Hitchhiker 0.2 Released

[Darius Wey]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.kasuei.com/hitchhiker/' target='_blank'>http://www.kasuei.com/hitchhiker/</a><br /><br /></div><i>"In the first 21 days of Hitchhiker, we received tons of thanks e-mails from the community. We really appreciate everyone's support on Kasuei. Within the last 3 weeks, we worked very hard on Hitchhiker 0.2 and finally it's done. We implemented some new features including "fire-and-forget" and support WEP and WPA-PSK security. Be sure to check it out."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/wey-20050531-Hitchhiker.gif" /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=39927">Hitchhiker 0.1</a> received a stunning response when we posted on it earlier in the month, and since then, the folk at Kasuei made it their number one priority to improve it in more ways than one. So what's new in Hitchhiker 0.2? WEP and WPA-PSK support, full WZC support, "fire-and-forget" support, a quick launch toolbox for built-in network tools, audible notifications, connection priority functionality, and WZC settings recovery following a crash. If you enjoyed Hitchhiker as much as I did, be sure to grab this update!

[Rod3]

This is a super app! I loved the old HitchHiker, and know this one will be even better.

:way to go:

[Compulim]

Thanks Darius.

For the recovery process, I will explain it here. So everyone got a problem with Hitchhiker and WZC settings could take a look.

Problems:

If Hitchhiker crashed, don't worry, your original WZC settings is preserved. Only some weird entries may added in front of the list (that's how WZC API works), so you may need to clean them up.

Hitchhiker 0.2 preserves your original WZC network list by appending your list every time it tries to connect to an access point. So virtually, Hitchhiker would not erase your original list. Also, to prevent WZC dialog from popping up, we also added an ad-hoc entry called "HitchhikerXXX" as a suppressor.

Solutions:

When the application crash and you can no longer access the WLAN, power up WLAN and open WZC applet by clicking: Start -> Settings -> Connections (tab) -> Connections -> Advanced -> Network Card. Select "All Available" in the "Networks to access" combo box. Then you will see a list of preferred networks and nearby networks (tagged as "Available").

Delete those network you don't know (either tagged as "Unavailable" or "Connected"). And also, the suppressor network "HitchhikerXXX" (should be tagged as "Unavailable"). Then click OK.

p.s. I watch PocketPCThoughts regularly, so you can always reach me via this thread or pm. Hope you all like the software (and do tell me what you don't like).

Cheers,


Compulim

[Jereboam]

Perfect timing as I am off on a trip this Wednesday and will see how it connects to APs along the way.

Just to clarify - it WILL save (and use existing) WEP keys? That was the problem that stopped me using this permanently before...

J'bm

[Compulim]

This time, I am sure that it would save all keys.

I got an Apple Airport Express running WPA-PSK at home. I got a Buffalo Wireless Router running WEP (40-bit) at office. And I got a ZyXEL Wireless Router running WEP (104-bit) at "dorm".

I test Hitchhiker intensively on WEP/WPA-PSK for around a week and I didn't lose any keys. But as a user, I advise you to backup your Pocket PC first. I am pretty sure you won't need to restore your system but as a safe net.

Somebody concerned about keying in sensitive data in a freeware/3rd party application. So let me explain how Hitchhiker deals with keys.

All the key you entered in Hitchhiker will be saved to both WZC and memory when you click "Save". If you are not feeling secure with password in memory, simply quit the application and re-run it. It should clean up all password in memory. When the application detect a secured network, it will ask WZC to use saved password (there are no known ways to retrieve them, WZC always return the key as "FakeFakeFake...Fake").

When you access the Internet, Hitchhiker will not contact any of our servers (we use www.google.com for DNS and WWW testing).

Please note that public network could perform wifi phishing and data sniffing easily. So if you need to type sensitive data (even logging in forums), be sure the connection is endpoint secured, say HTTPS.

Have a nice trip and do tell me what you like and don't like about Hitchhiker.

[Jereboam]

Hmm so far just looping and failing to connect...shows message Configuring hardware... and never manages. Every now and then it shows Associating... but then fails too. As soon as I exit HH the normal WZC connects immediately and I very quickly get an ip...

This is my own home ap so I know it should work fine. No other ap to test at the moment...

Will HH not pick up existing WEP keys, do I need to explicitly enter the key again from within HH?

I did back up, thanks, btw... ;)

Installed to main memory on a 4700 and have soft reset and cycled wifi.

J'bm

[surur]

Thx for this nice and pretty software.

Surur

[js]

Maybe I am just missing the point of this utility, but I just get an error message (no WLAN found) with wzc disabled (using wzcdisabler). If I leave wzc on, then hh seems to work ok.

When I did get hh to work there were a few things I'd like to see:

1) A tap/hold option to disconnect.
2) An way to un-hide the little popup.
3) A program tray icon for bottom bar of today screen (when minimized).

Good work.

[Golfer]

Silly question, but how exactly do you install this app ?? :?

