27 replies to this topic

[Eran]

One of the major drawbacks of Microsoft's latest OS was the decision to leave out Activesync WIFI support as a security precaution (synchronization data is not encrypted).

Thanks to Jaap Van Ekris, a Microsoft MVP based in Holland, there is now a secure and effective way to synchronize your WM5 device with Activesync using WIFI technology!

Follow the instructions carefully, and please note this has not been tested on a Smartphone so your feedback would definitely be appreciated on the matter.

Quote

Desktop PC settings (Control Panel):

1. Enter Network Connections
2. Create a new connection
3. Select 'Set up an advanced connection', click next
4. Select 'Accept incoming connections', click next
5. Click next on 'connection devices' screen
6. Check 'Allow incoming VPN connections', click next
7. Select all users which will be using this account

PPC settings:

1. Go to Settings/Connections/Connections
2. Select 'ADD A NEW VPN SERVER CONNECTION'
3. Enter the IP Address of your PC or its network name, select IPSec/L2TP and click next
4. Choose 'A pre-shared key' and enter some number combination (ex: 123456)
5. Enter user and password of desktop computer.
6. You're finished, enjoy!

Note: in case you have a firewall installed on the computer, you will need to change Activesync rules in firewall settings to allow connections to all IP addresses to default 169.254.2.2 address.
Pay attention that your PPC is setup as MY ISP/Work in CONNECTION settings.

[deagle67]

I configured correctly the pc and the phone, but how to sync now ?
does it work thru a wifi router or do we have to sync directly with a pc in ad-hoc mode ?

[shadamehr]

Insufficient information...

No use.

Done all that, and as per the other person asking, I'm the same...

"What next"

What do I actually do to connect and sync, once I do all this.

The fact that it seems it can be done, is great news.

But not to be ungrateful, but the curtailed, or conscise instructions, leave us sold short...?

[Samsonite]

Eran, on Mar 10 2006, 10:52, said:

One of the major drawbacks of Microsoft's latest OS was the decision to leave out Activesync WIFI support as a security precaution (synchronization data is not encrypted).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

encryption is a radio setting, not a network setting.  If the radio is sending the packet, it wouldnt know that it was sync data or otherwise...  it would still WEP or WPA or WPA2 it prior to transmission..

there you go shadamehr... another girly swot answer!!!  


you watch, i bet i've missed the point again...

[shadamehr]

Samsonite, on Mar 10 2006, 15:57, said:

encryption is a radio setting, not a network setting.  If the radio is sending the packet, it wouldnt know that it was sync data or otherwise...  it would still WEP or WPA or WPA2 it prior to transmission..

there you go shadamehr... another girly swot answer!!!   
you watch, i bet i've missed the point again...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If you haven't then I have *lol*

Cos that meant nothing to me.

Not the explanation of encryption... but what it meant in relation to this *lol*

Put it like this, I'm not a jot further forward than I was before hee hee...

[Samsonite]

shadamehr, on Mar 10 2006, 16:55, said:

If you haven't then I have *lol*

Cos that meant nothing to me.

Not the explanation of encryption... but what it meant in relation to this *lol*

Put it like this, I'm not a jot further forward than I was before hee hee...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

oh yeah...  see what you mean..  i'm not really much help here am i...

i just thought that  that the reason you cant Activestink over WiFi due to a security issue doesnt make any sense...   I can appreciate a functionality reason but not encryption -  so the initial premise of the first post is a misnomer!!

again not much use to solving the problem...  just think of me as the nut in the corner shouting random facts...

[StarfireCT]

I've got a T-Mo [USA] SDA.  I have no idea what all of these settings are supposed to do for the AC dialog: are you supposed to add a new Server Source or something?

There's also some settings missing on the VPN dialog as well... like connections from/to.  I dunno.

[shadamehr]

Samsonite, on Mar 10 2006, 17:22, said:

oh yeah...  see what you mean..  i'm not really much help here am i...

i just thought that  that the reason you cant Activestink over WiFi due to a security issue doesnt make any sense...   I can appreciate a functionality reason but not encryption -  so the initial premise of the first post is a misnomer!!

again not much use to solving the problem...  just think of me as the nut in the corner shouting random facts...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Listen, if nothing else, your entertaining

And at Starfire - the setup procedure for a VPN is very different for a SmartPhone as for a PPC.

