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Mobile computing can be achieved at most 30% by PDA phones due to the limitations on input, display, applications, memory and CPU speed. How do we get Internet for our laptop on-the-go, or as a back-up for broadband Internet on the laptop at home for the mobile phone users who have canceled the home phone service? It is reported that 25% of mobile phone users voiced the inclination of abandoning home phone service.
Hotspot service is expensive, sparse and segmented. The Wi-Fi capability on Pocket PC's is still ahead of its time now. Fun to try: T-Mobile HotSpot WiFi at Border's book store - first 24 hours free. I tried it and it is great. $6/hour pay-as-you-go plan or $30/mo plan are basic choices.
T-Mobile's $20/mo unlimited anywhere 40Kbps GPRS Internet pipe is still the primetime bottomline. Now that nights and weekends are free from at least T-Mobile, a 7Kbps CSD (circuit-switched RAS (Remote Access Service) dial-up) connection pipe works economically for a lot of people, e.g., for PDA friendly sites, or as a terminal for controlling remote tasks. Either GPRS or CSD, and for CDC, dial-up to corporate LAN or ISP, it calls for a wireless modem or the Pocket PC centric Internet pass-through capability.
How do we get wireless data connection for the laptop, hopefully via your XDA I? And if we can, what channel do we use for that between the laptop and the XDA I, IrDA or Sync port? For O2 users that are on ROM 3.17 (before 4.0), the answer is easy since there is this wireless modem application:
http://www.sourceo2.com/NR/rdonlyre...5e3iadmr2qr6kna/CTS1299-1+Setup+Xda+Modem.PDF
No luck for the rest.
Look at how many times this question has been asked. I bet that this is the single most frequently asked non-trivial question, THE perennial issue of XDA. Here is a round-up of all the links on this issue:
http://www.xda-developers.com/modem/
http://forum.xda-developers.com/viewtopic.php?t=6085
Other topics (replace the topic number from the above link):
6280, 6263, 6143, 5751, 5580, 4973, 4928, 4783, 4638, 4661, 4601, 4570, 4067, 3950, 3612, 3406, 3291, 3164, 2816, 2795, 2718, 2643, 2383, 2126, 2065, 1954, 1773, 1581, 1430, 1142, 1127, 1081, 973, 915, 904, 596, 487, 119, 108, (Less informative: 6074, 3689, 3303, 3151, 2323, 1683, 1550, 1568, 1011, 717, 608, 578, 291, 186,)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/viewtopic.php?p=27042
Other topics (replace the topic number from the above link): 29341
http://pdaphonehome.com/forums/articleview.php?s=17252daff8ab7bcdcbdf960fe992756f&articleid=5710
http://pdaphonehome.com/forums/showthread.php?s=6f96cc8be8832dc10c6aacc8aea1cfbf&threadid=6663
http://pdaphonehome.com/forums/showthread.php?s=6f96cc8be8832dc10c6aacc8aea1cfbf&threadid=23987
http://pdaphonehome.com/forums/showthread.php?s=6f96cc8be8832dc10c6aacc8aea1cfbf&threadid=12982
http://pdaphonehome.com/forums/showthread.php?s=6f96cc8be8832dc10c6aacc8aea1cfbf&threadid=9195
http://pdaphonehome.com/forums/showthread.php?s=6f96cc8be8832dc10c6aacc8aea1cfbf&threadid=4725
http://pdaphonehome.com/forums/showthread.php?s=6f96cc8be8832dc10c6aacc8aea1cfbf&threadid=7515
http://www.pdaphonehome.com/forums/showthread.php?s=fbe61c7d81a966344d591622be1a0d4d&threadid=5067
http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=23805
Other topics (replace the topic number from the above link): 23287, 20720, 9054, 6825, 6726, 5206, 4727, 3156
I didn't go through more than 20% of them - someone please pick up from where I left off and come up with an in-depth survey. As far as I have seen, here are your options:
Option 1: wait for ActiveSync 4.0 (hopefully with PPC-sentric Internet pass-through) or a commercial package. There is such a commercial solution http://junefabrics.com/ for Treo but they replied my email and said that they don't support XDA. The market is so big, craving for a commercial package. God knows when it comes, or at all. To software vendors, it is a business risk to develop such applications fearing that the capability come native with ActiveSync or WM200X.
