Database Users

icq for ppc here

I found that mirrabilis do their own icq client for ppc. Its a beta but seems ok.
http://www.icq.com/download/ftp-pocketpc.html
I was so pi553d at that jabber pile of junk that didnt work and filled my ppc directories with junk I felt I had to post this. It seems fine but it is beta, you have been warned.

and it's more than one year old they have never released a final version.

i never really seen any of their icq versions to be a fit for release final version

WOW, it works really really well!
I dont really see any reason for another version..... well ok give me a day or two to find the bugs

re
Does this software lose connection when the machine is powered down, or switchws of after 5 mins of non use. That happens with my messenger and it ends up disconecting me. Used to be that GPRS would disconnect but I know the GPRS connections stays connected when the machine powers down ?
Cheers, Shire

The ICQ client for WM2003 works really well - it's wicked sending and receiving IM messages on the move. Virtually free too, even with O2's ridiculous GPRS charges. Far cheaper than SMS.
In my testing, I've found the following.
Start the ICQ client once you've connected the GPRS and all will be well. The machine does a Teletubbies "Eh-oh" when you get a new message, but I can't get the machine to vibrate. So, if you're walking around doing your Christmas shopping :roll: it's easy to miss messages.
Even if the machine powers off, or if you switch it off, the IM client still works.
However, if you lose your GSM signal, the GPRS won't automatically reconnect (well, mine doesn't), so ICQ will stop working. The only way to check for this situation is to switch on your XDA2 and look at the Wireless status (or look at your GPRS Monitor icon). The remedy seems to be closing ICQ and restarting it once you've reconnected to GPRS.
My wishlist for this ICQ client:
- more configurable alerts, ideally including vibration
- better connection status monitoring, with automatic reconnection if the GSM or GPRS line drops
- some kind of Today screen notification that a new message has arrived
The current version must have been written for users with a separate PDA and phone, who are therefore likely to be monitoring their connection frequently and not just turning on ICQ at start-up and leaving it on all day. It was also written before the arrival of vibrating phone PDAs.

but when it's using grps then you pay something to be online because to keep the icq server updated that you are online and the icq server keeping you uptodate about which of your contacts are online
though how much is being sendt in the way of MB i dont know

You're right, but in my experience it's requiring virtually no bandwidth at all to maintain the connection. Yesterday, for example, it used about 4kB/hour with no messages being sent/received, which is nothing relative to the cost of SMS.
Edit: On the standard O2 GPRS rate of £2.35 per MB, the cost of 1 kB is 0.23 pence. So, 4kB per hour is about 1p per hour, or £0.24 / €0.36 per 24 hours.

re
ooops sorry got confused over ICQ and IRC. I am after an IRC application for xda 2. Sorry I'll look elsewhere, DOH.
Cheers, Shire

re
re IRC software, I now have PocketChat installed and working on my XDA 2.
Cheers, Shire

I found the ICQ traffic to be a little higher. I have around 15 contacts on my list maybe thats why?
I worked out I'd be using around 3-4MB per month just for ICQ being idle which on the O2 data-nonsense tarrif is a little too much for me.

It's going out the window!

OK people, I know this site is supposed to be really great, but I have some simple problems, and I can't find the answers by browsing and searching this site. Hell, I can't even identify which phone I'm using....
I bought an XDA Mini S, so what's that called? A kangaroo or something I guess. anyway - I'm about to see if it'll survive being launched high into the air, that's for sure.
I have a home network, a windows small business server running exchange 2003, an ADSL router/firewall and some PC's.
ALL (!?) I want this damn thing to do is surf the network, and the internet whilst at home using a wireless connection. Then whilst it's out and about - to VPN back to home so I can do the same.
However, the set up of this thing is a right nightmare to understand, "My ISP", "My network", "Work", I can't seem to make logical sense of how this thing operates in a networking environment, and I do understand networks pretty well, so this is VERY vexing, hence why this is flying out the window soon.
Anybody feel they can spare some explanations as to how this thing is structured? If I click on anymore settings I might just go mad gibber dribble.

