To use Odyssey Client on your HP iPAQ, your device must have an 802.1x-compliant (network interface card) NIC driver. The HP iPAQ can be compatible with your preferred WLAN security protocol for network authentication. A readme.txt file is included with the Odyssey Client software that lists compatible devices.

You will need a license key to use Odyssey Client. A license key is a text sequence that corresponds to your licensed copy of Odyssey Client. During the installation process, you are prompted to enter the license key.

You can also enter the license key after the installation process. Several features of Odyssey Client are licensed separately. Depending on the license, some features may be unavailable and areas of the user interface may be grayed out.

You will need to install the Odyssey Client software onto your HP iPAQ. For instructions on installing Odyssey Client via the CD or web download version, refer to the information that came with your HP iPAQ.

After configuring a network on Odyssey Client, you must be within range of an access point to log on to a specified network and connect to it. Some wireless networks require that you log on while others let anyone within range log on. The access point links your HP iPAQ to a network. (The range of an access point is usually several hundred feet.) If there is no access available, two or more wireless devices can use peer-to-peer networking to share files and play games. No additional hardware equipment is needed to use peer-to-peer networking.

Currently, the Odyssey Client for network authentication is available with the HP iPAQ hw6900 Mobile Messenger series only.

Biometric Fingerprint Reader (HP iPAQ hx2700 series only)

The built-in Biometric Fingerprint Reader is exclusive to the HP iPAQ hx2700 series. The built-in fingerprint reader is convenient, and it adds an extra level security for authorized users. This robust security feature easily identifies authorized users and prevents access by others. Depending on the strength of protection required, you can specify whether to identify yourself using only a fingerprint, a PIN, a password, or various combinations of these methods.

This type of identification is virtually foolproof, for the simple reason that fingerprints are a unique form of biometric identification possessed only by the specific user. This also provides the ultimate in convenient access and does not have to be remembered like a password or PIN.

You can also find more specific information about how to enroll fingerprints using HP ProtectTools in the User’s Guide on the Companion CD. (If you purchased an HP iPAQ hx2700 Pocket PC, the Companion CD is available with your device.)

Special issues related to security

The unprecedented set of powerful security features found in the HP iPAQ hx2000 series requires new behavior for some individual users. In particular, users may find that they run the risk of losing current data in the devices if regular backups do not occur and they forget any required access passwords or PIN numbers. This is because a locked device without a password requires a "hard reset" that will wipe out all of the data on the unit.

The "hard reset" feature is another level of security that helps prevent data theft by unauthorized users. For the strongest level of protection, you can set a flag in the device that blocks any attempt to log back in after a certain number of tries. The HP default is to turn this flag off. If this flag is turned on, in circumstances where lockout occurs, there is no recovery from the lockout that will preserve your data.

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