Lab Notes

The new Google Secure Access claims to require software that is currently available only for Windows. However, they are using PPTP, which is available for a wide variety of platforms, including Mac OS X. Here's how to configure your Mac OS X machine to use Google Secure Access:

1) Launch Internet Connect (it's in the Applications folder, or available from your AirPort menu)

2) From the File menu, choose "New VPN Connection..."

3) Select PPTP, and click the Continue button

4) From the Configurations pop-up menu, choose "Edit Configurations"

5) Enter the following values:

Description: Google <or something else descriptive>
Server Address: 66.28.250.27
Account Name: <leave blank>
User Authentication: Password <leave it blank>
Encryption: Maximum (128 bit only)
Advanced: <leave Enable VPN on demand unchecked>

6) Click OK

7) Don't connect yet, instead, launch Safari (or whatever web browser you use), and go to https://vpn.google.com/getpass/

8) From that web site, you will end up with a line of data that looks like:

Three items: the first is the IP address of the VPN server, the next is your dynamic username, the third your password. Copy and paste the second value (5417399273) into the Internet Connect VPN Account Name field, and copy and paste the third value (n2QHcciMOuv5vvwiNTjZ) into the password field.

9) Click "Connect"

If you have problems, it may be because you are behind a firewall that is blocking outbound PPTP. That's the case here in our office &mdash connecting fails from our regular inside-the-firewall Wi-Fi network, but works from our outside-the-firewall guest Wi-Fi network.

Keep in mind that your data is encrypted only as far as the Google servers, so the wireless connection is secured (and that's probably the most vulnerable point), but beyond Google's servers, your data is out in the open. And of course, all of your data is traveling through Google, so you particularly have to trust Google to use this system.