WM5 networking as bad as ppc2k3 - Networking

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?

Related

Browsing LAN from PPC

Is it possible to browse my LAN from my XDAII using only my USB cradle? I'm using Resco Explorer. I tried this:
1. Select My Network root directory
2. Selected Map Drive... from the Advanced Toolbar
... to no avail.
Open up internet explorer. Put in the address bar the following \\"computer name or IP of computer" then click on the little go button and waa laa it will work. The go button doesn't say go, but in essence it is the same it is to the right of the address bar.
Mike
As far as I was aware it's not possible to browse network files from an XDA2 unless you use an SDIO wi-fi card, and sure enough I can't get Mikee's suggestion to work. If I type into IE's address bar '\\192.168.1.100' and click Go, that gets replaced with 'file//\\192.168.1.100\' (almost like it's trying to connect for me) but then immediately I get a 'Network path cannot be found' error.
Pity, cos it'd be great to be able to do this. Perhaps I'm doing something wrong, Mikee?
You can partially blame Microsoft for this with their "My network card connects to {work} or {the internet}..." paradigm.
It's one of the most irritating things about the Windows Mobile OS.
Let's suppose you have a Wireless Card or (in my XDAIIi's case) internal Wireless turned on. By default, WinMob2003(&SE) decides arbitarily that your network card connects to the Internet.
This is fine if you are using a Wireless AP hooked up to ADSL at home for your Home LAN as it will just connect via your AP and go straight through to the Internet. However, guess what you have to do to be able to connect to any local machines on your LAN? You guessed it, you have to go into the advanced connection setting and change the "My network card connects to..." to "Work"!! You will then be able to map a drive either using Resco Explorer or even the inbuilt explorer, of any machine that your PPC can "see". Don't forget that permissions etc will need to be setup first though so that you can login to said machine.
That's fine, however, guess what you WON'T be able to do while you have that setting at "Work"? You guessed it, you WON'T be able to connect to the Internet!
I'm afraid it's either one OR the other and NOT both together.
I went through all this wireless bit because it equally applies to when you are simply connected via the cradle using Activesync. In the "Pass-through" settings of AS, you'll find it set to "The Internet" by default and like this, you will not be able to access local machines on the LAN connected via your desktop or a switch/hub. If you change it to "Work", however, you will. Then of course, the same applies as to the wireless setup. With it at "Work" you won't have access to "The Internet" and vice-versa.
I can only guess that the PPC situation is like this because the WinMob2003(&SE) OS does NOT have a FULL network client built into it that behaves as a Windows Desktop PC would. So, basically, it's a cludge.
You can partially blame Microsoft for this with their "My network card connects to {work} or {the internet}..." paradigm.
It's one of the most irritating things about the Windows Mobile OS.
Let's suppose you have a Wireless Card or (in my XDAIIi's case) internal Wireless turned on. By default, WinMob2003(&SE) decides arbitarily that your network card connects to the Internet.
This is fine if you are using a Wireless AP hooked up to ADSL at home for your Home LAN as it will just connect via your AP and go straight through to the Internet. However, guess what you have to do to be able to connect to any local machines on your LAN? You guessed it, you have to go into the advanced connection setting and change the "My network card connects to..." to "Work"!! You will then be able to map a drive either using Resco Explorer or even the inbuilt explorer, of any machine that your PPC can "see". Don't forget that permissions etc will need to be setup first though so that you can login to said machine.
That's fine, however, guess what you WON'T be able to do while you have that setting at "Work"? You guessed it, you WON'T be able to connect to the Internet!
I'm afraid it's either one OR the other and NOT both together.
I went through all this wireless bit because it equally applies to when you are simply connected via the cradle using Activesync. In the "Pass-through" settings of AS, you'll find it set to "The Internet" by default and like this, you will not be able to access local machines on the LAN connected via your desktop or a switch/hub. If you change it to "Work", however, you will. Then of course, the same applies as to the wireless setup. With it at "Work" you won't have access to "The Internet" and vice-versa.
I can only guess that the PPC situation is like this because the WinMob2003(&SE) OS does NOT have a FULL network client built into it that behaves as a Windows Desktop PC would. So, basically, it's a cludge.
strange , im using the XDA2s and my wifi settings are set to see internet , but in file explore or rosco file explorer they both see my lan fine in file exlore all i doo is click on the netfolder ickon at the bottom and then enter \\ (then the computer name) eg \\bedroompc this works both for my work network and home
henny
Firstly, my apologies for the double post above. I only pushed the submit button once, honest!
I was actually describing the "standard" way that all of O2's XDA's get setup when they are first turned on from new and that means that usually, under "Connections", "Select Networks" then "Network Management", you will normally see "My ISP" in the top box for progs that automatically connect to the Internet and "My Work Network" in the lower box for progs that automatically connect to a private network and this is where the problem lays.
In hindsight, I wasn't particularly helpful to Tetragrammaton since I didn't provide the actual solution he was looking for simply because I got too wrapped up in bashing the PPC's network client (or lack of a full one anyway...)
The solution is of course to simply make the bottom box equal to the top box (i.e. "My ISP") and immediately this will change the behaviour to that as you so correctly described (being able to connect to the Internet and to a Local LAN machine simultaneously) and will obviate the need to swap the destination of the Network Card settings themselves (which only gives one way connectivity with Wireless anyway).
