Filed under: Portables, Cool tools, Freeware, Open Source
MarcoPolo: automatic location manager
We've previously mentioned locations managers like Location X ($20) and NetworkLocation ($15). These are tools that can change a variety of settings depending on your location (e.g. SMTP server, default printer, etc.). This is very convenient for mobile users moving between work and home, etc. MarcoPolo is a new entry in this category and adds a number of cool features that we haven't seen before, including "fuzzy logic" rules for setting the location based on matching a variety of different criteria (wifi network, IP address, etc.) and USB and Bluetooth support (as criteria). The USB detection is a great feature if, for instance, you have one model of mouse and/or keyboard at work, but use a different set a home.Best of all, MarcoPolo, unlike most of the other utilities, is open source and a free download.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
F.H. said 11:17AM on 4-25-2007
I am not sure if this was already a subject on tuaw, but in this context I would like to mention "Home Zone". The goal of the app is a bit different, but it fits the whole "network location manager" thing.
http://metaquark.de/homezone/
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Aron Trimble said 11:28AM on 4-25-2007
Please somebody tell me a way to auto-connect to a VPN when I log on to a specific network! There has to be an easier way than hacking the kicker files with an applescript that uses Cisco's client!
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Mo said 11:39AM on 4-25-2007
(Downloading this now)
If this does what I think it will (determining current location based on a set of heuristics, and letting you define a configuration that should be used for that configuration), then this will make me very happy indeed.
Regularly switching between a network where DHCP is pretty much mandatory, and one where DHCP breaks things (don't ask) gets quite tedious, especially when you forget to switch locations…
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Eric said 2:25PM on 4-25-2007
Aron Trimble,
I use PearPortVPN to automatically log me into my school's network when I'm on it. It works pretty well. Here's a link to it:
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/22544
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JPL said 2:51PM on 4-25-2007
Does anyone know of a similar application for Windows? I need something like this at my office.
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Anon said 4:24PM on 4-25-2007
Its a good thing its free. Otherwise the author would be really upset when this feature turns up in 10.5
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