Update...

Well, working from home had mixed results.

On one hand, accessing my email and calendar is incredibly fast and it doesn't tie up the phone line. On the other hand, we found that the cordless phone seems to interfere with and disconnect the wireless signal. We will have to problem solve and see if the phone can be changed to a different channel. (Worse comes to worse...we go back to corded phones.)

The other problem is minor but important. To access the wireless signal we have USB adapters that plug in. But you need drivers installed on the computer/lap top/Xbox for them to work. The lap top I brought home doesn't have a wireless network card installed and I did not have the administrative privileges to install the drivers needed to use the USB adapter. Therefore, no VPN access for me.

It turned out okay. Most of the files that I needed to work with were attachments to emails in my inbox, which I could access. So we are calling it a success and on Monday I will corner the powers that be to get the drives installed on the lap top so that I will be good to go next time.

No rant required. God, sometimes I love technology.