A Basic but ever so vital question

[millwalljim]

Hello all,
I am very sorry to be posting this as I am sure it has been covered somewhere else but I am in a fix.

Next week I am going to be staying in a house that is being renovated therefore it has all electrics and stuff but no phone lines. However I need interenet connections as I am researching for masters dissertation in a week I have got off work.

I have been looking into 3g and GPRS data cards but them seem unreliable and am worried that I just will not be able to download and research PDF files quicly enough. Also with all that research the cost could mount up.

I am also unsure of any wi-fi hotspots and do not currently have wi-fi software.

So what do you think is my best option, I have an XDA 2 an IBM Pentium 4 Thinkpad, and if necessary I will have to speand money.

Please I have looked through the forums but I am a total novice, I just about managed to change my O2 Settings on the XDA to allow me to run it on Orange, other than that I am clueless about setting up the XDA as a modem, either through USB or Bluetooth.

So whats the best, most reliable and most effcient cure for this problem?

Many thanks for any help and please believe me your help is greatly appreciated.

By the way I will be staying in postcode area CT20, hopefully this will help with anyone who knows wireless speeds or 3g/gprs connectivity.

Thanks again.

James

(all replies gets a thank you in my first published article, you lucky people)

[lydiachris]

Hi there.

For wireless GRPS coverage from o2 click here

http://www.webmap.o2.co.uk/home.asp

As you can see the coverage for London is near the best.

Regarding orange...

http://coverage.orange.co.uk/uk/UKCoverageSearch.htm

I am afraid I cannot help you regarding the best internet options for yourselves, although in my past experience ising an o2 GPRS data card has been quite successful. You can download at near broadband speed. You said you were on orange?? Then I think Orange do a GPRS Card as well which is a little more expensive.

I can, however help you in setting up your XDA as a bluetooth or USB Modem. You will have to change your GPRS Settings where appropiate but here goes...

Xda IIi - Wireless Modem via USB (Win XP)


Disable Activesync on the PC

Open Activesync on the PC and go to to File > Connections Settings (or right click on the activesync icon in the system tray, and choose connection settings).
Untick the option for Allow USB Connection with this Desktop Computer.
Click OK to exit.

Prepare the CD/modem driver

If you have the CD with the modem driver (this is the same CD that contains Activesync and Outlook), insert this into the laptop. If the CD auto-starts you can just cancel it.
If you don't have a CD with the modem driver you can download it here;
http://www.sourceo2.com/xda/Xda_IIs_Wireless_Modem_Drivers.zip
Once downloaded you should unzip and copy the USBMDM.INF file to the hard drive (eg. C drive) of your laptop.

Configure the Wireless Modem

Ensure the Xda IIi phone is switched on with a good signal.
IMORTANT: The Xda IIi must not be in the cradle at this stage
On the Xda IIi, go to Start > Programs > Wireless Modem
Tap Tools and then Options
Ensure the 'Preset GPRS Connections" box is ticked
In the 'Access Point Name' field remove whatever is there and enter mobile.o2.co.uk and tap OK
Set the drop-down box to USB and tap on Start
Now plug the USB cradle into the PC and then instert the Xda IIi into the cradle
(do not use a USB Hub, the Xda IIi cradle must plug directly into the PC).
This should now initiate Windows Plug & Play "Found new hardware wizard" on your PC, so follow the next section to install the modem...

Install the Modem

The Found New Hardware Wizard should appear on the PC (if it doesn't then simply remove the Xda IIi from the cradle and replace it again. Alternatively reboot your PC, leaving the Xda II and cradle plugged in to the PC, and the 'found new hardware wizard' should appear).
IMPORTANT: the modem driver will not be installed properly until your PC completes the "Found New Harware Wizard" and gives you the message "Your hardware is installed and ready to use". If you do not see this message then go back and ensure the Xda IIi is in Wireless Modem mode.
Choose Install from a List or Specified Location (advanced), and click Next.

If you have the CD
Choose Don't Search. I will choose the Driver to Install, and click Next.
Click Have Disk.
Set the drop-down box to your CD drive (eg. D drive), and click Browse.
Double click the OEM folder, and then the Drivers folder.
Click once on the USBMDM file, choose Open, and then OK.
In the list of Compatible Devices, choose HTC USB Modem, and click Next.
Click Continue Anyway.
Click Finish

If you don't have the CD and have downloaded the modem driver
Set the drop-down box to your hard drive (eg. C drive)
Click Next
Click Continue Anyway
Click Finish

Setup the Network Connection

On the PC, go to Control Panel > Network Connections
Click Create a New Connection, and click Next.
Choose Connect to the Internet, and click Next.
Choose Setup my Connection Manually, and click Next.
Choose Connect Using a Dial up Modem, and click Next.
Put a tick against Modem - HTC USB Modem, and click Next.
In the ISP Name field enter a name for your connection, eg. Xda II USB, and click Next.
In the Phone Number field enter *99# and click Next.
Enter Username as faster
Enter Password as password
Click Next.
Click the Add a shortcut to my desktop box if required.
Click Finish.
Click Dial to connect to the Internet.