Paulsco - welcome to the board!
Not to sound like a father, but seriously, go and have a game of Call of Duty or something. That's what I do when I'm stressed. It's not worth throwing the thing out of the window. And if you are in a mood to get rid of it, throw it in my direction. I need a Mini S for development!
Ok, what have you done so far?
Have you got it browsing the net through ActiveSync yet?
Ensure that you can sync, then go to ActiveSync, File Menu, Options, and choose "This computer is connected to " The internet.
Then, ensure that your PDA is set to reflect this as well, the internet.
Then hopefully the two should permit you to browse the net through your ActiveSync connection. Try Internet Explorer on the PDA.
If and when you're doing that, then you can progress to wifi and VPN etc.
For wifi, I've always found this useful:
http://wifi.aximsite.com/wifi_net.html
V

Paulsco said:
I bought an XDA Mini S, so what's that called?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's easy - it's the HTC Wizard.
HTC is the comapny that actually makes it and Wizard is HTC's name for it.

Thanks for the response!
That's for the advice - I think I have worn out all the games...
OK - so here is the sit. Make some tea and take a deep breath!
I've got my "wizard" to to most things, it'll sync with Exchange over wifi OR it will sync with a PC via bluetooth, but it won't do both. that's not a real issue though.
Also I can surf the internet via wifi, and I can do this via GPRS, but here is what I need to sort out:
I have two connections listed under settings>connections>connections
The first is the O2 GRPS My ISP connection, and the second is the "My work network" connection. I have defined a VPN to connect back to my firewall in this last connection, but I had to delete the O2 Active default connection in this connection because it kept dialing grps instead of using wifi.
In connections>advanced>network management I have both boxes set to "My work network". this prevents any GPRS calls, until I change the setting. Great, I'd rather not have to have done this, but it does seem to work...
Only thing is, when I am out I tried to connect back to the exchange box and I got from activesync "Your exchange account does not allow syncing, blah blah" which it obviously does because it works from the local network. I have opened all the activesync ports on the firewall.
I hoped to be able to connect the VPN, but this seemed to be impossible with my current config.
I need to be able to configure this so that I can browse my wifi network both locally and remotely. I have managed to get the VPN to connect, but I have no idea why this works sometimes and not others - when you click on connect, you get a beep...and nothing else, no error messages or anything.
So I want to get exchange mail whilst wifi'd: OK that worked this AM because I told everything to use "My work network" that has no GPRS connection defined, but when I wnet out I hthen changed the setting so that it dialed the O2 GPRS connection for Internet, then I got internet, but no VPN connection. then when I returned to the office, I had to soft boot because no matter what I dod, activesync gave me "cannot connect with current settings" - A soft boot cured that, but it's not a real great solution every time you return to the office.
Any help you can give me would be gratefully received! I'll happily bung cash to people for a solution!!!
thanks and regards,
Paul

VPN driving me crazy...

OK, I don't knkow what else to try here, hence the post!
I'm trying to get my XDA exec (Universal?) to connect to my work VPN. I've entered all the details exactly the same as they are on my laptop (which works) and yet when I try to connect, I get an error message saying "VPN Server problems. Verify your username and password, and try again. If the problem persists, turn the device off and try again." This message appears instantly, as though it is not even trying, and my GPRS connection terminates, without an error message, without a warning. What I think is happening is that as soon as I ask to activate the VPN, it disconnects the GPRS, and then the VPN won't work because of that. Which seems rather stupid.
I've tried rebooting, I've tried changing every setting in the VPN connection, I've tested the GPRS connection by visiting websites, I don't know what I can possibly be missing. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
This has absolutely killed my faith in this device. It stops synchronising my mail at least once a day, without warning, it has crashed in the past, destroying mails I was writing at the time, and I find it generally unreliable, unfriendly and considerably less useful than a BlackBerry. Sorry, but I had to say that, I'm tearing my hair out here...

im not sure if you can do VPN over GPRS you may require a wifi connection for that.

Hello faethor, fancy meeting you here!
I know on the XDA IIs it worked over GPRS, so it would surprise me if it didn't on the Exec, but perhaps you're right...
I don't care any more, fed up with the damn thing for today...

