The EOGN “Laptop Lounge” at the NGS Conference

Once again, I expect to supply free Wi-Fi networking at the NGS conference being held this week in Kansas City, Missouri. If you are attending the conference, you should be able to check your e-mail and/or surf the web a bit at no charge. There's no need to feel isolated from the outside world simply because you are traveling. You can bring your own laptop or PDA or use one of my laptops to check your e-mail.

I expect the Wi-Fi signal will cover the entire Exhibitors' Hall and possibly may “spill over” into nearby hallways or other rooms. However, for the best reliability, I'd suggest you bring your laptop or PDA into the Exhibitors' Hall, where the signal should be the strongest.

The wireless service I am offering to readers of this newsletter will not use the convention center's network at all. If everything works as I have planned, I will be able to provide open Internet access to newsletter subscribers and others by connecting to an external network from within the Exhibitors' Hall.

We (that's Footnote.com and I) will have a couple of very comfortable lounge chairs in the Footnote.com booth for use by conference attendees. Those chairs may feel very comfortable after a long day on your feet at the conference! I suspect there will be many more chairs and a number of tables near the snack bar: relaxing there with a cup of coffee might also be a great way of checking your e-mail.

If you don't have Wi-Fi configured and running on your computer, you can briefly use one of my laptops to check your e-mail messages. However, it will be a shared laptop, and there may be others waiting to check their e-mail also. Please be considerate of the other conference attendees and limit your usage.

The wireless access is free and available to everyone but with several caveats:

1. The free Wi-Fi access depends on wireless connections in a place where there is no possibility of testing in advance. While everything should work, there is no guarantee. The hardware has already been tested in several other locations and has always worked reliably. However, there is always the possibility of being in a "wireless dead spot" or the chance of some critical piece of equipment failing at an inopportune time.
2. I will ask you to limit your usage by using common sense. Please keep in mind that the network is wireless; so, it will be slower than a DSL line although significantly faster than dial-up connections. In addition, you will be sharing the single connection with me, my booth, and other conference attendees. Feel free to check your e-mail and look at a few web pages. However, please do not use this shared resource to download large files, play online games, or otherwise use more than your "fair share" of network time. Please consider your fellow conference attendees who also wish to use the shared wireless network.
3. Exhibitors are asked to not use this wireless network in their booths for product demonstrations or other "customer-facing" uses. Such use violates the license agreement I signed with the wireless provider. However, please feel free to check your own e-mail at any time. Anyone caught using the service to demonstrate products in their exhibit booth will immediately be locked out.
4. I must assume that you already know how to configure and use wireless connectivity in your own computer. The wireless network will work for me and for others. If it does not work for you, please be aware that I will not have time to set up or troubleshoot your computer. I suggest you test your computer's wireless connectivity BEFORE traveling to the conference so that you will know in advance how wireless connectivity works on your system. If you can make it work elsewhere, your computer will work with the EOGN wireless network in Kansas City.
5. The EOGN wireless network is available free of charge. However, if it becomes saturated or is abused, I may turn the wireless access off or invoke an encryption key without notice.
6. The EOGN wireless network is not sponsored by or sanctioned by the conference organizers or the other sponsoring organizations in any way. If it does not work, please do not complain to them! This is strictly my own personal project; so, stop by the Footnote.com/Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter booth and complain to me! (smile) In fact, please stop by even if you do not have any complaints!

Again, this wireless access does not use the network connectivity provided by the convention center in any way. The hardware and software used in this network is rather unique, and some of it is not available in your local computer store. Stop by this newsletter's booth, and I'll be happy to show you how it works.

I hope you enjoy the free wireless access provided by this newsletter. Your Plus Edition subscription dollars were used to purchase the required hardware. In effect, your subscription dollars are being used to provide another service to you.