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 it empowers the mobile work force.

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 the ability to easily set this up on a phone is very simple and easy to manage. By doing this you have access to all emails no matter where 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 devices that are on the market that are available are: Blackberries (Multiple models), Treo Smartphone (Palm and Windows versions) Motorola Q, Samsung Black Jack, the new Apple iPhone, and countless other devices that allow you to stay connected. 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 no matter what I am doing.

A long the same lines of having a device to keep you connected to your email there are several ways in which to stay connected into 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 make sure that you have in order to accomplish this but 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 you 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 or 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. Then all you do is install Terminal Services or Remote Desktop (Windows Remote Access Software) or other vendor specific packages like GoToMyPC.com, RealVNC, or PC Anywhere onto your PC that you want to control. After that there is port that has to be opened on your firewall to allow the access to go through. Last all you install the control software on the PC you want to use as the controller and connect to the IP address that you have in Item number 2 in the list 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 provide you the information you need to quickly gain access to your business information.