This is possible, but there are various possible problems.
It could be something as basic as you need to add your company web-site in the 'exceptions' list (Start, Setting. Connection (tab), Connections (icon) advanced, exceptions). e.g *.companyname.co.uk.
It is worth checking with your IT people if certain IP address ranges are also blocked (e.g. for extra security).
Network tech support are quite rubbish on this, and it took me, my former MD and our IT company several hours to get it sorted last time we tried this!!
The queston is do you need VPN for document view / transfer or is it just for email / contacts on the move (you mentioned Blackberry)?
If your company has MS exchange 2003 the exec sync's straight in using yout outlook web access settings (a tick box also needs to be enabled in the server) or you could use something like www.seven.com which I have had both personally and corporate which works brilliantly.
If it is full VPN you need, I can provide documentation or contact numbers which may help.

It may be that your VPN connection needs to be the GPRS settings (and using the APN vpn.o2.co.uk (you said you were using an XDA which is an o2 branded HTC device) and your conx to your server via proxy is your home server details?

WM5 networking as bad as ppc2k3

Please forgive me if I'm asking an already answered question.
Does anyone have any answer to the absolutely pants networking setup in windows mobile? I had exactly the same set of problems on my old machine as I am now having on my new one which proves to me this is an OS problem not something to do with my device.
Its a problem which I'm sure everyone else must have encountered, I don't see how you could use a WM device without getting annoyed by this.
I'm on the wifi at home which connects me to 'The Internet' IE is working away nicely, then I decide to copy some mp3's down to my storage card, when I try to access \\myserver\share in file explorer, it wants a /WORK/ network and starts trying to dial vpn's and wotnot.
So I set the wifi to 'Work', it works fine for files but then when I go back to IE it starts trying to dial up the GPRS because it it believes there is no longer an internet connection.
So of course, I try going into the settings for my 'Work' connection and telling it the work connection does actually connect me to the internet. As there is no proxy on my local LAN I obviously choose not to tick this option.
The 'work connects me to internet' option just won't stay ticked! I had this under ppc and now under WM5 aswell. It makes no difference to the device dialing up a costly connection whenever it wants to sync my email and when I go back into connections it appears unchecked again.
Basicly I have two questions, firstly does anyone have an answer to using one network connection for everything. Ideally I would like the machine to use my wifi at home for everything when its available, and only dialup the gprs as a last resort. If it continues to launch the VPN connection to work for some things I can live with that, its just that connecting to GPRS whenever it feels like it is costing me money! I've had to ditch the idea of using it to sync my email just as I had to ditch the idea under ppc 2003 because its simply not acceptable to have Microsoft choosing to empty credit out of my phone whenever they feel like it.
<rant> (you can stop reading here)
The second question is simply to satisfy my own curiosity.... Why?
Why on earth would this insane networking setup ever come in useful to anyone in the first place? Its as if they did this on purpose just to annoy me!
This Work/Internet distinction seems to be another example of MS living in its own fantasy world, then expecting everyone else to live in it to. In reality its just not as simply as saying 'This network cannot be used to share files', or 'Internet explorer must not use this particular network'... kind of defeats the point of having a network IMO, you know, to enable free easy connection of stuff to other stuff? Microsoft, why?
</rant>

Why? Because what if you had a Work (or LAN) connection that doesn't connect to the Internet? Or maybe it is restricted in some other way (like a slooooow connection to the Internet). Then you might not want to use the Work connection, right? Isn't there a way to setup filters for IP addresses so that only work addresses go to the Work connection?

Choosing between WiFi, GPRS, VPN etc. - any simple utility outthere? plz...

Is there a kind of utility that if a connection is required, asks user how to connect? Something like there use to be on a PC, when You start IE? I don't remember which version of IE/Windows it was but it looks something like this - http://support.bee.net/dial/email/outlook6.gif
The problem is, selecting manually how to connect is very much pain in the ass, I am wondering that if there isn't a software already written for this, why is that. It would be a simple yet very usable - You start IE for example, and the phone asks you how to connect, via WLAN or GPRS or whatever. OR maybe even over BT if You have a BT device for connection over PC or smth.
The second option would be to prioritize the connection list - like tell the PDA that first try WLAN, if it fails then try GPRS etc.
The third option would be somehow to use MortScript for this. It's still better than going to Connection Manager through tens of taps.
Been searching the forums. Looked through at least all threads' titles under networking. But no solution so far.
Any ideas? I would appreciate any help. And still wondering why someone hasn't already solved this... Maybe they have, but cannot find it then

So nobody has ever heard of anything like this? Would there be an enthusiast who would program such utility? It would not be a major application...

