Boingo connects with Macs

Boingo Wireless on Monday released a version of its Wi-Fi hot-spot access software for users of Apple Computer's Macintosh OS X operating system.

The package, Mac Boingo, is designed to let users connect to Boingo's roaming network of public wireless nodes with a single username and password, the company said. The company's network covers 12,000 hot spots from roaming partners such as Wayport and Surf & Sip.

A hot spot is a public area such as an airport lobby or a hotel where visitors have access to a wireless network that allows them to check e-mail or surf the Internet.

The Boingo software works with the "sniffing" and connection functions of Apple's Airport Wi-Fi software. Mac users can configure their computers to launch virtual private network or e-mail software after logging into a Boingo hot spot.

The software can be downloaded free from the company Web site. It is compatible with Mac OS 10.2.8 and later. The roaming service is available for $7.95 per day or a monthly subscription of $21.95, Boingo said.