BOINGO BOOSTS WI-FI SECURITY, SIMPLICITY AND HOT SPOT NETWORK
WITH UPDATE OF AWARD-WINNING WI-FI CLIENT SOFTWARE UTILITY
Improved Wi-Fi software utility doubles Boingo's live hot spot locations, adds Windows XP SP2 compatibility, 802.1x and WPA
support, and simplifies profile management
SANTA MONICA, Calif. - September 8, 2004 - Boingo Wireless today announced the latest release of its award-winning Wi-Fi connection software, which includes key new security, reliability and ease-of-use features as well as Windows XP Service Pack 2 compatibility. The new software also opens up more than 3,500 new hot spot locations in Europe - doubling the number of live hot spots in the Boingo® Roaming System.
The free software is available for download at www.boingo.com/download.html. Current Boingo software users can easily upgrade to the latest version by clicking the help tab on their current version of Boingo software, and then clicking "Update Boingo Wireless Software."
More than 500,000 individuals and enterprises have downloaded prior versions of Boingo's Wi-Fi connection software. The Wi-Fi connection software simplifies finding and connecting to Wi-Fi networks at home, at the office and at all of Boingo's thousands of public hot spots.
Boingo will also release its software developer kit (SDK) for its Platform Services partners, such as Earthlink, Fiberlink, Infonet Services Corp., MCI and Telecom Italia. The SDK enables service providers to develop custom-branded Wi-Fi connection applications to be used with the Boingo Roaming System, or to integrate all of the new functionality into their existing Boingo-based client applications.
"With this latest software release, we are keeping true to our mission to make Wi-Fi secure and simple for consumers while at the same time making it easy for our carrier partners to extend that experience to their customers," said Dave Hagan, Boingo president and COO. "The release of the SDK allows us to accommodate an even wider range of provisioning environments which accounts for the dramatic boost to the number of live hot spots in our network."
Added Security Features - 802.1x and WPA
The new Boingo software utility adds support for 802.1x authentication and Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) encryption standards to allow users to integrate the software with corporate authentication schemes, making it the only client needed for corporate, home and public Wi-Fi needs.
WPA support is available for Windows XP users who have installed the WPA update from Microsoft, while 802.1x is available to Windows XP users and Windows 2000 SP4 users. WPA support may also require a device driver update, check with your Wi-Fi card manufacturer. WPA and 802.1x will be available for all other Windows OS platforms with the next update of the Boingo software.
The new version of Boingo Software utility continues to include a private VPN to encrypt data as it travels from a laptop to the Boingo data center. This protects the user from hackers and snoops who attempt to capture unprotected Wi-Fi data as it passes through the air.
Wi-Fi Network Profiles - Focus on Simplicity
The Boingo software utility can now import profiles from Windows XP Wireless Zero Configuration, Cisco Aironet Client Utility, and the Agere-based Wi-Fi utility that are the basis of many of the OEM Wi-Fi clients shipped by PC manufacturers. This makes it much simpler for users to immediately use the Boingo software for finding and connecting to Wi-Fi networks at home, at work and at any of Boingo's thousands of public hot spots based on pre-existing profiles.
Via new private profile settings, the Boingo Software also includes the ability for users to hide a specific network, or in areas with a lot of signals, to reduce signal display clutter by hiding all networks except those for which they have set up a profile. Users can also designate that the Wi-Fi sniffer show private signals by user-designated profile name, instead of by the SSID, allowing users with closed networks (non-broadcast) to keep their SSIDs hidden from prying eyes.
As always, the software includes the ability to auto-connect to preferred networks or have the software offer the connection, and the user can designate an application to launch upon a successful connection - such as a VPN in public hot spots, or an email application at home or in the office.
SDK for Platform Services Partners
The Boingo SDK is also updated to allow carriers and operators to build their own applications with these features. The SDK is an integral part of Boingo's Platform Services offering, a turnkey Wi-Fi service for service providers that also includes access to the Boingo Roaming System and a complete suite of back-office billing, roaming, mediation and clearing-house services.
The new SDK allows service providers to designate a variety of network types, including a basic network, a roaming network and a premium network. This allows the carrier to establish user experience guidelines or multiple rate plans based on network type designations.
About Boingo Wireless
Boingo Wireless, Inc. is an ultra-high-speed wireless Internet service available in thousands of locations such as hotels, airports, cafes and other public places in dozens of countries throughout the world. Both directly and through major carrier and ISP partners, Boingo provides business travelers with a wireless broadband Internet connection to improve productivity while on the road. Through its Wi-Fi software and Roaming System, Boingo makes finding and connecting to Wi-Fi networks point-and-click simple and secure. More information about Boingo is available at http://www.boingo.com.
Boingo is a registered trademark of Boingo Wireless Inc.