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Troubleshooting

Laptop 'seeing' the xda
Each time you use Wireless Modem it will be neccesasry to connect the device to the laptop in a specific order. If it isn't done in the following order, the laptop can fail to 'see' the Xda IIi.
1. Put the Xda IIi into ‘wireless modem mode’
2. Insert the USB cradle into the laptop
3. Insert the Xda IIi into the cradle



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Xda IIi Wireless Modem via Bluetooth (Microsoft)

This setup uses the Microsoft Bluetooth stack built into Windows XP Service Pack 2.

Switch on Bluetooth on the Xda IIi

Tap the Bluetooth icon in the bottom right corner of the device and choose On.

Configure the Wireless Modem

Ensure the Xda IIi phone is switched on with a good signal.
On the Xda IIi, go to Start > Programs > Wireless Modem
Tap Tools and then Options
Ensure the 'Preset GPRS Connections" box is ticked
In the 'Access Point Name' field remove whatever is there and enter mobile.o2.co.uk and tap OK
Set the drop-down box to Bluetooth and tap on Start

Pair the devices and install the Bluetooth modem

On the laptop/PC double click the 'Bluetooth Devices' icon within Control Panel (or double click the bluetooth icon in the system tray)
You should now be in the Devices tab. Click Add
Tick the box for "My device is set up and ready to be found" and click Next
The laptop/PC will search and find your Xda IIi (default name will be 'Pocket_PC' unless you have changed it). Click on your device name and click Next
You can now choose to set your own passkey if you wish. Click on "Let me choose my own passkey" and then enter a number of your choice, and click Next
The Xda IIi will now pop up a screen that asked you to enter the passkey. Type in the same passkey you entered in the laptop/PC and tap OK in the top right corner.
The laptop PC will now install the Bluetooth Modem. When finished you should see the message "Your device is installed and ready to use".
The Xda IIi will ask you to accept the pairing. Tap Yes on the Xda IIi.
Click Finish on the laptop/PC

Setup a Network Connection

Go to Control Panel and double click Network Connections
Click Create a new Connection
Click Next
Choose Connect to the Internet and click Next
Choose Setup my Connection Manually and click Next
Choose Connect using a Dialup modem and click Next
Tick Modem - Standard Modem over Bluetooth link and click Next
In the ISP Name field type Xda IIi Bluetooth (or a name of your choice) and click Next
In the Phone Number field enter *99# and click Next
In the Username field enter faster
In the Password field enter password
In the Confirm Password field enter password
Click Next
Put a tick in the 'Add a shortcut to the desktop' if required
Click Finish
From the dial-up box click Dial to connect to the Internet


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I hope some of this proves helpful and if you need any more help just ask.
Good luck with your dissitation!!!!!!! :D
lydiachris

[Rudegar]

gprs speed == Theoretical maximum speeds of up to 171.2 kilobits per second (kbps)

umts/3g speed ==Theoretical maximum speeds of up to 2Mb per second

wifi well guess it would depend on the hotspock (max 11Mb/sec though and i dont even this that the xda2's sdio slot can reach those speeds) or heck if the guy next door have his own wifi network you can talk him into getting access to it

(of cause if you get a wifi card for the laptop then you could reach a max 108Mb/sec depending on the wifi network connected to)

about how you go about setting the xda2 up as a modem o2 and tmobile and orange and all those have pdf's describing how you do it

[millwalljim]

Hello again, thanks for the help but got a problem, downloaded the zip and put it into drive c: but when try to open it just says this does not provide the information.

I do not have the XDA disk, got as far as searching for modem software but no recognition of extraxted zip file you specify,

Am i missing something or do i need to use the exe file?

Please help am I getting closer or am as I feel a very long way from getting this working?

Thanks again for any help

James

[somynex]

rather ironic, but i was in your same position last year.

I never managed to get the wireless modem working, but i have several storage cards, and a card reader, so i merely used my O2 gprs, downloaded what documents i needed onto my pda/storage card (using something like netfront--free version is good, paid verison even better), then used the card reader to transfer it over.

don't know if this is much help for you, but hope you get your problem solved.

[RAGOv]

well thanx lydiachris for this great help.....i can say am impressed by the step by step "manual".......ur procedures have now became my reference :wink: ...thanx again.
RAGO :lol: