iPass Enabled

This week I was informed of a pilot my day job is running with iPass. In short, iPass is a connection aggregator service that allows you to use one set of credentials over a wide range of access methods: dialup, GPRS/EDGE, WiFi, and Ethernet. I am currently using the service while sitting in SFO where anything under than a clear sunshine day will cause weather delays.

The iPass Connect service provides a client that controls your modem and WiFi. You tell it what city, state/provence, and country you are in and it will tell you your options. It will also show you what it finds and which access points are iPass-enabled. You can use both iPass-enabled access points and other access points. This is my first time using iPass, but I have to say I’m impressed. The iPass Connect client noticed the T-Mobile Hotspot access point along with two others. The T-Mobile Hotspot access point is iPass-enabled. I simply clicked on the access point and within a minute or so I was prompted to log into my corporate VPN. Pretty slick.

There are probably a few integration issues with my corporate policies and the like, but I like that I can get connected anywhere I happen to be. There seems to be some contention between the Intel WiFi software and iPass Connect. I probably just need to talk to the iPass Pilot team and find out what I need to do to permanently disable the Intel WiFi software so it doesn’t come online.

When I get home, I will have to see how easily I can integrate in my own access point at home where I use WPA.