Option 2: the original hack, the first xda-developers.com link above. I have yet to try whether or not it works for my XDA phone. If anyone tries it and get it to work, let us all know. I don't see the "substantial negative effects" that substantial as far as my use is concerned. I wonder if we can use the USB sync cable instead of buying or constructing a serial cable.
Option 3: buy an AirCard or a modem-capable phone for your laptop. The Siera 750 card can be purchased from eBay for $70 ($300 from T-mobile). The dilema is, if you get a GPRS data-only plan with a new wireless line number from T-Mobile, it's $30/mo, and your XDA is still not connected! The same plan, if added to your voice plan as an additional feature, is $20/mo. T-Mobile does not make you a cloned SIM. Even if you have a family plan and your other phone is modem-capable, using the other phone for your laptop would not work in the case of T-Mobile US since the feature is added to the wireless line, not your plan! The latter is far more preferable. But with the AirCard solution, you would have to switch the SIM card back and forth - very inconvenient - you could end up losing your SIM. Hardware capability wise, the XDA is an air card and then some. We only need some software code to get it to do what an AirCard does! I have yet to research how to clone my SIM card for the AirCard use. http://forum.xda-developers.com/viewtopic.php?t=3961 may be a starting point.
Option 4: XDA II, as the last link above suggests. I am not sure how well it works. Can some XDA II users tell us whether or not you can use it for the wireless modem and at the same time run applications like Excel or even Pharos GPS which uses the sync port?
Option 5: the ROMKitchen
http://wiki.xda-developers.com/wiki/ROMkitchen
or the "sooo yesterday" Special Edition ROM w/ WModem
http://wiki.xda-developers.com/wiki/SpecialEditionROM
Note that in June 2003 at the second link (6663), SwampNut showed us the light at the end of the tunnel but he meant the "XDA Developer Special Edition" of ROM. I am exploring the possiblity of carving the wireless modem out for it to work on XDA without ROM upgrade
http://forum.xda-developers.com/viewtopic.php?t=6442
As of now, ROMKitchen is based on 4.00.05 Microsoft WM2003 test ROM
Wait for the new kitchen that is based on ROM 4.01.16 WM2003 official release plus Radio 6.25.02 (T-Mobile new posting) or higher.
Option 6: T-Mobile WM2003. The version posted mid March is ROM 4.01.16 and Radio 6.25.02 Unfortunately, it does not come with the wmodem application. I am asking people who have upgraded to try the wmodem.zip file in thread http:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/viewtopic.php?p=27042
The chance that it works is no larger than 50% based on Mad Max's comment on 4.0 series modem in thread: "Wireless Modem are not available under any 4.xx ROM available today" where "today" was Aug 03, Wireless Modem on Special Edition was from O2 ROM 3.x hooking into radio stack but hooks changed under ROM 4.xx:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/viewtopic.php?p=29341
I may have missed some options buried in the links, but very few.
Most of the talks so far have been focused on using the XDA as a passive modem. I used to use WinGate to share my DSL Internet connection at home back then when routers were pricy. WinGate is software that runs on one PC with two NIC cards, which serves as the Internet gateway. A gateway is a router, a proxy server for Internet. The client machines talk to it over LAN to get Internet. Can an application be developed or ActiveSync be enhanced to mimic what WinGate does, i.e. making XDA an Internet Gateway. This approach makes more sense as XDA II gets WiFi - your laptop would get WiFi speed automatically instead of being stuck in the GPRS/CSD speed. I even went as far as checking with WinGate's US reseller, and the answer is "not yet but in the future plan". (I doubt that it's in their future plan; it's just politically right.) This solution would be nirvana. I wish XDA application developers could crank out something this good, soon!
XDA has the Internet out of the box when you place it on the cradle. ActiveSynch 3.5 is designed to use the PC as the Internet gatway:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnppc2k2/html/ppc_through.asp
The other way doesn't work. ActiveSync is not symmetric yet; it's only PC centric Internet pass-through. The new ActiveSync 3.7.1 doesn't seem to address this major inability:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/resources/downloads/pocketpc/activesync37.mspx
Come on, a Pocket PC is a real computer as Pinoccio is a real boy!
