What is ActiveSync sending over the web (and to who?)

[GerBear]

Perhaps I did'nt find an earlier discussion on this. But, I notice that when I sync with my desktop PC, I see a considerable amount of internet traffic going out and in (using ZoneAlarm.)

There's alot more than time-synching going on and I'm curious about what's going out, who's getting it and how secure are they're servers?

Can anyone fill me in on this?

[Lex]

I used to use ZA and it reports that Active Sync wants to access the internet but it doesn't. I seem to remember if you disallow it, it won't sync. ZA's terminology is incorrect. Active Sync isn't really accessing the net. There were two or three programs that ZA handled this way. I had to permit them but knew they weren't really using the net at all.

[WyattEarp]

I also think it's because ActiveSync can be used as a Pass Though to the internet for your PPC. So ActiveSync actually does need access the internet just not al the time.

[Ger Bear]

If ActiveSync is not relaying info of some kind, why will the PPC not sync without a net connection? Perhaps it's only passing info through, but what and to where? None of the programs I put in my PPC access updates or anything else automatically. Manual request has to be made.

So how do I find out what's going out?

ZA may not distinguish ActiveSync from PPC program traffic, but it does report traffic in and out.

[Sven Johannsen]

If ActiveSync is not relaying info of some kind, why will the PPC not sync without a net connection? Perhaps it's only passing info through, but what and to where? None of the programs I put in my PPC access updates or anything else automatically. Manual request has to be made.

So how do I find out what's going out?

ZA may not distinguish ActiveSync from PPC program traffic, but it does report traffic in and out.

What makes you think AS won't work without a net connection? Unplug your network from your PC and sync away. If you have things on your PPC that require net connections, weather updates, pop3 mail retrieval, etc, of course those won't work. Time sync syncs to your PC, not the net, unless you have some app on your PPC that actually goes out to ntp servers.

The reason you see network activity is that the AS connection sets up a small network between your PPC and your PC. It is in the 192.168.55.x subnet. The likelihood is that if you have a home network, or you are just connected to an ISP through a cable modem, or whatever, your PC's IP is not in the 192.168.55.x sunbnet, and the PPC traffic is therefore going to a foreign network.

AS also sets up a router of sorts on your PC that takes any traffic not destined for the PC (it's partner) and forwards it to whatever the gateway is, so that you can do pass-through. This is one of the reasons that it is so difficult to access information on your own network when the PPC is cradled. At that time the PPC is not in your network. If you connect the PPC via WiFi, or a CF NIC to your network it picks up an IP within your network and your life becomes simpler.

[Ger Bear]

OK. That makes sense.