Looking for Dummies Guide to WM 5.0 Networking

[Guest sifu-Dopod818Pro]

I have crossed over from the Palm world and bought my first PPC - a Dopod 818 Pro which I loved immediately, but are continuing to appreciate more each day.

Rather than bombard this forum with the many newbie questions I have in my head about how to connect via PC, via GPRS, via WiFi etc etc I was just wondering if someone could point me to a good website which explains this stuff ? That way I can get clued-up fast.

I am especially confused about the terminology used and the various places I need to jump around in to configure it.

eg:

The Internet

Work

(is that my only choices ? I can't configure more "profiles" ?)

Also:

Connections

Network Cards

Wireless LAN

Sorry, this is basic stuff, but I was a little surprised that the manual or MS site doesn't really explain all this as an overview. I have googled around but not really found clear answers.

Thanks for your patience with me !

Edited February 15, 2006 by sifu-Dopod818Pro

[Guest pcdoc]

If its similar to the TMobile vario and if its MW5 it should be.

Connections:-

Internet means when you want to connect to the net

work is a profile you use to connect to a private network.

wireless lan - just activate wiFi and assuming you have a wireless router it will be picked up and assigned an ip address, again assuming you have DHCP enabled ion the router.

if you hits start > settings > system and click connections tab and select the tasks tab at the bottom you can read the help files there or click on the '?' at the top right for more help topics

hope thats a start for you

[Guest sifu-Dopod818Pro]

Thanks for that pcdoc.

I have gotten my machine to a stage where I can now connect via 3 different methods:

1. Desktop Cradle

I actually discovered this by accident and did not realise this feature. My PPC was getting mail as it arrived, and I was getting worried thinking it was using GPRS.

This is a great feature.

2. WiFi

When walking around the house I can use WiFi, though I need to tweak the settings.

3. GPRS

Whilst out and about I use GPRS.

Profililing/Switching

What is causing me the most confusion now is how these 3 interact together. I am trying to set up a seamless switching method so I don't need to change any settings each time for each of these settings.

eg:

When I leave the cradle, it seems to always go for GPRS, when I would prefer it goes for Wifi. When it has been in the cradle, it takes on a proxy address from the host computer, which I need to remove or nothing works.

When it first goes in the cradle I get an error - unable to obtain an IP address which I need to manually clear. It proceeds to work though.

Do I need a third party app to get this working or do I just have it configured wrong ?

[Guest pcdoc]

The problem with leaving WiFi switched on would be the constant searching for a connection which would have an adverse affect on your battery life, and the fact you would probablly end up connected to an unprotected (no wep or wpa encription setup) network isn't the good idea it looks to be.

I just use part of my inc 40mb of data, which is primarily for retrieving emails when not near a secure WiFi network I can use.

[Guest pcdoc]

The problem with leaving WiFi switched on would be the constant searching for a connection which would have an adverse affect on your battery life, and the fact you would probablly end up connected to an unprotected (no wep or wpa encription setup) network isn't the good idea it looks to be.

I just use part of my inc 40mb of data, which is primarily for retrieving emails when not near a secure WiFi network I can use.

[Guest sifu-Dopod818Pro]

Thanks for your suggestions. I have now had a good chance to play with my device for 3 weeks now and am really enjoying the stability of PPC.

But, this networking thing is still causing me a problem. Either:

1. The WM 5.0 way of doing things is a bit messy, with multiple places to go

2. I am totally stupid

3. My device is somehow corrupt and needs a good old hard reset

(2 & 3 are probably correct, 2 definately!)

Here's some step by step examples which will hopefully explain what I am ranting on about. I use only 3 different types of networks currently:

(a) Cradle using pass-through (at home)

(;) WiFi (my home network)

© GPRS

(a) Cradle using pass-through (at home)

Most of the time my device sits in the cradle. Gets mail via the computer's internet connection and Verichat is on. For this to work, I need to do the following:

- start-settings-connections-connections-advanced-select networks-set both to "CRADLE" (my network name)

- Change email settings to "CRADLE" (my network name)

- Then shut down any net-related running apps (properly shut down, not just close) & restart

- All works

(;) WiFi (my home network)

When I leave the cradle and want to go to WiFi, I need to:

- Remove Proxy picked up from computer whilst in Cradle

- Turn Wifi on

- start-settings-connections-connections-advanced-select networks-set both to "HOME WIRELESS" (my network name)

- Change email settings to "HOME WIRELESS" (my network name)

- Then shut down any net-related running apps (properly shut down, not just close) & restart

- Then it usually works

(I have my WiFi settings, IP, Mask, Gateway, Nameservers, stored in the SDIO WLAN Wireless Adapter in Network Adapters)

© GPRS (this is the really hard one)

- start-settings-connections-connections-advanced-select networks-set both to "GPRS" (my network name)

- Change email settings to "GPRS" (my network name)

- Then shut down any net-related running apps (properly shut down, not just close) & restart

- This is where it gets really painful. After using either the cradle or wireless, my GPRS won't work at all. It just keeps saying "Connecting to..." and never does.

