you need a notebook with a wireless
adapter (some notebook models have one built, or you need to get
an aftermarket PC Card adapter), wireless configuration software,
and security software in the form of a Virtual Private Network (VPN)
or personal firewall. Some notebooks make this easier than others
and ideally you need a notebook which allows easy setup of secure
wireless solutions and connection software. A notebook which features
an integrated antenna and a broad selection of radios will also
simplify the connection process.
2. Pre-Trip Scouting
So many varieties of wireless access exist, based on so many business
models, that business travellers can benefit from doing a little
pre-trip scouting on the Internet before embarking on a trip. When
you know which airports you're passing through, what hotel you're
staying at, what part of the city you're in, and what conference
you're attending, Web sites can tell you what wireless service is
available there. These services will vary, depending on your itinerary.
You'll probably end up using several solutions - wired dial up or
ethernet in your hotel room, a fee-based wireless service accessed
through a browser in the airport, a free service in a coffee shop
or in the exhibition space of a business conference. In all these
cases, a tool which helps you sniff out these services and automatically
create a location profile for your notebook to access the internet
or intranet.
3. Multi-Tiered Approach
The most common Wi-Fi wireless access standard, found in hotel
lobbies, airports, and coffee houses, is 802.11b. But as a business
traveller you don't have to stick to one technology to get network
access. You can adopt a tiered approach. In a hotel room, dial-up
or wired ethernet access is usually the easiest, cheapest, and most
pervasive connection method. Hotel lobbies and public spaces like
conference rooms usually feature 802.11b wireless access, sometimes
free, sometimes fee-based. Airports offer 802.11b access, usually
fee-based, most commonly in frequent flyer lounges but increasingly
in public waiting areas. And the most pervasive form of wireless
data access is with the GSM/GPRS network, this access can be accomplish
with a either a GPRS PC card that plugs into the notebook or a Bluetooth
enabled GPRS mobile phone.
4. Finding the Network
When you're in a space bathed in wireless waves, you need a notebook
computer that can sniff out, or detect, the network as easily and
quickly as possible. After that, depending on whether the network
is free or fee-based, you generally pass through a Web browser screen
where you enter credit card information. You can then access the
Web. If you're a corporate user, you'll probably then need to activate
your VPN-based software program to create a secure tunnel for accessing
secure e-mail or internal company websites.
Because wireless access points, or transmitters, are usually hidden,
it can take experimentation to determine the best place to locate
yourself. It's helpful if you know that they're usually located
up high, tucked behind signage or above ceiling tiles, and that
structures like walls affect wireless reception. Generally, you
can determine the best possible reception by looking at the receive
signal strength for the access point that you are associated with.
Wireless network designers usually try to locate them close to the
centre of the area where they'll be used. You can use this to your
advantage. If you're having trouble finding a hotspot in an airport,
camp out in a waiting area near a frequent flyer club.
Reception is often acceptable outside the walls of the club.
5. Security Considerations
If you're a corporate user, your IT department has probably configured
your notebook with a VPN-based software program. This creates a
hardened, secure tunnel for transmitting and receiving data, and
it's extremely secure. If you're an individual user, you'll probably
be using wireless to access Internet Web sites and Web-based e-mail.
You'll need a personal firewall to protect the data on your notebook.
And if you use a notebook with an embedded security subsystem, you
can store your encryption keys and provide an additional layer of
protection for your data, even if your notebook is stolen.
6. Preparing for the Future
Wireless business models change so quickly that you need to be
careful about getting tied into long-term agreements. New mobile
phone standards are also evolving, including GPRS' s evolution to
EDGE. These new standards will mean a three-fold improvement in
data performance, creating additional wireless options. News about
restaurants and coffee houses adding new wireless services, sometimes
free, emerges on a daily basis. New sociological behaviours are
creating new wireless models and people are putting up their own
free-access wireless networks. The wireless era is just beginning.
About IBM
IBM is the world’s largest information technology company,
with 80 years of leadership in helping businesses innovate. IBM
offers a wide range of services, solutions and technologies that
enable telecommunications service providers and equipment suppliers
to take full advantage of the new era of e-business. For more information
on IBM, visit www.ibm.com.
Posted by Richard Price,
Editor Pipeline Magazine
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