Wireless sync

Many people have found using their Pocket PC’s WiFi connection a much faster way to synchronize the data between their PC and PPC (modified from Sevenfire).

Note: if you have a device using Windows Mobile 5 such as the Axim X51 series of PPCs, you must use ActiveSync 4.0 or above. Syncing a PPC over a network (including a wireless network) is no longer an option on this version of ActiveSync. Thus, the instructions below are not applicable.

1. First establish a standard ActiveSync partnership between your Pocket PC and your PC by using a USB, Serial, or IR link. Wireless ActiveSyncing is not possible without performing this step first. [Note: if you also plan to set up network sharing between your PPC and other PCs, you should change the name of your PPC before setting up the ActiveSync connection. The default name “Pocket_PC” does not work with Microsoft networks because of the underline character. Use any combination of letters and numbers. A hyphen will also work but avoid most other “symbols” such as #, @, *, &, and _]. (See the details for this process below).
2. You must enable network connections in ActiveSync on your PC. In the "File" menu of ActiveSync select "Connection Settings..." Then click on the check box next to "Allow network [Ethernet] and Remote Access Service [RAS] server connection with this desktop computer." Finally, click "OK".
3. Next you'll need to enable network ActiveSyncing on your Pocket PC. Start up the ActiveSync application on it (but do not click the sync button. If you are currently connected, tap "Stop" and disconnect the Axim from the sync cable/cradle). In the "Tools" menu, select "Options...”
   In PPC02:
   • Click on the check box next to "Include PC when synchronizing remotely and connect to:”
   • Enter the name of the PC you'll be syncing with in the text box below this line.
   • “OK/close” your way out of the ActiveSync windows
   In WM03:
   • On the PC tab, make sure the name of your PC is listed.
   • Check the box "Sync with this PC during manual sync"
   • Select the Options button on this page and under When syncing remotely check the “Maintain connection” option.
   • Do nothing on the Server tab
   • On Mobile Schedule (tab) leave both the options set to” Manually” and the “Sync outgoing…” unchecked.
   • “OK/close” your way out of the ActiveSync windows
4. Also on the PPC, in Start, Settings, Connections (tab), Connections,...
   In PPC02:
   • select Work Settings, Work Settings, Work. [iv]
   In WM03:
   • Advanced (tab), Select Networks. Both options on this page should be “My Work Network” - OK [iv]
   • Select Network Card, Network Adapters (tab), select My network card connects to: Work.
     
     [Note: the Network Card option is not on this page in WM03SE. It's possible to edit the connection through the WLAN utility, but this particular option does not seem to be critical as long as the "Select Networks" options on the dropdown list are set to "My Work Network" as described in the previous bullet.]
     
     [Note 2: For both Internet access and syncing in WM03 and WM03SE, go into Set up my Proxy server. On the Proxy server tab, check the top box (This network connects to the Internet) but leave everything else on this page blank. On the General tab, the name should be "My Work Network." OK and then select the Advanced (tab), Select Networks and select "My Work Network" from both of the pull down lists.]
5. To stay connected after the syncing process is finished, on the Axim while not connected, tap Tools, Options,
   In PPC02:
   • Schedule (tab), uncheck “When synchronizing remotely …”
   In WM03:
   • PC (tab), Select Options..., check "Maintain connection.

If the above instructions still do not allow you to sync, make sure NetBIOS is enabled over TCP/IP on your PC. In WinXP, use the Control Panel to access your network settings , Start, Control Panel, Network Connections. Right click on your active network card, select Properties, click on Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) from the list and select properties. Select Advanced then the WINS tab and check "Enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP. With most other Windows versions, you can right click on Network Neighborhood on your desktop, select Properties and work through the TCP/IP settings asfor WinXP.

Having a firewall running on your partner PC can interfere with a wireless partnership connection. The procedures will differ for the various firewall programs but you can generally allow ActiveSync or WCESCOMM.exe unrestricted access. Alternatively, giving your PPC's IP unrestricted access will work with some firewall programs. Alternatively, you can also open certain ports on the firewall. People have had success opening tcp ports 990, 999, 5678 and 5679 and udp port 1900.

If you still have problems and you are using Pocket PC 2002, try installing a program like IP Manager or PocketHosts (use this with Pocket PC 2002, only. Some users have reported that PocketHosts does not work with Windows Mobile 2003 and, in fact, will prevent your PPC from connecting with a regular partnership.) Both of these will allow you to assign your PC's IP number to the PC's partnership name. They are both available from Handango. PocketHosts is freeware, IP Manager has a charge but also has other functions you may find useful.

Several users of Windows Mobile 2003 have reported a problem with their PCs only wanting to create guest partnerships after the initial WiFi syncing. In some cases, this appears to be related to the use of PocketHosts software. Uninstall PocketHosts from your PPC to see if these correct the problem.

Also see the information in Cannot sync wirelessly under Troubleshooting for solutions to various other problems.

[iv] I know this might sound counterinituitive, but when you connect to a home network using a WiFi card, you generally want to select "Work" for all the configuration settings. While you can customize these settings, by default the "Internet" setting is designed for a dial-up type connection (via a modem card or cell phone) while the "Work" setting is designed for connecting to networks.
The most common exception to this is when you are using a proxy server.