Do a Google search for 'Excel online'.

There apear to be plenty of alternatives, this is one of them http://www.securesheet.co.uk/

Alan - There's a pretty straightforward way to share your excel workbooks.

Remote access - If you already have a VPN, then use that. If not, are you familiar with LogMeIn ?

Visit https://secure.logmein.com/home.asp and sign up for an account. It's free as long as you don't want to send files to each other directly - you can always e-mail them anyway.

Set up your colleague in LogMeIn as a secondary user so that they can have remote access to your PC but only by logging into their own XP user account (which you have previously set up for them !) and secured your own XP account.

You can then make the shared Excel directory available to you and them.

Sharing Excel files - You simply need to open the workbook you want to be shared, then click Tools > Share Wookbook. Tick the multiple users editing box and check the options in the Advanced tab.

Excel takes care of allowing changes to the saved file and you can decide which save "wins" in case of conflict. Any shared file is indicated in Excel by the filename shown with [shared] as a suffix.

Hope this helps.

Alfa.

So far as I Know, LogMeIn is fairly safe to use but I would advise against using it or any VPN until you understand the security risks and are happy with them.

Optimist. I use LogMeIn for all the businesses I look after. It's very safe but folks should read through the FAQs on their site for full appreciation of the risks (and safeguards).

Alfa.

alfalfa

I did not want to put people off LogMeIn. I accept that it is a well used an relatively sahe VPN. I looked at it some time ago but decided to stick to my existing IPSEC VPN.

What I was trying to point out, was that no VPN is 100% secure and some solutions are significantly less than secure. Everyone should DYOR and accept the risk (which does exist) of their choice.

Thanks for the replys, guys.
Going to try the excel online idea first, as this seems safest.
Thanks again.
Alan

Optimist - Dead right about the security. Use whatever one feels comfortable with.
Alfa.

Just as a footnote to my query regarding excel online;
After looking around and following suggestions on here, the simplest and most intuitive way was to use Google Docs. And its free!!
Very straightforward and relatively secure and I am up and running.
Thanks to all for their input.
Alan

Does anyone have any experience of setting up a WiFi system for wider coverage than normal. We want to have free WiFi at and around our sailing club. The coverage should be in the main large room, downstairs in the office and outside for maybe 20 feet or more down to the water's edge. I believe that you can get systems with repeaters, but I can't find mch about it or the routers that would allow that. It may also depend on the ISP I suppose and what routers would work wth them.

This link might be of some use, Haystack.

Haystack

This may be worth looking into BT Openzone in a box.

The BT system is interesting, but it involves charging for the access and selling openzone vouchers. We are planning a free system.

I'm not sure about that. You certainly have the option to charge, but it does mention that it is suitable for business uuse, which presumably would not be charged for.

Having said that, I have no love for BT.

"We want to have free WiFi at and around our sailing club. The coverage should be in the main large room, downstairs in the office and outside for maybe 20 feet or more down to the water's edge"

I'd use something from this page

Most people around here seem not to like the socket system but there are items on here that you plug into the socket and which are also WiFi transmitters.

Too simple for words.

TP

I've just kitted up round the house starting with a Devolo dLAN 200 AV Starter Kit for my main PC and modem with another couple of them for good measure elsewhere round the house.

Fast internet all round the house now. Wherever you want to use your laptop just plug it into the mains using one of these. Simple to install. Brilliant kit which works so easily and fast. Secure too.

In fact it's very nearly as good as Sky+

Haystack

Regardless of what system you use, as it will be an open network, make sure that you put a firewall between the wireless network and any computers that your sailing club uses.

The club PCs already have firewalls and anti virus software installed. Anyone using the network will be warned of the dangers.

Haystack,
The std way to cover larger areas is with seperate wireless access points transmiting using the same SSID but seterating the channels by at leaest one but better two channels. Each of the access pionts is connected to a central router via ethernet cables (max 96 meters). The central router could also be an access point.
skg

The problems Wifi has are with going through walls. If you are just looking to do upstairs, downstairs and outside around the clubhouse then a bog standard wireless router has a good chance of being fine for the job.

Wot K said. Also, if you do use multiple wireless routers or repeaters, remember that 802.11 b/g channels have quite a lot of frequency overlap. Off the top of my head, only channels 1, 6 and 11 have no overlap. It shouldn't matter because it's spread spectrum (try saying that after a few glasses of wine).