- To fix this I need to run the autoconfig again, and do a soft reset. Then it usually works, but not always. (I do think there is definately something wrong here)

Conclusions

As I said in an earlier post, I am really hoping that there is app out there similar to the phone profile-type apps, so I could do a one click switch and it takes care of all of the above settings changes. Wishful thinking, perhaps !

If I am doing something wrong that anyone can spot, I would be really grateful to receive your comments because I am going a bit crazy here. :?:

Thanks !

[Guest sifu-Dopod818Pro]

Thanks for your suggestions. I have now had a good chance to play with my device for 3 weeks now and am really enjoying the stability of PPC.

But, this networking thing is still causing me a problem. Either:

1. The WM 5.0 way of doing things is a bit messy, with multiple places to go

2. I am totally stupid

3. My device is somehow corrupt and needs a good old hard reset

(2 & 3 are probably correct, 2 definately!)

Here's some step by step examples which will hopefully explain what I am ranting on about. I use only 3 different types of networks currently:

(a) Cradle using pass-through (at home)

(;) WiFi (my home network)

© GPRS

(a) Cradle using pass-through (at home)

Most of the time my device sits in the cradle. Gets mail via the computer's internet connection and Verichat is on. For this to work, I need to do the following:

- start-settings-connections-connections-advanced-select networks-set both to "CRADLE" (my network name)

- Change email settings to "CRADLE" (my network name)

- Then shut down any net-related running apps (properly shut down, not just close) & restart

- All works

(;) WiFi (my home network)

When I leave the cradle and want to go to WiFi, I need to:

- Remove Proxy picked up from computer whilst in Cradle

- Turn Wifi on

- start-settings-connections-connections-advanced-select networks-set both to "HOME WIRELESS" (my network name)

- Change email settings to "HOME WIRELESS" (my network name)

- Then shut down any net-related running apps (properly shut down, not just close) & restart

- Then it usually works

(I have my WiFi settings, IP, Mask, Gateway, Nameservers, stored in the SDIO WLAN Wireless Adapter in Network Adapters)

© GPRS (this is the really hard one)

- start-settings-connections-connections-advanced-select networks-set both to "GPRS" (my network name)

- Change email settings to "GPRS" (my network name)

- Then shut down any net-related running apps (properly shut down, not just close) & restart

- This is where it gets really painful. After using either the cradle or wireless, my GPRS won't work at all. It just keeps saying "Connecting to..." and never does.

- To fix this I need to run the autoconfig again, and do a soft reset. Then it usually works, but not always. (I do think there is definately something wrong here)

Conclusions

As I said in an earlier post, I am really hoping that there is app out there similar to the phone profile-type apps, so I could do a one click switch and it takes care of all of the above settings changes. Wishful thinking, perhaps !

If I am doing something wrong that anyone can spot, I would be really grateful to receive your comments because I am going a bit crazy here.  :?:

Thanks !

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

any ideas on this ?

maybe I am the only one having this problem ?

[Guest fraser]

I don't have any of that hassle. Over GPRS/Wifi and cradle at home, everying works. My office uses a proxy server for the web, so it's not connected. I use the "Wireless Manager" application to switch between GPRS and Wifi as desired, which is more a case of turning it on than changing any config.

I think your problem may be related to your IP settings. You say something about setting the IP up in the connection? Use dhcp (non-static) addresses if you can; this doesn't just do the IP, it also does DNS, default route and so on. That's how I have mine working and this could be the key. The fact that you have to close all networking-enabled apps is suspect. I can sync email over GPRS, switch to Wifi and resync without any problems, no need to close Pocket Outlook.

PS, point 1 is correct. The networking is crappy and was clearly an after-thought for the OS, you can tell from the incrementally built GUIs, i.e. they kept on adding more and more features with no cohesion. ;)