USB / ActiveSync / Internet connection, using Desktop PC

[layman]

Hi,

A newbie, dummy, etc to the WM5.0, o2 xda exec device and what not + great to see this resource out there. I have got no WiFi or BlueTooth setup, the device set me back heavily for a good little while ;-)

Meanwhile attempting to develop some apps at home, I am trying to avoid O2's call plan data usage and connect to desktop PC (ie. some custom TCP apps running on it) as well as attempt to use its internet connection via USB/ActiveSync.

Have looked around for hours, hit google and more, and all I could find is help topic in ActiveSync : 'Use ActiveSync to "pass through" this computer, which of course I can't see working. For example, pocket IE just comes back with 'address is not valid' for any IP address I specify.

I can see the IP addresses associated with ActiveSync, ping them etc. but for the life of me I can't figure out what's required to use the pocket IE or any TCP client on the device to see the desktop's IP address or use its internet connection.

Any help greatly appreciated.

Regards,
Andy

[mnmseven]

In ActiveSync, go to connection setting. At the box "This computer is connected to", choose "The Internet".
It suppose to work now.

[layman]

Thanks for the prompt reply. Have tried that, and what it presents is 'automatic', 'work', and 'internet'. I would have imagined it would present an option to chose my dial-up connection but nope, only those three choices are there.

None of them work, my setup does use a USB modem but I suspect that might not be a problem (although ActiveSync (4.1) seeems to be touchy about other USB devices judging by some web searches).

What I do see is a new Local Area Connection in network control panel for the mobile device. All its IP properties are set to automatic (private IP is automatic too). Event Log on the desktop doesn't report anything wrong either.

I try to use IP adrresses as URLs in Pocket IE only, hence it eliminates DNS issues or similar. I've also wiped the firewall to make sure it is not interfering in any way but still no luck.

What I am wondering now is whether this automagically works for others, if they had to add new modem connection or something on the device, and whether they had to enable Internet Connection Sharing on their dial-up (which I tried and messed up IP addresses and DHCP to some extent so I reverted back).

Any hints where I could be screwing up appreciated.

Regards,
Andy

[layman]

From what I understand reading all day long (won't give up easy;), is that pass thru is achieved through layered LSPs but somehow it's not working (question being does it really work with an USB/Dial up broadband).

And miserably failing at it, the network connection given to PC has following:

DHCP enabled
IP-Address : 169.254.2.2
Subnet-Mask: 255.255.255.0
Defeault-Gateway: (none specified)

DHCP Server is the Windows CE device and given address 169.254.2.1.

I would appreciate if someone can share their (working) Remote-NDIS Host settings from device in Settings/Network Cards/The Internet.

Thanks in advance.

[layman]

Found and grabbed the settings off the web and some other forums, (169.254.2.1, and subnet mask of 255.255.255.0), things get "better".

"better" = another mega piece of nonsense.

R-NDIS Host now reconfigured, Pocket IE is still unable to use the USB dial-up broadband (no USB hubs involved on the desktop pc btw)

By some odd accident, started the MSN and while it refuses to check mail or similar (edit: it did allow it eventually), its chat features are working perfectly fine. Looking at desktop trace it goes off to :

ip48.hotmail-ppe.com via https

While that will return nothing to a browser based setup it certainly manages to use the desktop PC's connection as wireless is totally off on the device (called flight mode off is it, or similar?).

If anyone has seen or could explain this, or what on earth to do to get the IE (which consistently refuses with 'The address is not valid') to see the desktops connection from here, I'll be their slave for a week ;-)

Regards,
Andy

[layman]

Matter solved, notified the networking and hopefully they pass it to IE team.

Put simply, write your own web-browser and it'll work

;-)

[Glaps]

Found and grabbed the settings off the web and some other forums, (169.254.2.1, and subnet mask of 255.255.255.0), things get "better".

"better" = another mega piece of nonsense.

R-NDIS Host now reconfigured, Pocket IE is still unable to use the USB dial-up broadband (no USB hubs involved on the desktop pc btw)

By some odd accident, started the MSN and while it refuses to check mail or similar (edit: it did allow it eventually), its chat features are working perfectly fine. Looking at desktop trace it goes off to :

ip48.hotmail-ppe.com via https

While that will return nothing to a browser based setup it certainly manages to use the desktop PC's connection as wireless is totally off on the device (called flight mode off is it, or similar?).

If anyone has seen or could explain this, or what on earth to do to get the IE (which consistently refuses with 'The address is not valid') to see the desktops connection from here, I'll be their slave for a week ;-)

Regards,
Andy

The fact that you can see the new Local Area Connection (Windows Mobile-based Device #..) proves that your Pocket is connected with your PC.
The “Remote NDIS Host” setting can be “IP address allocated by server” (then you may have an error message, but you should share the PC internet connection with the Pocket), or “Specific IP address” 169.254.2.1 (Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0).

So, your problem may come from the connection that PIE is trying to use.
The settings of “Parameter/Connections/Connections/Advanced/Select Networks” should be “Work Network” (réseau de bureau in French) in which :

General = parameters set name
Modem = “empty”
[VPN = “empty”]
Proxy parameters = “This network connecting to Internet” ticked
“This network connecting to Internet through a proxy server” NOT ticked (unless you are connecting to internet through a proxy server).

