Having Trouble ActiveSyncing over WiFi

[strongbad6565]

I have Windows XP Home Edition and ActiveSync version 3.7. I am using an HP iPAQ h5555 Pocket PC (with built-in WiFi). I'm sure it's possible to ActiveSync using WiFi, but I haven't been able to figure it out. I've looked on the net and read that I need to set up a VPN connection but I haven't been able to connect my PPC to my computer over a VPN connection yet (I've tried, but I couldn't get it to work). Someone please help me; I want to be able to ActiveSync remotely over WiFi!

Thanks,
Chris

[Ed Hansberry]

Have you been able to set up a VPN server connection on your PC?

How is your PC connected to the internet? Is it using an externally addressable IP? Is your firewall set up to allow incoming VPN connections?

[strongbad6565]

I set up a VPN connection on my PC using the following steps:
1. Open Network Connections
2. Click "Create a new connection"
3. Click "Next"
4. Click "Set up an advanced connection," then "Next"
5. Click "Accept incoming connections," then click "Next"
6. Leave both my modem and my direct parallel (LPT1) unchecked since this will be a PPTP VPN rather than through one of those two things, then click "Next"
7. Click "Allow Virtual Private Connections," then click "Next"
8. Add "cbw_ppc" (my PPC user ID) to the "Users Allowed to Connect" list and specify a password, then click "Next"
9. Select all items for "Networking Software," then click "Next"
10. Click "Finish"

I'm not sure if I did that correctly, I just followed a set of steps I found on a mini-how-to online. Also, the password that I set for cbw_ppc on the VPN is 10 characters long, but every time I click "Properties" on "cbw_ppc" under "Users Allowed to Connect," 15 asterisks show up for the "Password" and "Confirm Password" field. Is that supposed to be that way, or is something wrong?

There is a cable modem hooked up to a wireless router, and my PC connects to the internet wirelessly using a Belkin 802.11g Wireless Networking Interface Card (WNIC). I'm not sure about the externally addressable IP address. I'm not using a firewall (I just have high security settings on IE, and I use anti-virus and anti-spyware programs, but I've found that a firewall limits remote access to the computer, even when it's me trying to access my computer from my PPC or from another computer).

I'm not sure if I set up the VPN on my Pocket PC right either. Here are my settings:
Name: MyVPN [I just made one up for this field; was I supposed to use a specific one?]
Host name/IP: [I put my IP address here, found by going to www.whatismyip.com]
VPN Type: ( ) ISSec/L2TP (-) PPTP (I have PPTP selected)
User name: cbw_ppc [the same name as the one I added to the "Users allowed to connect" list on my PC]
Password: [the same password as I used for cbw_ppc on my PC]
Domain (if provided by ISP or network administrator): [I left it blank; I'm not sure if I'm supposed to put something there or not.]
[Advanced:]
[TCP/IP:] Use server-assigned IP address
[Servers:] Use server-assigned addresses

Note: Every time I go back to edit my VPN server on my PPC, the 10-character password that I entered displays with 16 stars (unlike the 15 displayed on my PC). Perhaps this is just a security feature, or perhaps something is wrong. I just used letters and numbers, no spaces or underscores or punctuation or anything.

Whenever I HotSync, it says "Connecting to: MyVPN," and below that it says "Connecting to [my IP address]." However, that message disappears after about one second (if that) and gives me this message:
Cannot Connect
VPN: MyVPN
VPN server problems. Verify your username and password, and try again. If the problem continues, turn the device off and try again.

I've tried both of the suggested actions, and neither one seemed to work. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I use a router? Or maybe it's something to do with the externally addressable IP (I don't know whether mine's externally addressable or not...or what that means). Hope this is enough info for you to be able to see what the problem is. Thanks for your help!