[ipaq_wannabe]

what is the difference between this app and others? say like WZC? WiFiFom-something?

do i get more functionality? could i expect it to be more reliable to connect to WiFi networks (even with WEP)...

it is just that im sick of WZC (when there are too many WiFi networks around - like in an IT center) it fails to connect... so much so that i disabled WZC, but found out that it wont have WiFi anymore...

can anyone please enlighten me?

thanks!!!

[Darius Wey]

Silly question, but how exactly do you install this app ?? :?

You can use the desktop installer here: http://www.kasuei.com/download/Hitchhiker0.2.msi.zip

Otherwise, just download the CAB, copy it over to your Pocket PC, and execute it in File Explorer (or use CabInstl if you wish to designate it to a specific path): http://www.kasuei.com/download/Hitchhiker0.2.CAB

Once installed, Hitchhiker should appear in Programs.

[Dermot81]

Looks nice and did connect to my home AP, but I am frequently getting unexpected errors.

Clicking on details of the error, it says:
Hitchhiker.exe
NullReferenceException

Application::Run+0xf
EntryPoint::Main+0xa

[Compulim]

Hitchhiker DO need WZC working. It is because: 1) WZC helps to maintain a list of stored network key and 2) beginner can use it right away.

I will make a NDIS version when this one is stable. But I have no experience on handling WEP and WPA-PSK keys with NDIS so it may take some time.

Thanks JS for your wishes, I have added your wish to the official wish list (http://forum.kasuei.com/forums/159/ShowPost.aspx).

[Compulim]

ipaq_wannabe,

Wififofum, WiFi Graph, MiniStumbler is mainly for WiFi instrumentation/sniffer. Wififofum and WiFi Graph use NDIS API, and MiniStumbler use proprietary API from card vendor.

Hitchhiker, StreetHawk, PocketWiNC is mainly for WiFi connection testing and management. Hitchhiker and StreetHawk use WZC API. I am unsure with Pocket WiNC.

WZC is WM2003+ built-in applets for WiFi connection management only (no testing). And it use WZC API and borrow a little from NDIS API.

(FYI: WZC API was using NDIS API in WM2003 or SE, but in WM2005, Microsoft will start fade out NDIS API (WLAN only) and provides an alternative solution for WZC API, called Native Wireless driver.)

Connection reliability is not somehow programmable, what we can do is turn the WiFi power to max (and you can do it yourself with vendor tools).

Using WZC API is because it helps to store network keys securely and beginner user do not need any extra knowledge to get the things done.

All WiFi connection testing and management tools I mentioned will do more than WZC. I am unsure the algorithm of other tools, Hitchhiker do: DHCP testing, DNS testing and WWW testing. And also, HH will prioritize network based on their connection history, signal strength and etc. (You can check out scoring system here (http://forum.kasuei.com/forums/150/ShowPost.aspx))

Hitchhiker mainly enhance the reliability and experience of "connect". If it say it's connected, you can be 100% sure that you can connect to Internet.

[Spenser]

Looks nice and did connect to my home AP, but I am frequently getting unexpected errors.

So do I. I have a Linksys Wireless-G CF-Card installed. When I start Hitchhiker, it reports an unexpected error:

Hitchhiker.exe
Exception

MISC::HandleAr+0x5b
ImageCollection::Add+0x2e
MainForm::InitializeComponent+0x470
MainForm::.ctor+0x30
EntryPoint::Main+0xa

Any idea what went wrong?

[Compulim]

Probably you are using a VGA device, right? It's a known bug in .NET Compact Framework 1.0 and fixed in SP3.

If you are using hx4700, please update to the latest ROM. Or, you can download only the redistributable. You can find the English version here (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=a5a02311-194b-4c00-b445-f92bec03032f&amp;DisplayLang=en).

[latinware]

I downloaded also, installed on my hx4700 but it couldn't get a conexion on my own HotSpot, which by the way I have WEP security and MAC address security on my WLAN.

[Peter Traugot]

Hmm, Have a 4700 but the app simply won't run. No errors, nothing. Just doesn't run.

Any ideas???

Oh, Tried install to file store and RAM. No luck either way.

[latinware]

Peter: remember that you have to open first the hx4700 wifi app, otherwise the Hitchiker app won't work at all. At least that's what happen to me the first time I tried to open it.

[snayar]

It even works under Windows Mobile 5.0!!! :D

http://www.sonyericssonfans.com/images/stories/pda/MagnetoReview/hitchhiker1.png
No available Hotspots at the time of capture...

Great job!!!

[Peter Traugot]

Latinware: If you mean WIFI has to be active, it is. Still no go.

[Peter Traugot]

AH! Now here's something strange. I went to make sure my zero config was working by opening Tweak2k2, and guess what!!!


It doesn't run either!!!