Sometimes, when you change from GSM/GPRS/UMTS networks, you must soft reset the Pocket to make sure that PIE will use the newly selected network.

In my case my PC is connected to the ADSL modem through a router, which is used as a DHCP server. Then my pocket is getting an IP address by the router in my local network range (different than 169.254.2.1). I don’t know if the connection of the modem on USB can be a problem, but I don’t think so.

You mentioned “some custom TCP apps running on” the PC, did you try without?

Good luck

[redjupiter]

Hi Layman,

Your problem sounds very similar to mine - except that I have a cable connection rather dial-up. Differences aside:

I had a machine at work where I plug-in my XDA and it works fine with the inernet.

It refused to work at home. To cut a long story short ... Check your settings are correct, and DO NOT SHARE THE INTERNET on your machine.

On my XP at home I had a bridge (or connection sharing). Once I deinstalled that everything worked. The symptoms were simialr to yours, I can ping local machines but cannot go to the interenet.

My setup at home,

XP Home Edition
USB connection
Activesync 4.1
CABLE modem connected to a wireless/wired switch router.
This machine is connected to the switch.

NO Internet connection sharing.

Hope thi shelps.

Hope this helps...

[layman]

Thanks to both of you for reply, I pretty much took it as IE bug and slashed out under (real identity ;) at MS guys but no harm meant etc. All a good thing.

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Glaps, cheers, have tried that on number of occasions and what was weird is that it kept coming back checked, or that everything would be unchecked. I just did the tests again

As per earlier posts I switched to purely flight mode (no wireless), so soft reset wasn't required. Having said that and looking at it, I can confirm the My Work connection to use Internet (not proxy) gets unchecked
on every soft reset (perhaps another bug? Yep, it's a BUG ).

Even in a single boot, when I triple, quadruple checked the proxy was not on and that the setting was still unchecked, and that IE was available on Work connection PIE wouldn't connect. I think I did a hard reset about 100 times as well and none of it helped. I've tried probably 20 variations on the theme with many settings. The fact remained IE-irony was the only app unusable.

(This pretty much makes the Connection/Settings on ActiveSync4.1 to use pass through for work or internet irrelevant, it should be all automatic. I think the idea of it all was that RNDIS and that DTLP feature is intelligent enough to figure out what's local network (work) or internet. Frankly I think it was a mistake taking that route for one scenario at least, but time will tell, no point speculating and certainly off topic..)

[layman]

------------------------------------
RedJupiter, cheers. I can confirm the above holds for the disabling of Internet Conn Sharing too. It is not a deciding factor for the device or more correctly Pocket IE. With or without ICS, all applications apart from IE work.

To add to this (and encourage the debate perhaps, at least others/I can learn more from other experiences), in the last 3 days I've seen numerous posts on how to configure ActiveSync 4.1 'correctly' (heck even the install is labeled wrong, 4.0, speaks volumes). Suggestions ranging to enable IP routing in registry on desktop XP box, to enable NetBios over TCP/IP, to configure WINS, DNS etc. All of which I just don't see affecting much at all (at least in my own setup)

Here it is a USB modem, no routers, simple Dell 9100 box. So two USBs used: one for device and one for broadband modem. (will post the ROM versions and other stuff later). Ops, add another one for keyboard but surely that shouldn't do interrupts or something ;-

Custom app HTTP requests succeed with no problem at all, all other apps work with internet too. Pocket IE stands out.

Hope I am proven 'wrong', it really don't matter on that front. It's just that I can't test with Pocket IE and must give money to provider just to use the browser with settings (MyISP) that will probably make it work (which btw, I haven't setup yet; and will be surprised if that solves this problem instead :-). Call it avoiding O2's 'mega-bloat-software' install that smashes the device effect, so I am even scared to set the ISP up since that freezing cold experience lol.

( was an intro, but consider it ignorable as it is just early experience:
Above all together only part of the story because the whole thing is as unstable as it gets, the device (OS really) can get really shaken when running low on memory. Files get deleted as you watch them, ActiveSync can return consistent 0x8007000E error on the device (wonder if anyone is checking this really) although plenty of free RAM is on it. Google just solidifies all this with the number of hits and problems related, but things ActiveSync can do (like add files) are just beyond any bug reason; it needs to be scrapped really and alternatives are available so no more moaning from me there).

Ok just one more ;), what's more things get far more messy when you involve VS 2005, bugs in all OS-es with SSL usage, cert handicaps, you name it. I guess that tells what I am doing with the desktop, simply
trying to do a full roundtrip and test my own server running on desktop. Turned out a web client was required so went down the route to host the browser and pump the HTTP/S myself. Of course, turns out there are issues with the TCP/IP Winsock interface and limitations not only related to authentification and certificates but more, but it's a start. Besides, I am glad I can hit websites from the device (not just desktop debugging)

Eventful 4 days, and all I can conclude is that coming back to software+hardware, jack changed in last 6 years of software 'advances'. Yet you'll see new AKUs, new issues and what not before all the other important bits are resolved first.. But .NET adoption will keep smashing those devices until they figure out it's not sensible having it at all if all software that will run on it would use it like its Free Money Monday every day; not until they sort out the desktop GUI and RAM eating experience first; and it will still all be classified as 'vis ta bloat' OS. )

Rant over ;)
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