Going Mobile – The Road Essentials

Freelance writers have a huge advantage of being able to take their business onto the road. To be honest, I think if you are not doing this you really miss out on one of the best aspects of this business – total freedom of being stuck in the same location.

But even with the tempting idea to go mobile with your business, there are some things to consider before you leave home for the road. For starters, you should make it your top priority to inform yourself about available Internet connections while you are traveling. To me, this is the most important part of my business because without an Internet connection, I find it hard to run my business at all.

You can use Internet cafes for worst case scenarios. While those do provide some form of solace in a sticky situation, they are not the best solution for long term travel, especially in regards to digital security.

Since I spend the last three weeks on the road, finding a reliable Internet connection provided the biggest challenge for me. I spent weeks looking at my options before I left home and ended up buying a monthly membership account with a worldwide provider. Even so I found often that I was only able to choose a dial up connection, which is OK for checking email. To browse the net and publish blog posts dial up is more than annoying, especially if you are used to the speed of broadband.

Whatever your needs are when you travel, you should consider the following if you like to stay connected and safe.

Mobility Pass software

For a flat out rate of USD 39/month and unlimited Internet use you can’t go pass Mobility Pass as long as you are within reach of their usual hot-spots. If you prefer to pay for usage you can do this as well but I found it hard to find a better deal than what they currently offer.

One challenge I found with this software was to connect in certain locations like on ferries, in trains and rurally.

After having been to Europe and traveling quite rural I know that unless I stay within reach of major cities in the future, Mobility Pass software isn’t the right solution for my needs.

IP hiding software

I’ve only recently discovered the advantages of hiding my IP when I surf the net. Not only does this software protect my computer from malicious phishing attacks, but I also hardly run the chance of being banned from an overzealous forum moderator or blog owner for my commenting strategies on niche sites.

There are many providers who offer this type of service and it pays to shop around. Compare your options and if you think you found a good product I suggest you try a small portion before you commit long term.

I feel a lot safer now since I use this software since I often tap into wireless connections. Many of these are provided free of charge and it is very easy for dubious thief’s to hack into your computer while pretending they are a proper wireless network.

Chargers/adapters

Have you ever left home only to find you forgot your computer peripherals such as your power cord and chargers? If this happens it could ruin your trip for sure when you find yourself without sufficient battery power.

One nifty product I found in Europe is a solar powered adapter that charges mobile phones, notebooks and iPod’s. These are fantastic as they allow freelance writers to power up their computers while stuck somewhere without access to power.

Backup of your important files and documents

If your computer breaks down while on the road or you find yourself stuck without access to your computer files, it helps to have a backup with you in the form of an external hard drive or even better a convenient USB stick. These are really handy to have and best of all, they weight nothing and are great to carry around.

For even better solution I suggest you only use an online backup service such as Mozy.com. You will be glad you did if you ever find yourself at the mercy of a strange computer without your usual files and folders.

USB broadband modem

To me these modems are a godsend despite their cost. I actually found them to be the best solution after frustratingly trying to connect to the Internet at my in-laws home in the UK. Unfortunately they are not particularly moving with the times, leaving me in absolute limbo about running my business uninterrupted.

It also didn’t help that they live in the sticks, making it harder to travel to and from a hot spot when you really just want convenience and to have a good time.

In the end I opted for the second option and enjoyed my time with family rather than worrying about my business and to say it was worth it is an understatement.

Mobility is not as easy as it sounds

You would think that in today’s time of electronic revolution you could connect effortlessly to the net wherever and whenever you choose. This isn’t so and it came as a big surprise to me to experience such big connection issues in a seemingly modern country like the UK.

I guess there is much to be done to wire up the world to the net, and if I can put my hand up for it I’d say give me wireless any day.