iPass - mobile network connectivity

iPass, inc. is a company that contracts with ISPs (Internet Service Providers) throughout the world to provide a pass-through connection to our site for authentication so that you can travel anywhere and still connect to a local ISP using your WHOI RAS username and password. You don't actually get your connection from WHOI, so you are not given a WHOI IP address, but you are connected to the Internet. To gain access to internally restricted sites, a VPN tunnel is needed as well. You can learn more about VPN.

We have contracted with iPass to provide us with this "anywhere networking." The benefits are:

• Better connections, especially outside US and in remote locations in US
• Global coverage for dialup, broadband and wireless access points.
• WiFi through T-mobile and other iPass partners (Starbucks, KFC, Kinkos, etc.)

iPass has provided us with clients that are available to anyone at WHOI for installation on Windows (2000, XP, Vista) laptops and Macintosh OS X laptops. And, we now have a workaround for Linux computers and older Windows or Mac machines.

New Charging Model: a flat fee of $25 as of December 1, 2008

Our 2008 contract with iPass has changed the basis on which WHOI is charged, which means that we must charge users differently. There is good news for travelers and possibly not so good news for those who use iPass from home. Please read on...

Additional information

• iPass FAQ
• iPass clients and QuickStart Guides for Mac OS X and Windows 2000, XP, Vista
  above link leads to WHOI's anonymous ftp site at: ftp://ftp.whoi.edu/pub/services/ipass
• iPass Quick Connect Instructions for Mac OS X and Windows. (Client needs to already be installed)

Note: the iPass client requires you to enter your "Internet Credentials", also known as your "User Information" - this is essentially the same information that you use for RAS and VPN connections. For example: for Joan Scientist, enter:
Username: jscientist
Domain:    XXXX.whoi.edu , where XXXX is a 4-digit telephone charge code. This can be changed monthly, if you like, so that the proper project is charged.
Password: [enter your RAS password here] This must be entered for each connection.

If you have questions, please contact the CIS Helpdesk at x2439.