But don't worry - even on a PPC, once set up, we are left wondering "so now what do we do" anyway!

[carphead]

Now I haven't tried this but I think the final instruction should be kick off a vpn connection between ppc and pc.

The logic being when activesync spots a connect in the 169.x.x.x range it will try and create a connection to it.

With no dhcp server on either network connection both vpn connections will us this range.

I'll try it later on.

[sx125]

Just tried it with my SP5.

I get in Activesync Exchange server added, also on my SP5.
A.S. on my phone is trying to connect, but my A.S. on the PC isn't doing anything.
On the SP5 there is a message : Looking for changes.

so mayby it'll work
  :?:

[Metoo]

Samsonite, on Mar 10 2006, 15:57, said:

encryption is a radio setting, not a network setting.  If the radio is sending the packet, it wouldnt know that it was sync data or otherwise...  it would still WEP or WPA or WPA2 it prior to transmission..

there you go shadamehr... another girly swot answer!!!   
you watch, i bet i've missed the point again...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

AS4's move to being a network device was so that corporate network managers could regain control over who connected to their networks by using standard firewall policies. Up to then any Tom, Dick or Harry could plug their unapproved PocketPC onto their desktop PC and transfer God knows what onto the company's PC, mail server and network drives.
The other gaping security hole was someone using a Wifi adapter. Don't forget that most WLAN adapters come with encryption disabled by default. It's frightening how many users just plug in and go without even thinking about security. Even if they did bother to set up WEP, its protection  is woefully weak. So anyone in range has an easy way in to your corporate data and network.
It's unfortunate for home users that these changes for the Enterprise market get in the way, but if the restrictions were easy to circumvent, there'd be no point having them in the first place!

Edited by Metoo, 11 March 2006 - 12:59 AM.

[anthonyblack]

How/where do you enter the pre-shared key on the PC????

[shadamehr]

I can see from the users follow up comments on here, that no one is any further forward, and it still sounds as if NO oNE has managed this...

Proper instructions please anyone?

[roma0803]

... or the source where this info is found so we might read for ourselves and maybe the follow-up at that site or blog.

[Tech]

I still doubt this is possible

[furby]

Thought I would do a bit more digging.  Jaap Van Ekris's site I think is pocketinfo.nl. So I went to the forum.

It is all in Dutch so can't really find the right thing, but this topic seems quite close

http://forum.pocketi...ead.php?t=64251

There was one more line that wasn't posted here, but agian in Dutch so I don't know

Quote

Connected now through firstly your WLAN to activate, and then the VPN connection (via manage connections).

Does this help?

If someone can read Dutch maybe they can get the finer detail

[roma0803]

Hmm... do not have the time to read through that thread right now but as far as I could see they succeeded in connecting but also ask how to continue to sync. But that is just a conclusion after 2 minutes reading through it. Tomorrow I can check it out in detail (if no other Dutchy did before and reported here).

They also link to this site about an open source project for synchronisation over WiFi.

Edited by roma0803, 12 March 2006 - 02:23 PM.

[roma0803]

Yep, after reading through the thread it stops at the point where one wants to sync. After setting up the VPN, that is the question that remains... how?

Tried this with my Tornado WM5 Smartphone but the VPN settings are different from PPC so I can't even connect through VPN. If anyone could shed some light here would it be welcomed.

[PaulOBrien]

AAAAARGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!

Just spent an age trying to get this working, i've tried everything I think (got the VPN up, set the IPs to 169.254.2.1/2 and everything), but no dice

P

[looeee]

I'm sure that you can make a vpn connection between your phone and pc in this way but it won't help you to ActiveSync

If you go to ActiveSync's help file and open the first page, "Welcome to ActiveSync", it says at the top that

Quote

you cannot synchronize remotely to a PC using a network connection

looeee