Establishing a PPP Connection Between a Palm OS 3.x (and higher) Device and a Windows NT Box

1) Configuring Windows NT RAS to connect with a Palm Device

This document first explains how you set up the remote access service (RAS) on a Windows NT machine, and then how to set up the SYSTEM | PREFS on a Palm OS device so as to establish a PPP connection. With RAS enabled and the Palm's Network Preferences dialer properly configured, you can establish a PPP connection between a Palm OS device and the NT box via the cradle or hotsync cable and PING the Palm from anywhere on your network. This is a precursor to sending / receiving UDPs or using a WAP browser to access the web.

The following description works for both NT Server 4.0 and NT Workstation 4.0.
 

Installing and Configuring Remote Access Service

Follow these steps to install RAS on a Windows NT machine. If you already have RAS installed, skip this part and go straight to the CONFIGURE section below.

1. Go to: Start | Settings | Control Panel | Network and select the Services tab.
2. Click Add...
3. Choose Remote Access Service (Figure 1)
4. If your NT install is not current to at least NT Service Pack 3, first be ashamed of yourself, and then apply it at this point.

CONFIGURE

Once RAS is installed on your machine, configure a few settings:

1. Go to: Start | Settings | Control Panel | Network and select the Services tab.
2. Choose Remote Access Service and click on Properties...
3. Click Add... in the Remote Access Setup screen and select Dial-Up Networking Cable between 2 PCs (Figure 2).
   Figure 2: Configuring RAS

4. Choose an available COM port. The COM port your HotSync cradle / cable is plugged into will work. You will of course have to shut down the HotSync Manager before starting up the RAS service, otherwise the COM port will be busy. COnversely, when using the HotSync Manager, shutdown the RAS service. Windows does not let you start two services that claim the same COM port.
5. From the Remote Access Setup dialog box, select Network... (Figure 3)
   Figure 3: RAS Network Settings
   • Make sure that only TCP/IP is selected in the Server Settings
   • Click the Configure button next to TCP/IP
   • Under Encryption settings select Allow any authentication including clear text. Encrypted password/username is always an issue with Windows, which you know if you've ever tried to establish a SAMBA share between LINUX and Windows.
6. Click Continue to complete the RAS setup.
7. Enable IP Forwarding.
   1. Go to: Start | Settings | Control Panel | Network and select the Protocols tab.
   2. Select TCP/IP Protocol.
   3. Choose Properties...
   4. Select the Routing tab.
   5. Check the Enable IP Forwarding checkbox
8. Start the RAS service. As stated above, if your HotSync manager is running on the same COM port, you need to shutdown the HotSync manager first.
   1. Go to: Start | Programs | Administrative Tools (Common) | Remote Access Admin
   2. Start the server: Server | Start Remote Access Service...

Finally you have to create a user account which is enabled for RAS access:

1. Go to: Start | Programs | Administrative Tools (Common) | User Manager
2. Create a new user: User | New User...
   • Make sure you remember the user name and password.
   • Click on the DialIn button and grant DialIn permissions to the user.
3. Close User Manager
4. Log on the the newly created user account to complete the user account setup.

Configuring the Serial Ports - Match the (NT) Server Port Speed with the Palm Port Speed

You now must match serial port speeds on the Palm side and the NT Server side. 19,200 works well in this situation. On the Palm, do the following:

1. Preferences | Connection | Direct Serial

2. Edit

3. Details

4. Speed = 19,200 bps

Now on the NT box, do the following:

1. START - SETTINGS - CONTROL PANEL

2. PORTS

3. Select COM1 - Settings

4. Set baud rate to 19,200,8,N,1

Configuring Palm Network Access

1. Go to: Preferences | Network
2. Set the user and password to the account you created on your NT machine.
3. Set the connection to Direct Serial..
4. Tap on Details.
5. Set the Connection Type to PPP.
6. Idle Timeout - Power Off.
7. Query DNS should be CHECKED
8. IP Address should be AUTOMATIC (DHCP), unless you have to use a specific address, in which case un-check AUTOMATIC and fill an IP address.
9. Tap on Script...
10. Enter the following script:
            Send CR:
            Delay: 6
            Send: CLIENT
            Wait For: CLIENTSERVER
            End:
11. Tap on OK to close the Login Script dialog.
12. Tap on OK to close the Details dialog.
13. Physically connect the PalmPilot to the COM port of your NT machine (either by using a cable or by putting it into the cradle).
14. Tap on Connect.

You can watch the progress of the connection by pressing the scroll down hardware button while the Service Connection Progress dialog is active.