How to use Pocket WINc?

[theon]

Is anyone using this software? After finally being able to connect using WiFi, I decided to try using the program to configure for WEP. But just installing the program on the PPC seems to cause me to lose both the Activesync and Internet connection.

Can anyone help?

[Loki Gelfling]

The old free version worked fine, but the version I got from PC Magazine (they gave away the paid one as a freebie for a couple of weeks) tries to force the pocketpc into DHCP. I use a static address, so I lose my connection every time I fire up WiNC. Try setting your PPC to use DHCP, and let WiNC reobtain the IP address.

[theon]

Thanks Noki,

I tried what you told me and I managed to establish a connection on the PPC enough to access my shared folders and connect. But there seems to be no internet access.

The IP indicated in Pocket wNIC and my desktop seem to be different under DHCP (what does this stand for anyway?) and when I fix it. Is this what's causing the problem? How do I get access without fixing the IP?

Cheers!

[Sven Johannsen]

DHCP, Dynamic Host Control Protocol, it is the IP function that allows a server to hand out the appropriate IP address, subnet mask, gateway address, DNS adresses, etc. when requested by a DHCP client. The server can be a real server W2K, W2K3, or it can be a home router, or even an XP box with Internet Connection Sharing turned on.

A client, the PPC, when it is set for DHCP will broadcast a request for adresses and the server will supply them, assumming the request gets there (not blocked by mis-assigned WEP keys or something). If the request does not get there, or there is some incompatibility between DHCP implementations, you may wind up with inappropriate IP numbers on the PPC.

The IP address you PPC gets should be in the same network as your PC but not the same host number. So if the PC is 192.168.1.2, the PPC could be 192.168.1.3. If you have a router it is normally the .1 host.

The other addresses are dependent on your setup. The subnet mask is almost always 255.255.255.0 for home networks, the gateway is the thing that is connected to the internet, could be the router or a machine with ICS turned on. The DNS numbers should be the same on every box you have, and be the ones supplied by your ISP.

If you get a copy of vxUtil and/or vxIPConfig at www.cam.com, both free, you can see what the IP addresses your PPC is getting are.

[theon]

Thanks Sven,

Found out that I left the DNS and WINS on a fixed address. Took it out and released the IP in Pocket WINc and it works now.

Thanks for the explanation. Helps lots! 8)