How do you manually choose connection?
I have HTC Diamond with Windows Mobile 6. I connect it to my work computer to synchronise with Outlook but I want to use my 3G (or GPRS) connection for internet. What should I do?

i really dislike the way the WM6 autoamatically chooses GPRS has its first connection type.. but then if WIFI is turned off it has no choice
An option to possible enable Wifi rather than GPRS would be nice

Windows mobile's connection manager is horrible. I suspect the group assigned to WM networking at microsoft had little (or no) prior experience and didn't really understand how IP routing, interface stacking, etc. works.
We sorely need some kind of end-to-end communications manager that is aware of all network devices (GPRS, CF wireless/ethernet cards, onboard wireless, bluetooth, USB, etc) and virtual devices (all forms of VPN), and how they interoperate. Something that allows editing of routing rules, per-connection DNS servers, gateway priorities, preferred devices, timeouts, connection persistence, etc.
Worry about things like "dial-on-demand" after the basics are covered.
Today it's virtually impossible to keep a WM device on a VPN connection and even harder when you've got phone calls and wifi to deal with. I have my activesync configured through a PPTP VPN and at least 5 times a day it loses its connection and requires me to manually press "sync." Sometimes that doesn't even work, requiring a reboot. Usually there will be some vague and unhelpful error message like "waiting for network" or "could not connect for an unknown reason."
In fact while I'm on a bit of a rant, is anyone else infuriated by error messages like that?
Obviously there was an error - you don't need to tell the user that. If there was no error, you'd be connected! What is the purpose of telling the user there was an error? There is always an "error" unless there is success. TELL THE USER WHAT THE ERROR WAS. Anything else is useless and frustrating.
The device should also absolutely freak out if it ever loses any connection. If the phone loses anything.. the GSM signal, activesync's connection to the exchange server, the VPN... it should beep, vibrate, flash, and refuse to do anything (sleep, power off, etc) until either one of two conditions is true:
1. The error is no longer present (the phone was able to reestablish the connection), or
2. The user has acknowledged and dismissed the error.
It should never be the case that the phone is disconnected and not attempting to reconnect, unless the user chooses that mode of operation. Anything else leads to lost email, missed meetings, and high blood pressure.
Ugh.
Anyway, I think there's a lot of money to be made by a company that can put together a properly functioning WM connection management system. I'm still looking...

This might help, I've not tried it yet but it looks promising....
http://www.iaccarino.de/silvio/ppcstuff.htm#MobileProfiler

That is a much needed program. WM 6.1 does an awful job with GPRS, WiFi,
Phone, etc.

Thanks joemanb, somehow I missed Your reply. But this isn't exactly what I'm looking for. But thanks anyway. I understand that this proggy would be very useful for many people but I don't understand why somebody with programming skills doesn't want to do it...

I have the very same problem.
I have both symbian and WM phones.
Nokia have had this right since my 9500 when you check email or go on the Internet it prompts you for the connection to use. I got a Imate-Kjam and was shocked that it did not do this. It was subsequently replaced with a E90 that still does it the right way and very well. I just got a Samsung SGH-i780 and it is great but it still has no Idea of how to connect to the Internet the way I would like. having 3g makes it less of a problem as I simply don't use the wi-fi but this bugs me that I can't.
All they need to do is have the phone prompt you when you open a Internet app for the connection to use. How hard can that be to realize ?

Bump bump bump

Um... Bump?

Come on developers, You cannot say You don't miss something like that already...

Bandswitch
I hope too in the developers. While waiting I found "Bandswitch" which make something similar...
http://www.freewarepocketpc.net/ppc-download-bandswitch-v1-2-3.html

Disable GPRS connections
Try this. Works fine on my Herald/P4350.
http://www.modaco.com/content/pocket-pc-software/246171/new-free-utility/

Thanks for the suggestions but as far as I can tell, these apps only handle mobile data connections and now Wi-Fi. You can easily disable GPRS by creating a fake GPRS connection with no real access point. That is not what I am trying to accomplish here. But thanks anyway.