Can't get ActiveSync Pass Through to work

[transco]

ActiveSync V3.8 works perfectly except for Pass Through. I've enabled Pass Through for the Internet. My PC has a full time Internet connection, but none of the applications on the PDA (Dell X3i) are able to reach the Internet. Pocket Explorer for example always reports "Page not found". I'm stuck. Any suggestions? :(

[Darius Wey]

How are you establishing an ActiveSync connection? Through USB, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or IR?

[transco]

How are you establishing an ActiveSync connection? Through USB, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or IR?

Normally, I use WiFi via an AP bridge, but I tried USB and it doesn't work either.

[Darius Wey]

Have you tried restarting your PC, and soft-resetting your Pocket PC?

If that fails, it's most likely a problem with your configured connections on your Pocket PC. Go to Start > Settings > Connections > Connections, and see if you have any pre-configured connections that may be interfering with the way your Pocket PC accesses the internet. You can either delete or disable any in sight.

[transco]

Still no joy :cry: I cleaned everything out of "Connections", did a soft reset of the PDA and a reboot of the PC. Tried both a WiFi and cradle ActiveSync (both set to maintain a link as long as connected), but still no internet access from the PDA. As before, all the other ActiveSync activities, including AvantGo work perfectly.

Can I assume, since AvantGo running on the PC is able to contact its server (sync.avantgo.com:80), that everything on the PC side of the equation is correct; i.e. ActiveSync is properly configured to use the PC's internet access? If so, then whatever the problem is must be in the PDA.

I'm assuming the way "Pass Through" works is the PDA app, such as Pocket IE somehow binds to the PDA ActiveSync which then provides connectivity with the PC's ActiveSync, which in turn connects to the Internet. The internet gateway, DNS server, etc. that are used are the one's specified in the PC's TCP/IP setup; i.e. no settings are required on the PDA side. Correct?

I sure appreciate all your help. I'm sure it is some stupid little thing that I am missing so keep the suggestions coming!

[mattp]

I didn't see this mentioned -- maybe it's too simple, but check in Activesync: Options button, Rules tab, make sure that Pass Through is set to the internet. I think it might be set to Work by default. Alternatively, you might want to try setting it to work if it is currently on internet. Seems to me that avantgo and pocketweather automatically update regardless of the setting that I have, but some others, like some rss feeds only worked when it was set to the internet.

[transco]

I currently have pass-through set to "internet". I tried "work" before, but I'll give it another shot just in case. FYI, no problem with AvantGo sync'ing on the PC then downloading to the PDA. My problem is I can't get pass-through to provide internet connectivity to the PDA. If I understand correctly, ActiveSync should allow PDA resident programs such as Pocket IE access the internet by sharing the PC's internet connection. So far, no joy.

[transco]

:? Well I stand corrected. I uninstalled everything and started from scratch and sure enough, I can access the Internet via ActiveSync while the PDA is in the cradle; i.e. via the USB connection. Unfortunately when I sync'ed using the WiFi link, which is the desired configuration, again I had no Internet access. I'm wondering now if this is even possible; i.e. if the Internet pass-through will even work using the Ethernet connection (WiFi bridge in my case). Anyone actually doing this?

[Darius Wey]

I'm wondering now if this is even possible; i.e. if the Internet pass-through will even work using the Ethernet connection (WiFi bridge in my case). Anyone actually doing this?

Synchronising via Wi-Fi requires a few extra steps in order for it to work. It may be a silly question but I just need to cover the bases here: When you say you've connected via Wi-Fi, is this a standard Wi-Fi network connection, or an actual Wi-Fi AS connection? Thanks.

[transco]

I'm wondering now if this is even possible; i.e. if the Internet pass-through will even work using the Ethernet connection (WiFi bridge in my case). Anyone actually doing this?

Synchronising via Wi-Fi requires a few extra steps in order for it to work. It may be a silly question but I just need to cover the bases here: When you say you've connected via Wi-Fi, is this a standard Wi-Fi network connection, or an actual Wi-Fi AS connection? Thanks.

I'm not sure how to answer your question, so let me tell you the end goal... I have a friend that depends on dial-up internet access. I gave him a WiFi AP which he has connected to his Ethernet port. This has allowed him to do ActiveSync via a X3i WiFi connection. So far so good. Now the job is to give the X3i Internet access. At first, I tried to do this independent of ActiveSync, by using an Ad-Hoc configuration. Not sure why, but I couldn't get this to work with the X3i, (but it worked first try when I tried it with a WiFi equipped laptop). Life would be easier (I guess) if I could get the ActiveSync Pass-Through to work via the WiFi link.

[Darius Wey]

Have a look at this post (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=285891#285891) I made to ensure that everything is set up properly. If it is, then ensure "The Internet" is selected as the Pass-Through method, and if that fails, let me know and we'll work on Plan B.

[transco]

Have a look at this post (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=285891#285891) I made to ensure that everything is set up properly. If it is, then ensure "The Internet" is selected as the Pass-Through method, and if that fails, let me know and we'll work on Plan B.

Please remember that sync'ing the X3i to the PC (via WiFi) works perfectly and that the PC only has a hardwire Ethernet card (i.e. no WiFi card). It is simply hardwired to WiFi bridge which then links to the X3i.

Now for Plan B...

[Darius Wey]

Please remember that sync'ing the X3i to the PC (via WiFi) works perfectly and that the PC only has a hardwire Ethernet card (i.e. no WiFi card). It is simply hardwired to WiFi bridge which then links to the X3i.

Sorry, I totally forgot about the AP.

Now for Plan B...

IIRC, working via an AP connected to an Ethernet port may conflict with the way ActiveSync Pass-Through works. It's because of this that I'm thinking that the "Work" setting may be more appropriate. I'll look into it, and if I find out any further information, I'll post back here.

By the way, have you considered performing a somewhat localised version of a remote VPN sync?

[transco]

Please remember that sync'ing the X3i to the PC (via WiFi) works perfectly and that the PC only has a hardwire Ethernet card (i.e. no WiFi card). It is simply hardwired to WiFi bridge which then links to the X3i.

Sorry, I totally forgot about the AP.

Now for Plan B...

IIRC, working via an AP connected to an Ethernet port may conflict with the way ActiveSync Pass-Through works. It's because of this that I'm thinking that the "Work" setting may be more appropriate. I'll look into it, and if I find out any further information, I'll post back here.

By the way, have you considered performing a somewhat localised version of a remote VPN sync?

I have a feeling you are correct about the "conflict". Since ActiveSync will pass the internet connection to the X3i when it is in the cradle, we know that it is properly linked to the PC's internet connection. As far as the WiFi goes, the way it is currently configured, it is transparent to ActiveSync on the PC and for all practical purposes, ActiveSync on the X3i as well. To ActiveSync it is simply an Ethernet connection between the PC and the PDA.

I have a feeling the problem I am having is an undocumented "feature" of ActiveSync; i.e. Pass-Through only works with the USB (and perhaps the IR link), not the Etherrnet connection.

I haven't messed with VPN, but this might be a good reason to give it a try. Thanks for the suggestion...