Use Bluetooth to sync your Pocket PC
Syncing your Pocket PC to your computer through a Bluetooth connection is convenient and easy. To do it, you’ll need a computer that is Bluetooth enabled - you can use a Bluetooth USB dongle if your computer does not have Bluetooth installed in it. For this article, I used a Kensington USB dongle, my h1945, my hx2415, my hw6925 Pocket PCs and ActiveSync 4.2.
The first thing you'll do is check some settings on your computer, then you'll change an ActiveSync connection parameter, and setup your Pocket PC. If you have not already created a Bluetooth pairing or an Active partnership between your computer and Pocket PC, you will do this when you set up the Bluetooth connection shortcut on the handheld.
Prepare your Computer
Bluetooth syncing uses the
Open up “My Bluetooth Places” by either selecting an icon on your desktop or by right clicking on the Bluetooth icon in the system tray of your computer (found on the lower right-hand side of your computer screen). Select “Explore My Bluetooth Places.”
Select “My Device” to view the services provided by your Bluetooth hardware. Look for “My Bluetooth Serial Port.” Right click on the Bluetooth Serial Port icon and select Properties. On the General tab, take
While this screen is displayed, you can also enable ActiveSync’s internet pass through option by selecting the down arrow next to “This Computer is connected to:” and select Automatic. Enabling this option allows you to use the computer's internet connection to surf the internet from the Pocket PC whenever you have a live ActiveSync connection.
Create a Shortcut, a Pairing, and a Partnership
On your Pocket PC, turn on Bluetooth and select “Bluetooth Connections.” To add a new connection, tap New > ActiveSync via Bluetooth. Then tap Next two or three times (depending on whether your handheld is running the Windows Mobile 2003 or WM5.0 operating system. In the Device box, select “Tap here to choose a device.”
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The Bluetooth wizard will search for your computer and return an icon with the name of your computer to the “ActiveSync via Bluetooth” window. |
Tap the icon and your Pocket PC will create a shortcut for the connection. Tap Finish. |
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Bluetooth Pairing
If you have never established any kind of Bluetooth connection between your Pocket PC and computer, you will be required to pair your computer and Pocket PC now. Your computer will display a Bluetooth PIN Code Required message:
After you click this message, your computer will display a Bluetooth Pin Code Request box. Input any 4 digit numeric code into the Bluetooth PIN Code box and select the OK button
On the Pocket PC you will see a Bluetooth Authentication screen. Input the same 4 digit numeric code into the Passkey box and tap the OK button. As soon as you enter the Passkey in the box, you will see that the computer and handheld are paired. The ActiveSync Bluetooth shortcut will turn green and ActiveSync will come alive.
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A Live ActiveSync Connection
When the computer and handheld are connected for the first time, the computer will display a Bluetooth Authorization Requested message:
When you click on this message, the computer will display a Bluetooth Service Authorization box:
Place a checkmark in the box next to “Always allow this device to access this service", tap the Ok button. If this is the first time you have ever synced your handheld, a partnership wizard will appear and prompt you through the steps to create an ActiveSync partnership. If you’ve already established an ActiveSync partnership, ActiveSync will begin synching.
Now what?
In addition to syncing your Pocket PC, you can also browse the files on your handheld from your computer and surf the internet just as if you were connected through a wired connection. The only thing you can not do with a Bluetooth Activesync connection is sync music to your handheld through Windows Media Player, which always requires a wired connection.
Now, whenever you wish to sync, all you need to do is turn on Bluetooth, select Bluetooth Connections and tap the ActiveSync icon on the My Shortcuts screen.
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Same inability to establish a partnership as with USB method. ActiveSync shuts down durint the "retreiving settings" step. Trying again prompts a PocketPC message that I need to be using ActiveSync 4.1 or higher (I'm using 4.2). A restart and the same things repeat! Very frustrating! Perfectly clear instructions though, thanks.
John
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I'm sorry you haven't been able to establish an ActiveSync partnership. Have you ever been able to sync your Pocket PC? What model do you have? Since your Pocket PC attempts to connect, it could be that your antivirus and/or firewall software? Have you tried disabling these applications to see what happens?
julie
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Hi Julie.
First, congrats on a great blog. It’s a great resource.
I have two iPAQs, a 4150 and now a 6955. I never had a problem syncing the 4100 series and still don't even after the "upgrade" to AS 4.2. My wife uses this device now. My 6900 series will not sync at home but syncs at the office without issue. Same firewall settings, and, as mentioned, the 4100 syncs fine with the firewall settings at home. We've resorted to "syncing" appointments by sending Outlook "invites" for the time being.
I read everywhere about people trying a full reset to solve similar issues but hate the thought of needing to "rebuild" the 6900 if this doesn't (or even does) work.
Any other thoughts?
John
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John,
Thanks for your nice comments about the blog. I hope to grow it into a really great and organized resource that people can use to find information and learn about these amazing devices.
WM5.0 Pocket PCs are much more sensitive to firewall and antivirus software than earlier model Pocket PCs, so this difference in sensitivity is probably the reason your 4150 syncs to your home computer and your 6955 does not. WM5.0 Pocket PCs use an entirely different protocol for syncing - RNDIS. Most of the time, if a WM5.0 device does not sync via wired connection (due to the RNDIS syncing), it is able to sync wirelessly, either through Infrared or Bluetooth. Since your Pocket PC is not able to sync to your home computer through wired or Bluetooth connection, you may very well need to perform a clean reset.....but first you might try a few things:
Disable your firewall and antivirus software on the home computer and see if that makes any difference at all. Many times when the Pocket PC appears to be connecting to the computer and then terminates, this indicates an issue with the firewall, so to rule out the firewall, you really need to try syncing with no firewall running.
