Exhibit 5.1

               [JENKENS & GILCHRIST PARKER CHAPIN LLP LETTERHEAD]






                                                 January 10, 2002



Ion Networks, Inc.
1551 South Washington Avenue
Piscataway, New Jersey 08854


                             Re: Ion Networks, Inc.


Gentlemen:

          We have acted as counsel to Ion  Networks,  Inc.  (the  "Company")  in
connection  with its  Registration  Statement  on Form  S-8  (the  "Registration
Statement") being filed with the Securities and Exchange  Commission (the "SEC")
relating to the offering of up to 2,900,000  shares of common  stock,  par value
$.001 per share (the "Common  Stock"),  to employees of the Company  pursuant to
certain employment agreements (the "Agreements").

          In rendering the opinions  expressed below, we have examined originals
or  copies,   satisfactory   to  us,  of  (i)  the  Company's   Certificate   of
Incorporation,  as amended, (ii) the Company's By-laws, and (iii) minutes of the
board of  directors  of the  Company  relating to the  Agreements.  We have also
reviewed  such other  matters of law and examined and relied upon all  corporate
records and all such  agreements,  certificates  and other  documents as we have
deemed relevant and necessary as a basis for the opinion hereinafter  expressed.
In all of our  examinations,  we have  assumed the  accuracy of all  information
furnished to us, the authenticity of all documents  submitted to us as originals
and the conformity with the original  documents of documents  submitted to us as
copies, as well as the genuineness of all signatures on all such documents.

          Our  opinion is limited to the date  hereof and we do not in any event
undertake to advise you of any facts or circumstances occurring or coming to our
attention subsequent to the date hereof.

          Finally,  we are counsel admitted to practice only in the State of New
York,  and we express no opinions  as to the  applicable  laws any  jurisdiction
other  than those of the State of New York,  the  General  Corporate  Law of the
State of Delaware and the United States of America.




          Based upon and subject to the  foregoing,  we are of the opinion  that
the shares of the Company's Common Stock to be issued pursuant to the Agreements
will be,  when issued  pursuant to the  provisions  of the  Agreements,  validly
issued, fully-paid and non-assessable.

          We hereby  consent to the filing of this  opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration  Statement. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we
are within the category of persons whose consent is required  under Section 7 of
the  Securities  Act of 1933 (the "Act"),  the rules and  regulations of the SEC
promulgated thereunder or Item 509 of Regulation S-K promulgated under the Act.


                                       Very truly yours,


                                       /s/ Jenkens & Gilchrist Parker Chapin LLP

                                       JENKENS & GILCHRIST PARKER CHAPIN LLP