I'm guessing that your machine is set this way Henny? Which of course will work as you describe.
The only caveat to doing this is that you disable the O2 WAP settings (which are normally configured under the "My Work Network" part) but whether this is a great loss is a moot point. In any case, the lower box in "Network Management" can always be switched back temporarily should you need the WAP settings back.
I hope this has now helped Tetragrammaton to get up and running...
I should hastely add that my offered solution in the last post still won't allow you to browse LAN machines while connected in the cradle (I've just tried it) so if anyone knows a way to do this, I would be interested...
CPNowell said:
I should hastely add that my offered solution in the last post still won't allow you to browse LAN machines while connected in the cradle (I've just tried it) so if anyone knows a way to do this, I would be interested...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would be too.. anyways, thanks a lot y'all for the info.
CPNowell said:
I should hastely add that my offered solution in the last post still won't allow you to browse LAN machines while connected in the cradle (I've just tried it) so if anyone knows a way to do this, I would be interested...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't been able to try your suggestion yet, but just so we're clear, you're talking about browsing the files on LAN machines while the XDA2 (not 2i or 2s) is connected via ActiveSync? I think that's what tetragrammaton was asking in the original post. I have a suspicion that this post has been taken over with discussions about browsing the LAN using a wi-fi connection, not ActiveSync... :roll: Of course the XDA2 (which tetragrammaton mentions) doesn't have wi-fi
SiliconS said:
I haven't been able to try your suggestion yet, but just so we're clear, you're talking about browsing the files on LAN machines while the XDA2 (not 2i or 2s) is connected via ActiveSync? I think that's what tetragrammaton was asking in the original post. I have a suspicion that this post has been taken over with discussions about browsing the LAN using a wi-fi connection, not ActiveSync... :roll: Of course the XDA2 (which tetragrammaton mentions) doesn't have wi-fi
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True and you are absolutely right on all counts. Browsing LAN machines via activesync using an XDAII in a USB cradle.
CPNowell said:
SiliconS said:
CPNowell said:
I should hastely add that my offered solution in the last post still won't allow you to browse LAN machines while connected in the cradle (I've just tried it) so if anyone knows a way to do this, I would be interested...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't been able to try your suggestion yet, but just so we're clear, you're talking about browsing the files on LAN machines while the XDA2 (not 2i or 2s) is connected via ActiveSync? I think that's what tetragrammaton was asking in the original post. I have a suspicion that this post has been taken over with discussions about browsing the LAN using a wi-fi connection, not ActiveSync... :roll: Of course the XDA2 (which tetragrammaton mentions) doesn't have wi-fi
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True and you are absolutely right on all counts. Browsing LAN machines via activesync using an XDAII in a USB cradle.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In that case I'm confused . Sorry. If it doesn't work in the cradle, but you're not talking about doing it through a wi-fi connection, what does your solution actually do? Apologies if I'm being a bit thick here - I'm ill with the 'flu.
I'm nervous about starting to mess about with the connections settings on my XDA2 just so that I can browse files on the network - every time I do this I end up screwing them up. I don't understand them at all and usually a hard reset with the auto-config is the only way to get it all working again. :roll:
I'll do a synopsis of this thread so far this evening. Bit tied up at work at the moment. Hope that's ok...
This has been covered many many times. It is impossible as currently set up. The best way to achieve this is to buy Pocket LAN, it works perfectly
I've had a quick look at that but that would be for just Wireless LAN connectivity, right? ...and as has already been pointed out to me (correctly), the original question was not about wireless.
NO!!!! This works through active sync with the xda in the cradle, worked on xda2 and 2i for me. Actually it is a bit of a waste of money as i never use it, though it seemed agreat idea at the time.
barney12345 said:
NO!!!! This works through active sync with the xda in the cradle, worked on xda2 and 2i for me. Actually it is a bit of a waste of money as i never use it, though it seemed agreat idea at the time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've googled "Pocket LAN" and came up with a bunch of hits though none of them seem to be the right hit. If Pocket LAN seems to do the trick of accessing a network via the USB cradle only, could you post the link to Pocket LAN? Thanks!
http://www.pocketlance.com/register/index.shtml it says for ce or 2002 but works on 2003 and 2003se.
Hope this helps
You can find it (PocketLAN) here...
http://www.pocketgear.com/software_detail.asp?id=2825
Contrary to what Barney found, it didn't work at all for my XDAIIi in the cradle. The usual "network path not found" was all it could muster...
Even wirelessly I found it cumbersome and a bit iffy at connecting to machines at times. It does no more than Resco Explorers built-in network stuff. It also seeks to start messing with the device name etc and generally "muscle-in" and take over... Resco Exp does it without fuss, quietly and efficiently. More importantly, it works everytime but I'm afraid even it can't manage to connect to LAN machines through the cradle and AS.
Sorry about no (promised) post last night. Just didn't get the time. I'll try again for later today.
http://www.pocketlance.com/ try this link as well you can get a trial download