Used to work just fine. Guess there's something amiss with my device :(

[nitestrike]

I'm also having trouble connecting to my home AP. I have WPA-PSK and MAC Filtering turned on, I am also using static IPs. It just sits there and keeps trying to configure itself with numerous fails. I have an iPAQ hx4705 with the newest ROM (v1.10). This utility looks really cool, but it would need to work if I were to use it. If there is anything I can do to help just let me know. I need to look at using an open AP with Dynamic IPs to make sure that it is not just my setup.

[nitestrike]

I just found out a little more information on my issue. When I tried to connect to my AP without Hitchhiker I was not able to connect either. So put my Static IP address back in and was able to connec to the AP just fine. So I decided to try Hitchhiker again and it kept failing, when I went to check my IP Address information again it had reverted back to dynamic. Now I don't mind having to input the IP Address in for AP that require Static IPs, as I've said that is the way I have it setup with my own. But the program cannot be switching the mode when it has been set. It would be great if Hitchhiker could keep track of IP Mode and IPs if it is static.

[ctmagnus]

I tried this on my iPaq 5550 and was unable to connect to my very secure AP, period. A quick restore from my latest Sprite backup and I'm up and running again.

Does anyone have any suggestions if I decide to give this another whirl? I really want to love this app but if it does things like eliminating already-existing connections, then I'm afraid that won't be possible.

[Compulim]

Sorry folks for the delayed response.

I borrowed a HP hx4700 (ROM 1.10.08) and hx2755 so I can start working on it.

In my experience, hx4700 works only if you have just soft-reset the device. Otherwise, it will keep "Associating" then "Failed association". I am still investigating what application caused the problem. But for all the time, I can start the application without any problem. It can show up the main screen.

I can enter WPA-PSK key by Hitchhiker and it works with hx4700. I don't have any WEP-enabled router here (and I don't want to reconfigure my router) so I will test it with a WEP router tomorrow.

SNayar: thanks for testing it on WM5. Hitchhiker use WZCSAPI which will be the main WiFi component (to replace NDIS 5.1).

Nitestrike: HH will enable DHCP when it run. But for static IP, I am unsure if I can programmatically set static IP. But if I can, I will definitely make that happens in HH (and HH can test ranges of private IP as well).

ctmagnus: can you give me more details on it? do you mean you have DHCP disabled?

[ctmagnus]

ctmagnus: can you give me more details on it? do you mean you have DHCP disabled?

I've been using DHCP for years with no issues. What happened in this case is that all my network connections were deleted from the wireless settings.

[indiekiduk]

Aint this just like Streethawk ;-)

http://www.aspecto-software.com/Streethawk/index.htm

Looks nicer tho.

[theHog]

I have two comments on HitchHiker:

- Why doesn't activate Hitchiker the WLAN itself? It asks me to activate the WLAN... would be easier if it just does it.

- I have set the wep keys for some AP's but After an off/on or soft reset, HitchHiker seems to forget the keys and cannot make connections.

This is on a iPAQ 4150 running PPC 2003

[Dermot81]

There is something wrong with the 1.10 ROM on the 4700, where connecting to APs is very random.

With Hitchhiker, it will usually stop at configuring hardware and then fail. Even without Hitchhiker, if you use the regular built in network connections manager, it has a lot of trouble connecting.

I reverted back to 1.00 ROM, and have no problems anymore connecting. Hitchhiker works flawlessy also on this ROM.

[Compulim]

Sorry for late response. I was out of country this early June.

I tried hx4700 with ROM 1.10 and found a problem with WZCSAPI (WM2003 built-in library for WLAN management). When it connects to an AP, sometimes, it do not fire event (named "Associating") to trigger Hitchhiker. So Hitchhiker never knows when the device is associating with the AP or just configuring the system.

I have make a hack to it so Hitchhiker should assume "Associating" event fired when certain criteria is met.

But now I no longer have access to hx4700 so cannot test if the hack works or not. Dermot81, can you pm or e-mail me so I can send you a private beta to test it on hx4700?

If anyone is interested in testing Hitchhiker 0.3 beta on a hx4700, hx2755 or hx2100 series. Please pm or e-mail me asap. I will be leaving Hong Kong and disconnected from Internet until early July.

theHog, I am investigating a general method to switch on/off WLAN. I got a library to work with iPAQ but I want to do it more general. Btw, the 0.3 beta will recognize WLAN off so you can always leave Hitchhiker behind running and control it with your own WLAN utility.

[theHog]

Compulim,

Be aware that the iPAQ API for switching on/off WLAN is not consistent. Some models (e.g. 4150) need an ON to switch OFF and vice versa.

I have a hx2750 that I can use to test hitchhike with.

-- theHog

[indiekiduk]

Hey Compulim, WFFF/Streethawk developer here, perhaps we should hook up and make a very nice app which combines the features of all of our software instead of struggling away seperately? I mean we both have NDISUIO and WZC C# libraries which both took us a good few hours so why not? Don't mean to brag but I have a hx4700 and hx2750 which you mentioned you need testers for...