Understanding Mobile Users

A mobile user is one who works from multiple locations and sometimes works in Notes while disconnected from the Notes network. Non-mobile Notes users typically just turn on Notes and start working; they never have to think about how to connect to their servers.

As a mobile user, you have to decide as you move from place to place or from computer to computer how you will connect from that place or computer to the Domino servers where your data resides. Luckily, you will probably connect in only one of two wayseither to the local area network in your office or to the Internet. But you may have to decide whether to make that connection using your computer's wired Ethernet adapter, its wireless Ethernet adapter, or its modem adapter. And you may have to figure out how to dial a long distance call from a hotel room. And you may have to decide whether to work with databases residing on the server or locally.

If you use one computer at work and a second computer at home, you have to think about how you'll keep the Personal Address Books and personal journals on those two computers in sync with each other. Luckily, Notes takes much of the pain out of all of these decisions. And hopefully your administrator did the basic setup for you.

If you are a mobile user who has a high-speed connection to the Internet, such as a DSL line or cable modem, you might not have to set up replication of your databases and mail. After you set up your connection, you can work almost as if you were in the office. Even when we are traveling, we always try to find a hotel that has high-speed connections. However, they aren't always available or working properly, so it is good to be prepared to connect via a phone connection.

As a mobile user you may have to make sure of the following (especially if you will be traveling):

• Your location and connection documents are set up.

• You have local replicas of any databases you'll be using and you've added any necessary entries to the Replicator page.

• You have telephone and Ethernet cables.

• You have the phone number for your Domino administrator. (Please don't tell him we suggested you travel with his cell phone number, home phone number, and beeper number!)

• You have a copy of the Help database on your computer.

Depending on how your organization sets up its web access, it's possible to access your mail or other databases with a web browser with no need to install the Notes client on your laptop. Check with your Domino administrator to find out whether you can do this.