[Ed Hansberry]

I set up a VPN connection on my PC using the following steps:
1. Open Network Connections
2. Click "Create a new connection"
3. Click "Next"
4. Click "Set up an advanced connection," then "Next"
5. Click "Accept incoming connections," then click "Next"
6. Leave both my modem and my direct parallel (LPT1) unchecked since this will be a PPTP VPN rather than through one of those two things, then click "Next"
7. Click "Allow Virtual Private Connections," then click "Next"
8. Add "cbw_ppc" (my PPC user ID) to the "Users Allowed to Connect" list and specify a password, then click "Next"
No - here you need to set up a real user that is on your XP home box with a password, not a machine ID.
9. Select all items for "Networking Software," then click "Next"
10. Click "Finish"

I'm not sure if I did that correctly, I just followed a set of steps I found on a mini-how-to online. Also, the password that I set for cbw_ppc on the VPN is 10 characters long, but every time I click "Properties" on "cbw_ppc" under "Users Allowed to Connect," 15 asterisks show up for the "Password" and "Confirm Password" field. Is that supposed to be that way, or is something wrong?that's right - Windows will mask the password length. Even if it is one character, 15 asterisks will show up.There is a cable modem hooked up to a wireless router, and my PC connects to the internet wirelessly using a Belkin 802.11g Wireless Networking Interface Card (WNIC). I'm not sure about the externally addressable IP address. I'm not using a firewall (I just have high security settings on IE, and I use anti-virus and anti-spyware programs, but I've found that a firewall limits remote access to the computer, even when it's me trying to access my computer from my PPC or from another computer).You should install XP Sp2 and use that firewall, then open up the VPN port. You should not be on the internet with no firewall. Also, your router is probably providing NAT, which means your IP address is not externally addressible. You'll need to configure your router to pass VPN traffic to your PC and from your PPC, you'll VPN to the router's IP address.I'm not sure if I set up the VPN on my Pocket PC right either. Here are my settings:
Name: MyVPN [I just made one up for this field; was I supposed to use a specific one?]
Host name/IP: [I put my IP address here, found by going to www.whatismyip.com]
VPN Type: ( ) ISSec/L2TP (-) PPTP (I have PPTP selected)
User name: cbw_ppc [the same name as the one I added to the "Users allowed to connect" list on my PC]Yeah, again though you need to set up your userID with a password - the same one you log into your machine with. If you set up another user ID, the VPN will connect with that and may not be able to access your ActiveSync profile.
Password: [the same password as I used for cbw_ppc on my PC]
Domain (if provided by ISP or network administrator): [I left it blank; I'm not sure if I'm supposed to put something there or not.]
[Advanced:]
[TCP/IP:] Use server-assigned IP address
[Servers:] Use server-assigned addresses
all of that looks fine.
Note: Every time I go back to edit my VPN server on my PPC, the 10-character password that I entered displays with 16 stars (unlike the 15 displayed on my PC). Perhaps this is just a security feature, or perhaps something is wrong. I just used letters and numbers, no spaces or underscores or punctuation or anything.

Whenever I HotSync, it says "Connecting to: MyVPN," and below that it says "Connecting to [my IP address]." However, that message disappears after about one second (if that) and gives me this message:
Cannot Connect
VPN: MyVPN
VPN server problems. Verify your username and password, and try again. If the problem continues, turn the device off and try again.

I've tried both of the suggested actions, and neither one seemed to work. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I use a router? Or maybe it's something to do with the externally addressable IP (I don't know whether mine's externally addressable or not...or what that means). Hope this is enough info for you to be able to see what the problem is. Thanks for your help!
Dig into your router manual and look for VPN settings. It should work.

[NewiPAQUser]

I have Windows XP Home Edition and ActiveSync version 3.7. I am using an HP iPAQ h5555 Pocket PC (with built-in WiFi). I'm sure it's possible to ActiveSync using WiFi, but I haven't been able to figure it out. I've looked on the net and read that I need to set up a VPN connection but I haven't been able to connect my PPC to my computer over a VPN connection yet (I've tried, but I couldn't get it to work). Someone please help me; I want to be able to ActiveSync remotely over WiFi!

Thanks,
Chris

If you are looking for a simple answer, try one of my Tutorials / Pictorials at: http://www.wifizard.com/tutorialsXP/ and specialy the one for the "How-to ActiveSync over Wi-Fi" at: http://www.wifizard.com/tutorialsXP/sync/index.htm I’m sure it will help you.

Cheers,
Ivan