A system comprising: a mobile computing unit (305, 400) for accessing a computing resource despite of detecting a failure of a user of the mobile computing unit to complete a logon to access the computing resource, a radius server, a certificate authority, the computing resource, and a wireless access point (315, 410) comprising means for providing (735, 925) limited access to the computing resource, the limited access commensurate with an authenticated identity of the mobile computing unit, wherein the mobile computing unit is coupled to the wireless access point over a data link, the wireless access point being configured to not forward data traffic to either an underlying wired network or another mobile computing device from an unauthenticated connection, except for providing limited interaction with a radius server (325, 415) for establishing an authenticated connection, the wireless access point being coupled to the radius server, the wireless access point acting as an authenticator to provide the mobile computing unit with access to a computing resource, and wherein the mobile computing unit comprises: means for providing a unique machine identity to the wireless access point to be forwarded to the radius server; means for receiving a challenge provided by the radius server from the wireless access point, the challenge requesting proof of the unique machine identity; means for obtaining (525, 725, 835), from a certificate authority, a certificate to facilitate authenticating an identity of the mobile computing unit; and means for providing (730, 920) the certificate to the wireless access point to prove the unique machine identity. a mobile computing unit (305, 400) for accessing a computing resource despite of detecting a failure of a user of the mobile computing unit to complete a logon to access the computing resource, a radius server, a certificate authority, the computing resource, and a wireless access point (315, 410) comprising means for providing (735, 925) limited access to the computing resource, the limited access commensurate with an authenticated identity of the mobile computing unit, wherein the mobile computing unit is coupled to the wireless access point over a data link, the wireless access point being configured to not forward data traffic to either an underlying wired network or another mobile computing device from an unauthenticated connection, except for providing limited interaction with a radius server (325, 415) for establishing an authenticated connection, the wireless access point being coupled to the radius server, the wireless access point acting as an authenticator to provide the mobile computing unit with access to a computing resource, and wherein the mobile computing unit comprises: means for providing a unique machine identity to the wireless access point to be forwarded to the radius server; means for receiving a challenge provided by the radius server from the wireless access point, the challenge requesting proof of the unique machine identity; means for obtaining (525, 725, 835), from a certificate authority, a certificate to facilitate authenticating an identity of the mobile computing unit; and means for providing (730, 920) the certificate to the wireless access point to prove the unique machine identity. means for providing a unique machine identity to the wireless access point to be forwarded to the radius server; means for receiving a challenge provided by the radius server from the wireless access point, the challenge requesting proof of the unique machine identity; means for obtaining (525, 725, 835), from a certificate authority, a certificate to facilitate authenticating an identity of the mobile computing unit; and means for providing (730, 920) the certificate to the wireless access point to prove the unique machine identity.