Pocket PC App Enables Ad Hoc Wireless Networking

[Jason Dunn]

<a href="http://www.allnetdevices.com/wireless/news/2002/07/23/pocket_pc.html">http://www.allnetdevices.com/wireless/news/2002/07/23/pocket_pc.html</a><br /><br />This looks pretty cool! I use their service for my FTP server at the moment, so it's nice to see them getting into the Pocket PC world. To be honest, I've never gone "ad hoc" mode with my Pocket PC, so I'm having a little trouble grasping the relevance of this announcement. Someone take me to school please. <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif" /><br /><br />"Tzolkin Corporation, a commercial dynamic DNS service provider, today announced the release of TZO client software for Microsoft Windows CE 3.0. The Windows CE 3.0 version of the TZO client software is compatible with all Windows Powered Pocket PC products including the HP, Toshiba, and Casio devices. The newly released client software is designed to be used in conjunction with the TZO dynamic DNS service and allows Pocket PC users with a wireless Internet connection to use their Pocket PCs in free form and ad hoc network modes...<br /><br />...The TZO dynamic DNS service solves this problem, the company says. With the TZO service each Pocket PC is given a domain name and Tzolkin's dynamic DNS servers maintain the DNS records for that domain. The TZO client software runs on the Pocket PC and it reports the Pocket PC's current IP address to the TZO dynamic DNS servers. Users then initiate connection to the Pocket PC by referring to its domain name rather than to its IP address. The TZO dynamic DNS servers resolve the PC's domain name to its current IP address, making the connection to the Pocket PC. With the TZO service Pocket PC users gain the functionality of a having a static IP address but at a fraction of the cost." Source: Eric Levine

[butch]

...I've never gone "ad hoc" mode with my Pocket PC, so I'm having a little trouble grasping the relevance of this announcement. Someone take me to school please. http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif


"ad hoc" is the same think as connecting 2 PC with a 'reversed' cable, no need for an acces point... but if your PocketPC and/or PC is running over a DHCP you wont get an IP, so you have to put one manually in the network setup.

[Jason Dunn]

but if your PocketPC and/or PC is running over a DHCP you wont get an IP, so you have to put one manually in the network setup.

But I thought that's what a DHCP server did - handed out IPs? I have a single IP address from my cable modem provider, and a DHCP server in my gateway that hands out IPs - so I have no problem going wireless with my Pocket PCs. That's why I don't get what this service does... :-)

[Robert Levy]

But I thought that's what a DHCP server did - handed out IPs? I have a single IP address from my cable modem provider, and a DHCP server in my gateway that hands out IPs - so I have no problem going wireless with my Pocket PCs. That's why I don't get what this service does... :-)

It's for people who use their Pocket PC's from multiple locations... if you're only ever connecting to a single gateway in your home, this doesn't do anything... but if you take your device somewhere else and connect to a different gateway, you'll have a different IP. This software will supposedly allow your device to be referred to by a single domain name regardless of how or where it is connected to the internet.

[butch]

But I thought that's what a DHCP server did - handed out IPs? I have a single IP address from my cable modem provider, and a DHCP server in my gateway that hands out IPs - so I have no problem going wireless with my Pocket PCs. That's why I don't get what this service does... :-)

I don't really understand what the software is supposed to do... everywhere I use my pocketPC I have a DHCP and if every I need to put a IP I will do it myself...

[mikeschmidt]

I think this is needed if you run a FTP server or WEB server from you PPC. I don't know why else you need a name instead of IP for your PPC. Is there software that will let you share a directory on your PPC with others on the network?

- mike

[Janak Parekh]

Although this is not a problem when the mobile device initiates the connection to a central server, there is a problem when another computer, fixed or mobile, attempts to initiate the connection to another PDA with a dynamic IP.
Mike's basically correct. However, there is at least one pragmatically useful class of applications for a product like this: if you have an always-on (or frequently-connected), IP-addressed PDA (i.e., something with 1xRTT or GPRS), and are running videoconferencing, telephony, etc.: this gives people a hostname to access your PocketPC, no matter where the unit is. Much like dyndns.org for your PC.

