Imagine you're driving to the airport to catch a morning business flight. Your cell phone rings and it's a client who asks you to include additional information in a project bid you sent him.

The problem: The bid is on your office computer and only you know the project well enough to make the changes. But you're not worried.

	TIP: When you're on the road with your laptop, remember that you may not be able to run your machine off a power supply that plugs into the wall. This means you have to rely on your laptop battery to keep it running. At best, your laptop battery will provide four or five hours of power — which is not a full business day. So be sure to carry a fully charged spare battery with you to avoid having your laptop shut down. Also adjust your power management settings to optimise battery life.

At the airport, you take out your laptop PC, connect to your office computer using a wireless networking "hotspot," and open the bid document and make the changes. You then e-mail the updated proposal to the client and save a backup copy to your company intranet site. Ten minutes later you're taking your seat on the plane and your client has the new bid in hand.

Mobile computing — the ability to access office information when you're away from the office — is becoming more commonplace in the work world. If you're wondering whether it's time for you and your staff to join the mobile computing crowd, start by asking yourself the following questions:

• Do you spend at least 10 percent of your business hours calling on customers, associates or suppliers, or attending off-site meetings, or working from home?
• Do you have sales representatives who work off-site?
• Does your business have multiple locations? A warehouse?
• Do you wish you could get more done on the road?
• When you're away from the office do you call in and ask a staff member to look up a phone number, appointment or other information?

If you answered "yes" to two or more of these, then it could be time to move to mobile computing.

What's in It for You?
The primary benefit of going mobile is increased productivity. Giving mobile workers the same access to information they have when on-site enables them to accomplish more. Research has shown that mobile workers can gain another 8 to 12 productive hours each week when they use wireless networking for remote information access. There are other benefits, too:

• Less paperwork: With a laptop connected to the internet, you can access contracts, forms and sales literature that you can view, modify and print on demand.
• Faster turn-around times: Credit applications, legal signoffs, money transfers and other transactions can happen in minutes without requiring travel and meetings.
• Greater customer satisfaction: You can respond quickly to customer requests and queries, solidifying those relationships.
• Better communication: Staying connected makes you available for questions only you can answer when you're out of the office. Everyone in your organization can stay better informed and, as a result, make better business decisions.
• Greater job satisfaction: Giving workers the freedom to perform work outside the office has been found to increase job satisfaction, reduce turnover and minimise the costs associated with retraining new employees.

What You Need to Get Started
Mobile computing basically requires that you can connect your laptop or home computer to your office computer and network. To do so you'll need the following:

• Hardware: Your laptop or home computer (or tablet PC) must have a dial-up modem, high-speed (broadband) internet connection or wireless network card to create a remote connection to your office. To use the dial-up modem you'll need a telephone cord to plug into a phone jack; for your high-speed internet connection you'll need an Ethernet cable that plugs into a network outlet. You also have the option of remotely connecting to your office using a mobile device such as smart phone or personal digital assistant (PDA) that has built-in wireless capabilities or add-on cards.
• Software: Computer operating systems allow you to configure your computer for network access, but the latest versions often make it easier with the use of wizards. Windows XP Professional can quickly set up your PC for network access and also includes advanced security features such as the Internet Connection Firewall to help protect your network from viruses and hackers.

Set Up Your Network
Your office or shop will need to have a network in place. There are several ways to do this. You can use cables (wires) with plugs on each end that physically connect one computer to another. You will also need a device — such as a cable/DSL modem or router — that connects your network to high-speed internet service through an Internet Service Provider (ISP).

Another option is to go with a wireless setup that uses radio signals that transmit through walls, ceilings and floors to connect computers equipped with wireless network capabilities or wireless cards you install. You use a wireless router to transmit signals.

You can also operate both a wired and wireless network at the same time. Wireless network equipment with Ethernet ports can support both wireless and wired connections. Consult a local technology vendor if you're uneasy about putting together your networking equipment.

As for the software that controls the network, Windows Small Business Server 2003 can manage remote connections in both wired and wireless scenarios. Windows Small Business Server allows authorised workers to have remote access to your network, enabling data sharing among those who travel, telecommuters, or off-site workers. You can also create an internal company website using the built-in Microsoft Windows SharePoint tools to share company information with remote workers.

Connecting on the Road
How exactly do you connect to the network when you're traveling? It depends on the type — or types — of connections your laptop is set up to use.

• Dial-up telephone line: If your laptop has a dial-up modem built-in (most do), then just plug one end of the telephone cord into the modem and the other into a wall jack. Then enter the internet access number provided by your ISP to connect to the internet. Remember that dial-up networking is slow and it can take time to download large files.
• Broadband connection: Many hotels now offer broadband connections in their rooms for a small charge. Just plug one end of an Ethernet cable into the port on your laptop and the other into the wall jack.
• Wireless connection: Most laptops with wireless capabilities make use of a high-speed wireless technology called Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity). When on the road, you may find Wi-Fi "hotspots" at airports, internet cafes and other public locations. These hotspots have a wireless base station that transmits signals to Wi-Fi-enabled PCs.

Realizing the Benefits
With your business network and internet service in place, and your laptop and computers set up to connect to both, you're ready to begin realizing the productivity benefits of mobile computing.

If are using Outlook 2003 — part of Microsoft Office Small Business Edition 2003 and Office Professional Edition 2003 — you can automatically synchronise your e-mail, calendar and contact information each time you connect your laptop to your office network. You can also browse your office computer or server to access any documents you need.

You can now respond to new e-mail, review and update a document, check to confirm the client address for a meeting later in the day — and even update a client bid while waiting to catch a plane.