As Web pages are written to accomodate mobile formats and small format browsers, more online resources traditionally accessed on computers can be comfortably viewed on Smartphones. Programs (Apps) installed on your device are almost always preferable to online since they are not dependent on a data or WiFi connection and are optimized for the mobile device. A device with the ability to connect to the Internet through WiFi and/or a cellular broadband data connection can provide access to a wide variety of resources including email, medical resources and a whole host of tools and sites to meet your general and personal information needs.
Although technical limitations of the devices (e.g. inability to process Javascript, Flash, etc.) limit access to some resources, a larger consideration is the difficulty displaying content configured for a standard computer monitor on a screen as small as 2 inches diagonally. To a certain extent, usability is a matter of individual tolerance for scrolling through extraneous material to reach the content. The differences in Web browsers is significant, with the iPhone version of Safari as the gold standard.
A note on Cellular Broadband: Mobile phone providers sometimes have different data package options. Make sure you have an UNLIMITED data plan before you begin accessing Web-based medical resources. You can run up large overages on your limited data plan in a very short time because of the volume of text and the graphic content on many of these sites. Also, be aware that using cellular broadband on your smartphone when traveling abroad can be very expensive, even when just quickly checking your email. Check with your mobile service provider.
This page discusses a variety of issues relating to wireless access to library resources and other resources from mobile devices.
There are several wireless networks available on the Yale University campus. The medical campus of the university has some special requirements due to the need for enhanced security in a setting where patient data may be transmitted. There are actually several Yale University WiFi networks which vary in their technical requirements and capabilities:
YaleSecure - This is the preferred WiFi network for Yale. Unlike the WPA networks, your device does not have to be registered in order to use this wireless nework. Similar to WPA, the user will be prompted to enter their NetID/NetID password and receive a certificate the first time the device is connected to the network.Yale Wireless and Yale WPA/WPA2 are also available but Yale Wireless requires a VPN connection and the WPA options requires the wireless device to be registered. Yale affiliates should never use the YaleGuest network. It is unsecured and will not provide access to many Yale-restricted resources.
See the ITS Networking & Internet Website for more information on wireless networking at Yale including WPA configuration instructions for computers.
The same remote access options used with computers may also be for remote access to Yale Library resources on external WiFi or on broadband networks.. This will allow you to use restricted Yale resources from external wireless networks (home, coffee shops, etc.) and your mobile provider's data network. A VPN connection is generally the best method of authenticating to the Yale network. The Medical Library Proxy Server is another remote access option on some devices although this is typically more cumbersome than a VPN connection. All WiFi-enabled Palms, Palm Smartphones, WindowsMobile devices and iPhones/iPodTouches are capable of making a proxy connection. The iPhone/iPodTouch and newer Windows Mobile devices come with VPN software that will allow you to connect to the Yale VPN server. Other devices requires you to purchase 3rd party software to make this connection.
iPhone & iPodTouchVPN Clients for Mobile Devices
Mergic VPN (for Palm devices only)
This PPTP client is generally reliable and easy to configure. Cost is $30. Free trial is available.
AnthaVPN (for Window Mobile devices and some Palm models)
ITS provides some limited support these VPN products. Preliminary reports are that the AnthaVPN works best with PPCs running the newest Windows Mobile 5 or 6 OS. A version of the AnthaVPN also works with the Palm TX. ITS Security recommends IPSEC over PPTP (i.e. Mergic VPN) especially if any patient information is being sent or received on the device. The software costs $79.
Instructions for configuring the MergicVPN and AnthaVPN applications for Palm on are the ITS "Palm Smartphones and PDAs" page. Additional information one the use of mobile devices at Yale is available on the ITS "Mobile Technology Support" page.
The Blackberry supports neither VPN nor proxy access. The only way to access restricted online resources is for a Blackberry must be attached to Yale University's Blackberry Enterprise Server (BES). Contact ITS for information on whether your Blackberry is eligible for a BES connection.
These instructions will vary somewhat depending on your version of the operating system.
Some email systems have a usable Webmail site optimized for mobile devices although most users prefer using a configured mail client on their mobile device to manage their email. Most devices come with an email client you can use to get email from different accounts. Common email services like GMail and Yahoo are often preconfigured and only require you to know your username and password. Other systems such some of the Yale email systems require you to have information such as incoming and outgoing server names and sometimes other details such as port information.
General information on setting up email is available from ITS but these instructions do not address all devices, software and mail options. The pages may provide you with enough of the details to configure your Yale email on your mobile device. There are specific instructions for configuring Yale email on an iPhone/iPodTouch although students on the Omega mail server should substitute "omega.med.yale.edu" for "email.med.yale.edu" in the iPhone imap mail instructions. And make certain to put your NetID and NetID password in the space for BOTH incoming and outgoing mail servers.
Contact the ITS Help Desk for further information and assistance accessing your Yale email account with your mobile device.