Mr Gurus....can u help me...why did my wmodem on XDA 1 that have installed 3.17.03 ROM already, cannot use USB as connection ?? :?: :?:
Have given up
I am not as guru-ish as my screenname sounds. I meant to galvanize responses and solutions but that didn't materialize. I am very reluctant to hack it into working. Now that I got Motorola V600 for my daughter on the family plan, I am to buy a bluetooth dongle to use that for my wireless modem. There is another thread in the networking category that basically talks about using the O2 load. I didn't try due to the concern that it not work with USA T-Mobile network.
Thinking on getting an MDA pro with T-Mobile in the UK with the walk n web unlimited internet, only catch is that it is UMTS. With the news that T-Mobile are upgrading the network to HSDPA wondering if there is a HSDPA universal due to be released anytime soon? If not, the other option is to wait for the Hermes in June.
The UMTS Notebook Cards can be upgrade to HSDPA with a new firmware, but i think the Universal haven't the necesary hardware for that. Wait for the Hermes...
Forgive the ignorance but what exactly is HSDPA?
thegadgetman said:
Forgive the ignorance but what exactly is HSDPA?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
a quick web search would have brought a result...
anyway: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hsdpa
lutzs said:
The UMTS Notebook Cards can be upgrade to HSDPA with a new firmware, but i think the Universal haven't the necesary hardware for that. Wait for the Hermes...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks lutzs, only prob I have with the hermes is the small screen 320x240.. the small screen is big minus Im not looking to use it as a phone, but more for PDA and internet access... also plan to use it as a gateway (over bluetooth) for my mac to get to the net... thought about the pcmcia card, but need to lug laptop everywhere for that, whereas the pda itself is much more portable...
i think the tradeoff of speed over the usablility (screen, keyboard etc) might just be worth it for my needs...
another question, has anyone used t-mobile uk's web n walk with the above scenario of using it as a bridge for internet access for a laptop? the small print says that you can't do that blah blah... but don't see how that can tell if you're browsing through the pda or your computer? http is http...?
haven't used tmobile, but the universal can be used as a modem. Via bluetooth should be fine (*99# etc.)
HSDPA is not part of the universal chipset. however I wouldn't get too excited. Mobile cells have to share bandwidth so the chance of anything fast is unlikely. Put it this way, by the time we actually get 384k sustained on any 3G network, that should be fine for web & email & online games.
I had an o2 xda mini s. but i gave it back. 320x240 is very limtied, adding that to the dismal 196 mhz omap was not usable.
I love my MDA more and more now. But after my first week or two i was begining to think i had made a mistake buying it. Thanks to the kind and helpful folk around here and other forums, i now have it doing everything i wanted it to do and in the way i want it to do it.
I use it for TomTom, playing DIXed DVD's, music, podcasts, games, the usual email/web duties and more. And thanks to the great WiFi 'G' reg hack i can now stream my large lossles FLAC files (with the help of fantasitc Conduits Pocket Player) right into my Hifi system, just like my Squeezebox 3 media player. It's actually much better than an ipod (albeit with less storage when out of the house - although i could access my music at home from a hotspot). A fully fledged media streaming device for free! (well, a small fee for Pocket Player and a 2.5mm to 3.5mm jack adaptor).
Not only does this hack also enable 'g' speeds, but i can confirm that it also massively increases performance on 'b' speed networks too (which mine is limited to due to being an 'adhok' network).
Sure, a faster proc, better camera and maybe even 3G would be nice. But i have no wish to ever make video calls or use Skype (i'm the geek of the group and no-one else i know uses it).
I understand there will always be better third party software (Media Player is an utter waste of space for example) but why should we have to make techy and annoying tweaks to the registry, just to get the best from the unit? Why the hell do we need to hack the reg just to make a basic settings change, such as hiding SIM contacts (which is an option in just about every mobile from the last 5 years).
Is it just bad planning? Poor thinking on the manufactures part? or is there just a genuine reason for 'hiding' these settings and not making them accessable from standard menu's?
The older i get, the less time i have to mess around so much. I have better things to do these days to be honest.