Confused: IE wants to use GPRS rather than GSM

Hi,
Very confused about this. When I go into connections it lists work connections and when I click on manage work connections there is one I added: VirginNet which uses CSD. No other exists.
Whenever I access a web page it keeps trying to connect to O2 Internet using GPRS.
Any ideas how I get it to stop? Do I have to hit the registry?
Cheers
R u sure there's only 'my work network' & no entry like 'my isp'.
if not create one for the csd type you want & check the advanced tab as well. 'my isp' is for internet. 'my work' for lan.
regards, M
Here goes..
If you open connections, go to the second tab, and click the "select networks" button. This is where you tell the operating system what network connection to ue for which application. You'll be specifically interested in the internet portion, which is the first section.
I had no My ISP section but it obviously still had the details somewhere. I've had to hard reset and start again.
Thanks for the replies though.
I guess, even with a CSD rather than GPRS, if something on my pocketPC tries to connect it will still cost me.
I seem to remember in Pocket PC 2000 that it couldn't do this on its own, it always needed permission.
borgs said:
I had no My ISP section but it obviously still had the details somewhere. I've had to hard reset and start again.
Thanks for the replies though.
I guess, even with a CSD rather than GPRS, if something on my pocketPC tries to connect it will still cost me.
I seem to remember in Pocket PC 2000 that it couldn't do this on its own, it always needed permission.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, you are going to pay for the phone minutes if you use dial up, or you pay for GPRS useage. Actually, I didn't even realize the Magician had a dial up modem...
In any case, you can establish a connection by going to Connections and adding a connection. Select "Cellular Line" (which is the default, and go from there). I haven't done it with the Magician, but I have used dial up with WM2003.
:lol: :lol:
Man,as far as I learnt from my master courses, the GSM is a method for calling.For data transferring,it's GPRS........So if you wanna IE transfer data for ya,GPRS is needed.
That's not entirely true, you can configure a csd connection like with a regular modem.Which dials a number & have the data over the phone call.
Works OK PIE won't see the diff.
Cheers, M
I'm using CSD rather than GPRS because I can use my voice allowance of 200 minutes per month for data access. I've just checked my bill and, going via VirginNet dialup, it is using my allowance rather than being charged. It's slow but I can access the internet on the small number of occasions that I need to.
The question is; if something requires internet access on my pocket PC will it just go ahead and dial up now? Those 200 minutes won't last long if it fails to disconnect.
I would prefer it if the device would actually ask before it went ahead to get internet access.
Yes it will dial up & show shortly a message with the cancel/hide buttons. I'm on flatfee gprs from TMO & don't bother, so I can use journal bar, timesync, true imap mail (vgs mail), have automatic virus scan updates etc. etc. I guess your 200min. will be gone soon. In the Netherlands the internet dial-up numbers are seperate and expensive, so keep an eye on it.
Cheers, M
It all depends on the application you use.
IE won't connect on its own without you telling it to go to a web page. Messaging won't connect without you telling it to connect occasionally either.
Well-developed programs like Worldmate and PocketWeather won't either. You have to specifically allow them to connect, but it's program-dependent. If you install some rogue program that doesn't ask you, then yes, you will have problems.
Just remember that if you dial up using CSD, you will be connecting at around cellular speed 14.4Kbps (unless you connect to a HS connection, which I'm not sure the JARJAR even supports).
Hi,
Thanks for all the info.
In the end I've created 2 CSD profiles, one with user id info etc. and one without. When I don't intend to use the internet I set it to the one without. If anything attempts to get internet access it gets stuck at the network log on dialog and doesn't actually dial out - unless I accidentally hit the ok button on the handset. Best I can do I think.
When I want internet access I switch to the proper profile and it dials out normally.
Don't see why Microsoft couldn't provide a "Don't dial out" profile but there you go.
Cheers
I had a question pertaining to GSM/GPRS. Will the Magician/Jam, etc be able to upgrade to EDGE service once it is available in the U.S. at a decent rate? Will companies force us to upgrade our devices? How long will GPRS be available to consumers?

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?

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.

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