Having said that, I think this is (a) a little too early for mass-market acceptance, and (b) Mobile IP is the real solution to this problem (which provides an IP address that can be used across providers). You'll see solutions like these to become important in 2 years or so as wireless data becomes more reliable and ubiquitous.

BTW, their use of the term "ad-hoc" has nothing to do with 802.11b "Ad-Hoc" or "Peer-to-Peer" mode. It's kind of unnecessary here, IMHO.

--bdj

[butch]

BTW, their use of the term "ad-hoc" has nothing to do with 802.11b "Ad-Hoc" or "Peer-to-Peer" mode. It's kind of unnecessary here, IMHO.


You a certainly right on that... French is my primary language and I only know the "ad hoc" expression from setup I've made with WiFi card... 8)

[JonnoB]

If you are at all mobile and connect to the net in different locations, your IP will change as you roam. What this service does is give you a DNS that will point to your ever-changing IP. The practical use of this is for real-time IP communication where the PocketPC is the target of an initiated conversation.

Imagine if you will a PocketPC with a connection to an h.323 or SIP gateway. You basically could have a real phone number forwarded in packets to your VoIP endpoint of the DNS name that the service offers. Then, wherever you are, your VoIP calls come straight through. This is the type of service mobile carriers will use for packet enabled IP phones of the future.

[tzodotcom]

Exactly Johnathan, I could not have said it better myself.

I'm Eric from TZO, one of the founders of TZO. Sorry for the use of the word Ad-Hoc, it sometimes mean "on the fly", where someone can connect to your pocket PC as you roam and roam. Mobile IP as mentioned above is a great idea, but its not mainstream

TZO has been doing Dynamic DNS for about 5 years now, and our first client was for Windows 95,98,NT, but we also have clients for Mac OS/x, Linux, Unix, and also have a web control panel and clients that are embedded directly in some routers (nexland.com for example)

TZO see's that Dynamic IP addresses (IP addresses that can change) are a problem for consumers and enterprises. If your IP changes, there is no way you can host a domain name without Dynamic DNS. TZO is a combination of software and a service. The software runs on your Ipaq, and every time you connect to the net, TZO will detect your true IP (even if you are on a LAN), and post that WAN IP (your true INTERNET IP) to the TZO DNS servers.

These servers reside all over North America, and every time someone wants to connect to "yourname.mypocketpc.net" or "yourname.com", TZO will then send the users to the proper IP address that your Ipaq, or PC, laptop, server currently has. We can do this because we set the DNS cache time lower than normal.

The cool thing about the Ipaq and something like TZO is that you can now reliably get VOIP or H.323 calls on your Ipaq. For example, I have an Ipaq, and a HP Jornada CF camera, a dual slot adapter for the Ipaq, and a Verizon Express Network service that uses a Sierra wireless 555 1xRTT card.

I connect with the Verizon card and get at least 56K if not up to 144Kbps, its very fast and I have had great luck with this in my laptop and my Ipaq. Now that I am on the net, I fire up my H.323 application from TabletMedia.com, or my Gtony VOIP app called PocketGphone.

Now I get on the train to NYC. If someone in the office wants to chat, I can use Instant messenger, but if I want to have a meeting, someone can call me using netmeeting, and we can have a 2 way, audio/video conference. The tricky part is that on the train, I loose my connection every now and then. If I do, I get a NEW IP ADDRESS, so my ip changes. If somone wants to contact me via netmeeting, or wants to hit my pocket SQL server, web server, or FTP server to see my latest document/notes, they need to know the IP

If my domain name is "myname.mypocketpc.net" then TZO will keep the current IP updated. If I get disconnected, my friend or coworker simply dials the same domain name they always dial, TZO will catch the IP change immediately, and update the IP. As soon as your coworker or friend tries to connect to your Ipaq, TZO sends them to the right place

If you dont have something like this, its a major hassle to keep sending emails to everyone saying "my new IP is: xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx, I got disconnected" - that's a waste of time....

I hope this helps, and if anyone has questions, feel free to email me directly at [email protected]. For more info on TZO for Pocket PC, see http://www.tzo.com/mainpagetext/WindowsCE.htm

[Jason Dunn]

BING! :D I understand it now.