Surely they would have more to gain by activating the performance increases themselfs, rather than us more tech savy types to figure out how to alter the registry. Half the things this device has been slated for in reviews can actually be sorted, but the average (make that normal) buyers of this device will be feeling a bit short changed if you ask me.
I guess the only thing left for me to do now is dump the T-Mobile ROM and use a more slimline one. Or maybe i should just figure out who to lose some of the crap from my existing install?
What is it with these companies? Don't they know when they are on to a good thing? Or maybe, just maybe it to keep us coming back for more and upgrading year after year? Hey ho...
/rant over.
Dom
Very interesting topic, well put and one which I'm sure will be relevant to me very soon...y'see my Wizard arrives in two days and it was reading posts such as yours which helped me take the plunge.
I don't mind messing about with PDAs, phones, PCs etc to get the the best performance but (as you rightly point out) we shouldn't have to. However, given the thousand of threads and posts on this (incredibly good) site, I am somewhat confused about what to do first with my Wizard.
So, could you please take a few minutes to post what changes, hacks etc you have done to get yours where you (almost) want it to be?
Many thanks in advance.
Mos
mosgeo said:
So, could you please take a few minutes to post what changes, hacks etc you have done to get yours where you (almost) want it to be?
Many thanks in advance.
Mos
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The first things i would always do after a hard reset (format), after syncing back all my contacts/callender of course...
Reg hacks (main ones, i have forgot a few) -
*Hide SIM contacts (so the dont appear pointlessly twice)
*Enable 'g' speed Wifi
* Disable the annoying 'you are about to go online' message. You will understand when you get yours, VERY VERY annoying - you get it even when you are online and just switch back to PIE.
* There are some good performace tweaks to, which i forgot about.
Essential software i could not be without (some free, some not - unless you are naughty. Don't be naughty now )
*TomTom (Sat Nav)
*Memory Map Pocket Nav + GPS and the O.S. maps i use for walking
*TCPMP - The best video player
* Conduits Pocket Player - the best music player IMO (Streaming, gapless playback and OGG/FLAC support - nice). costs a few beer tokens, but free good alternatives are available.
*Resco File explorer and Reg editor.
*Opera Browser - Renders pages faster than PIE, handles java script etc better and Tabbed browsing makes GPRS speeds much less of a pain.
*Memmaid - for cleaing up temp files, dead registry entries etc.
*Storage tools - for formating and sorting out MiniSD cards - WM5 can't even format a bloody memory card!
*Wififofum - for finding WiFi networks (more for fun than anything).
*OMAPclock - for a bit of overclocking (more for fun again, i rarely feel the need is that great)
*And of course registry wizard for the good people of these forums
Thats about it really for me, but i am finding more cools things everyday to play with but those are my must have ones - i have had to install
A few must have games include, AOE, UFO, 3D pool and Soduko.
Personally i dont use a today plugin. I have not found one i like yet and most have icons etc that are to small on the MDA's small screen or just make clutter rather than really help me. A well organised start menu is enough for me.
Oh, and of course you can flash the ROM. But i have not done this yet. T-Mobiles version does not seem that bad but i hear the O2 version is a real dog and well worth doing. I just worry about lost Wifi and GPRS functionality i have heard about some people having.
Really wasn't expecting a reply so soon, and certainly not such a comprehensive one. Thanks for your time. I may be back with more questions once I actually get my mitts on a Wizard. Cheers!
yes I agree , it is great post, specially for new people like me, I got mine (Qtek 9100) just on Friday, and I am still figuring out its functions.
But I have question - if you have time to answer - I really don't know about WiFi function -which is in the device- , if I want to connect to the internet I should have a wireless router connected to my main PC, is that right ? I have read some of posts in here, that they can connect to the Internet - through their PPC - when they are outside or walking or traveling from area to another, by scanning for the nearby Connection, then they can use it to visit websites, does this cost money when they connect to the Internet using the WiFi ? And how can I do the same if it doesn't cost m money ? Can the "WiFi Fofum" program do this o is it only to scan any available connection nearby ? How can I connect to the internet (through WiFi) when this programm finds connection? And if it is really totally free..
