[thelist] OT: wireless web access (urgent help needed)

[Joel Canfield]

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[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
> we've got a new employee that is going to be working offsite
> 95% of the time and he needs to internet access and much as
> possible. so the idea came up of having wireless access, but
> i have no idea where to even start to look for that and what
> hardware is needed to access a wireless network.
>
> please if you can, answer a few questions for me.
>
> 1. what hardware is needed?
> 2. is this what 802.11 is?
> 3. what service providers are there? how does accessing the
> internet work? 4. is VPN possible? (i'm going to take a guess
> and say no, but i just thought i'd ask.)
>
> alternatively, if you know of a good way for an employee to
> remotely get email anytime they need it, wherever they are,
> please let me know.

Some of this is very Microsoft-centric; sorry, that's where I live right
now.

We use Exchange 2000 for mail, and any user can hit a URL with a web browser
and and full Outlook functionality. Even with Ex5.5 it's almost the same as
the Outlook client.

We use Ipass, provided by our ISP, for travelling web access.

802.11(whatever letter) is for short-range wireless, like in your house. I
suspect this person doesn't need web access while they're riding the bus,
they just need it from whatever hotel they're staying in, right?

We have a Cisco box here to do VPN authentication; not sure how to do it
natively in Windows Server, but it's a RADIUS thing. Our road warriors use
an ethernet connection if they can get one, and use a Cisco client (free) to
connect to our network while out of the office. If no ethernet is available,
they dial in using our toll-free number, or they use Ipass when all else
fails (charges by the minute.)

If I missed anything, ask me offline at both these addresses:

joel at spinhead.com
jcanfield at magisnetworks.com

joel