Today, we're continuing our discussion of ways to stay connected happily while on the road, even in the tech-savvy world of 2005:

Reader P.J. runs remote access for his company that supports about 15,000 remote users and offered some money-saving tips: "We use a remote access suite of products that includes security as well as remote access software.

"Specifically for remote access, we chose iPass and use the iPass Connect Client (iPC) to get an Internet connection... The iPC permits us to use broadband, dial, wireless or any other type of hot spot located in thousands of places around the world. Instead of paying a high local fee, we pay a per-minute rate.

"In reference to your example, if you only wanted to use 45 minutes instead of paying the full 24-hour rate, you can do that with the iPass service. The fee gets capped at some point during the day, which will closely mimic the 24-hour rate, but not many people reach that since they connect, do what they need and disconnect. That saves a lot of remote access costs. Once the users make a connection to the Internet, they open an IPSec VPN connection back to our corporate network. We have validation software as well as a host-based firewall to ensure the security of the remote user's machine before it connects to the network.

"One additional tool we leverage heavily is a VoIP softphone. Our users have access to their desktop phone no matter where they are located in the world. I was in London on one trip, and most folks didn't realize I was away from the office. Now that's flexibility."

Reader Bruce M. offers a suggestion and a story: "Don't forget that some hotel chains offer free Internet access for members of their 'frequent stayer programs', (e.g., Wyndham by Request at https://www.wyndham.com/wbrvisitor/main.wnt) -- anyone, even first-time "stayers" can join at no charge.

"Now for the story - Recently I traveled with my wife, each with our own laptops. At the hotel, neither of us could connect to the in-room high-speed access. The first day I gave up. By the pool the next day I saw someone working on his laptop and asked him about the access - he said he had been there for a week and never got the in-room access working, but was picking up and paying for a wireless service at the pool. So I was on a mission - if I was staying for a week I had to get connected, and it was supposed to be at no charge in my room.

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