 Technology
Best Practices
Staying
Connected
Getting the Most from a
Mobile Office
By T. Scott Plumley
Hotspots are now available
almost anywhere. I can’t remember the last time I turned
on my laptop and was not able to gain access to at least
one, if not three, wireless networks. With the ability
to easily gain access to the Internet, the mobile work
force is empowered.
There are a few easy ways to stay connected to your
information without having to do a lot of work. The
quickest and simplest way is by having a Smart Phone or
PDA with Internet capabilities. Whether your email is
Google, Yahoo, AOL, or personal domain hosted with any
number of providers, setting this up on a phone is very
simple. By doing this you have access to all emails
wherever you are, as long as your phone has reception.
Email is no longer a luxury but a mission critical means
of communication. Therefore, quick access to new and
incoming messages can be as vital as taking phone calls.
 Some of the countless devices on the market that allow
you to stay connected are: Blackberries (Multiple
models), Treo Smartphone (Palm and Windows versions),
Motorola Q, Samsung Black Jack, and the new Apple iPhone.
You will need to work out a plan with your provider for
the amount of data you will need, but the unlimited plan
usually maxes out at around $50.00 a month. I generate a
lot more revenue than that by being able to quickly
respond to all emails that are sent to me, regardless of
what I am doing.
Along the same line as having a device to keep you
connected to your email, there are several ways in which
to stay connected to your office as well. Software is
expensive and having identical software loaded on both
your work pc and a mobile laptop or home computer isn’t
always an option. The ability to remote into your office
environment is very easy and quite inexpensive to setup.
There are a few key components that you will need to
have in order to accomplish this, and 90% of small
businesses have these tools already and are not
utilizing them.
1. You need a remote host pc. This can be a server in
your office or your personal business pc in your office.
It will need to be running Windows XP Pro, Windows Vista
Versions, Business, Ultimate, or Enterprise. You also
have the option of connecting to your server, as long as
it is running Windows 2000 or 2003.
2. Your Internet connect will need a static IP address.
This is a unique identifier, similar to a street
address, that distinguishes your network on the
Internet. If you have a T1, then you already have one.
If you have Cable or DSL, you might have a dynamic (one
that changes every few days or weeks). If so, ordering a
static IP address requires a minimum monthly fee for the
upgrade.
3. You will need a remote control PC to gain access to
your hosted PC in the office. Any PC that has Internet
access will work for this portion.
Once you have these tools in position it takes only a
few minutes to set up your office for remote access.
Simply install Terminal Services or Remote Desktop
(Windows Remote Access Software) or other
vendor-specific packages like GoToMyPC.com, RealVNC, or
PC Anywhere, onto the PC that you want to control. After
that, there is a port that has to be opened on your
firewall to allow access. Lastly, you install the
control software on the PC you want to use as the
controller, and connect to the static IP address
(mentioned above) and you are in. You then have the same
level of access to your programs and data that you would
have if you were sitting at your desk in your office.
You can even print from your office to your home
printer.
These are just a few ways that you can easily stay
connected to your clientele without having to stay
stationary in your office. Ask your IT provider or
cellular provider to supply you with the information you
need to quickly gain access to your business
information.
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T. Scott Plumley is the President of High Speed Network
Services. High Speed Network Services provides full IT
support to small and medium-sized businesses. Scott has
over 10 years experience working with small, medium and
Fortune 100 businesses. Contact Scott at 813-404-5498 or
scott@hsnsfl.com. |
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Published September 2007,
Volume 1, Number 6,
Bay
Area Business Magazine
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