I know this are bunch o Questions But I really want to use this function - if possible - specially that I work outside my city and I have to spend couple of hours travelling almost everyday. I appreciate any comment.
Wireless router at home if you want to use it wirelessly or if you do what I do now and then..... connect via the USB cable to your PC. Out and about you can connect for free if someone has a wireless network within range that has no WEP security enabled
There are wireless spots around the country but you have to pay for the main ones via an account you have to set up (kind of pay as you go) Cloud is one company that runs WiFi hotspots on a PAYG basis.
If you leave your WIFI scanning it will tell you if you are within range of a network, it will also tell you if it is secured or not, if it isn't then 9/10 you can just connect and use it
I have been meaning to make a post just like the OP. You are on the mark, IMO! This situation really begs the question, how can this thing be so feeble out of the box?
Thank you XDA and all of the kind people on this forum. You have been the best!
Thomas1234 said:
if I want to connect to the internet I should have a wireless router connected to my main PC, is that right ? I have read some of posts in here, that they can connect to the Internet - through their PPC - when they are outside or walking or traveling from area to another, by scanning for the nearby Connection, then they can use it to visit websites, does this cost money when they connect to the Internet using the WiFi ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In my case, my service provider (Cingular) offers a service called GPRS/EDGE, which lets the Wizard access the Internet through the cell phone connection.
I use the WiFi when I don't have a good connection. Most of the time, for browsing mini-websites and sending e-mails, there isn't much speed difference between WiFi and GPRS. I don't think the Wizard is fast enough to process more than a few 100 kbps of data.
If you don't want to (or can't) pay for a GPRS service, it's possible to "war drive" for access points. The Wizard will find them, although its WiFi reception isn't as powerful as a laptop's.
On my phone, if I enable WiFi, the phone will automatically use WiFi instead of GPRS when WiFi is available. If you don't want to pay GPRS charges, you might want to configure the phone so that it doesn't use GPRS.
can you explain 'wardriving' please? is it just freely using wifi points without paying? bit confused
Thanks
Jamie,
You are correct in your assumption !! You would be amazed at the number of 'unlocked' WiFi routers out there....
Ever tried running Bluetooth detection in a pub and seen how many phones are out there too ?
If you can find an unlocked WiFi router running DHCP - 'Fill your boots' !! Sometimes it's even possible to guess IP addresses of other PC's on the network, access em and leave a kindly note to thank them for their hospitality but warn them of their folly and the potential for disaster......I know I have but then that's me: Mr Altruism
Ok how can I get any internet connection through WiFi ? Should I just enable my WiFi and it'll scan for any available connection nearby ? I did but nothing happened, it wants from me to fill form which I really don't know anything about it... Or do I have to use a program to scan for connection ? And if yes, should my WiFi be enabled ? What is the best program for scaning ? I wish if someone explains me all that and how can start using WiFi to get a connection and an access to the internet but slowly, will be thankful.
Im new to all of this, but what can you do with the registry wizard and how do you install it? I foud a zip file for it, but cant get it to load.
Thanks!
i have a question too if you have the time mate,
I don't exactly want to use the edge since i dont have an unlimited plan or something.how can i delete these settings and do you think any problems will occur?(sending recieving mms)
basicly i don't it to connect to edge(gprs)auto.is there a way to fix this
thanks so much.
HI,
Ok, on my way back from Blockbuster I was taxing the ole cognitive faculties and, being the cheap b*stard I am, thought of a possible way of gaining free internet access on the move. Here is my idea.
Using a Orange UK Pay as You Go sim in a GSM data card hooked up to my main PC at home with full access to High Speed internet. I set up a RAS server, add this number to my Magic Numbers and dial in for remote access and iNet connection. Of course if this is possible compression could be used before IP packets are routed to the mobile device improving, what I assume to be, a lousy bandwidth.
Further questions related to this:
What is the available bandwidth of a GSM data call?
Do Orange allow data calls on non-contract numbers, and are Orange able to detect that a line is being used for data rather than voice? And, if yes to the latter, can a data call masquerade as a voice?
Are there any good compression clients for Windows Mobile?
Being stuck with GPRS/EDGE on my VOX the data plans are diabolical, now I have a eee pc I'm kinda getting these two devices to dance together as best they can for the ultimate mobile experience, and if this theory is plausible and with performance comparable to GPRS, then I think im on to something worth while for my self and others.
Any response is appreciated
not sure if it's possible
but data gsm is only 9600
Unfortunately I don't have any concrete answers for you, but I'm thinking about picking up an EEE PC as well, and this is an absolutely FANTASTIC idea. I'm extremely interested in how this project fares for you. When it comes to phone networks, I'm still a noob, but I've been administering a satellite network for a few years, and based on the networking experience i've gotten in that short time, what you propose seems entirely possible. The biggest issue that I think you're going to run into is getting the compression to work properly. I'm worried that it will impede the processing performance of the phone. I think you may have better luck finding a packetshaper for the EEE rather than your WM device.
On a side note, what distro of Linux do those run? i've been looking around, and havn't been able to find out if it's Ubuntu, RedHat, anything. Everything I find just says 'Linux'. Also, have you been able to easily pair your phone to the EEE? I'm running Ubuntu Feisty Fawn on my desktop and I can't get anything out of the USB connection. (I know this is off-topic of your original post, and i apologize, but please PM me if you, or anyone else, have any suggestions. [i've searched forums for some suggestions, havn't worked out] Thanks.)
Good Luck!
Ok thanks all for the response, im going to post info etc. as and when I find it.
Here is general GSM info that confirms and elaberates on Rudegar's post
http://www.tml.tkk.fi/Studies/Tik-110.300/1998/Newtech/fast_gsm_2.html
in brief, using compression 'up to 36000 bps' can be acheived, which is sufficient for Image free web-surfing courtesy of Opera and telnet. Moreover, the article referenced is fairly old and I imagine DUN compression algorythms have come on leaps and bounds, especially since the broadband revolution. I think you're right in suggesting that decompression may tax my Vox, I will use the VOX as modem either over USB or BT. Next I will research compression, keep you all posted.
As for the EEE, well I am totally in love with mine. The stock Eee comes with Xandros a flavour of Linux that I found to be quite bitter. I am currently using XPTablet Edition. I have tried Ubuntu, gOS, eeexubuntu and couldn't deal with the inability to upscale the resolution so I went Windows. Now I can scale 900x600 without any glitches. I have modified my 4g with a touchscreen, 2 gigs of RAM in the post, all I need now is a way of fitting an Xscale PPC sisterboard and the HTC Shift can suck my.......
My only advice is DON'T GET a eee pc 2G, as you will only regret it.... I did!
Oh... I think you'd have to recompile your kernel to get some kind of activesync replacment. I've seen the answer somewhere on my travels--probably www.Eeeuser.com or www.ubuntu.com--If i find it again ill let you know.
Whilst browsing for a cheap GSM modem I came across the Three Pay 3G modem reduced to £69 from Ebuyer. Of course I bought one on the spot--perhaps I'm not such a cheap b*stard after all. For this reason this little project is now less of a necessity. I will be using a VPN of some kind but I doubt that it will be of much relevance to this post. If I do stumble on anything of interest I will post. As the modem has 2G capabilities I will test a few dialin setups.
ok i know there r two different wifi apps for the hd2. there is the common one that has only tmobile data connectivity. but i used to have the one that u could connect to tmobile internet, data, or mms. does anyone have the .cab file for this wifi app for hd2? i need to use the tmobile internet setting to get on xbox live because the data one wont let me use it on xbox live.
oh god i hope no one actually posts the cab. doesn't the xbox live community already have enough issues .... i don't want my modern warfare matches bogged down by your slow tmobile internet
Here's the two HD2-compatible wifi-sharing cabs that I've come across so far. I haven't tested either yet, and I don't know which one you've tried already, but here they are if you want to give them a shot.
Now, what (I think) vampsandbats was trying to express is the fact that even a decent 3G connection isn't a very good method for trying to play games, not just due to the irregular speeds often experienced, but the latency as well...it's not within the range I'd want to use for online gaming. Also, does the 360 have the ability to connect to ad-hoc networks? As far as I know, that's the only type of wifi connection our hardware can produce as a "router", and that's been the only option with wifi-sharing apps on other HTC hardware I own (TP2)