On the hw6900 series Pocket PCs there is an ActiveSync Mode switch that allows you to change the default method of syncing (RNDIS) to USB (the method for earlier models). You can get to this option by tapping Start > Settings > Connections > ActiveSync Mode. Change the mode from RNDIS to USB Serial Sync mode and then see if you are able to sync.
If these things do not resolve your issue, you may need to perform a clean reset. I understand your reluctance, so here's what I suggest:
Purchase and install backup software for your Pocket PC. After you've installed the software to your handheld, perform a full backup.
Then perform a clean reset. Immediately after the clean reset, attempt to sync your Pocket PC with your home computer. If it syncs, then you know there was a problem on the Pocket PC and you can proceed to "rebuild" the 6900. If it does not sync, you can restore from your backup file and will not have wasted much time.
Good luck!
Julie
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Julie,
I've done quite a bit of searching, trying to resolve this issue and have never, never seen a reference to RNDIS/USB mode before. When I checked my iPAQ, I noticed that it was already set to USB mode.
I'm at work, where there is no sync issue, but I changed to RNDIS mode and attempted to sync. My iPAQ was then recognized as a "new device" by Windows XP Pro but still synced without issue. I'll try the RNDIS setting at home and see if this fixes things.
Again, thanks.
John
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Hi again.
Well, no luck syncing with the home PC after disabling firewalls and/or AV software, through bluetooth or otherwise. I was able to easily connect via bluetooth to the home laptop though. Therefore, since the only device I can access that I can't sync to is the home PC, I'm suspecting it’s a PC issue that won't be resolved with a hard reset of the iPAQ.
In the end, my workaround solution to syncing data with my wife's iPAQ and the home PC was to set up a second partnership for my iPAQ and hers on the laptop. Her other partnership is on the home PC. Eventually all the data is synced everywhere. Ughhh, I mean, weeeeee!
Your instructions helped me create the two bluetooth AS partnerships I needed for the two iPAQs, so thanks for that.
John
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I'm sorry to hear you were not able to resolve your PC issue, but glad to help you out in some small way. It is a mystery to me why you are having such a time with the home computer. So the question is, what is DIFFERENT about that computer? Is it running a different OS? Different software? I think I would drive myself nuts trying to figure it out!
Best regards,
Julie
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Update. Interestingly, the new AS4.5 Beta 2 program still bugs out (as before with AS4.2, during the "retrieving settings” stage) but then leaves a Guest connection (so I can at least Explore the device). I guess this is progress.
John
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I think there's something on your computer that's causing the difficulty. I have not fiddled around with AS4.5 yet, but will probably give it a go on my desktop computer to see what the differences are.
julie
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Hi, It seems you are very will verse on Pocket PC. May I ask your help of my problem? May I know what is the latest version of Rom update, my unit is HP6515e. Also why my navigation key the up and down movement won't work on sms application but doing fine on other like word and note and in everything except on txt messaging application.
Please help.
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If your Pocket PC's native language is English, it seems the most recent ROM is 1.21. You can download it here:
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=215348&prodSeriesId=501209&swItem=ip-46257-1&prodNameId=501212&swEnvOID=2050&swLang=8&taskId=135&mode=4&idx=0
I don't know why your navigation key doesn't work. You might try posting on this forum, which is populated by many users that have your model pocket pc:
http://mobilitytoday.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=83
or HP's Pocket PC forum:
http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/bizsupport/categoryhome.do?categoryId=273&lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=215348&prodSeriesId=421399
best of luck to you,
julie
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Prof Julie help!! Have been right through the article and have got the system set up so that it runs on COM4. I had to go into Bluetooth Advanced Config on my laptop and then Local Servcies and added a Serial Port as Com4 (is this right or should this be through the Client Applications option?). I have set the same up on Activesync (4.5 just downloaded and installed and worked fine over US
I am running WM5 v2.01 on a HP iPAQ HX4700 and laptop is XP Professional with Active Sync 4.5 Final.
Appreciate any help you can offer as this will allow me to actively get back to using my iPAQ rather than 'manging' with a blackberry at work.
Regs
MarkAR
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The com port that is used by your computer for bluetooth might be different than the com port on my computer. When I went through the process documented here, COM4 was automatically assigned. Other than the setting in ActiveSync, I did not set anything up to use COM4, so that might be your problem. I would suggest you remove everything you set up - uninstall the Bluetooth driver you installed and start over again. This time, letting the setup select the proper com port on your computer.
Let me know how you get on!
Julie
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Thankyou very much, I sat here for weeks on and off trying to get my palm top to connect to the internet using my PC as the server. I tried many sites and failed time after time, I found this information and followed it step by step... and to my amazement... my palm top now has the internet via my blue tooth device... greeeeeat!
Thankyou so much.
Wayne.
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Julie,
I recently bought HTC P3400i for a specific purpose of connecting it to a device with serial port. I tried connecting it using USB to Serial cable but came to know that HTC P3400i does not function as USB host and hence I cannot connect it using that cable.
Hence, I thought to use Bluetooth to Serial dongle. I will connect this dongle to my serial device and establish connection through HTC P3400i.
However, Bluetooth is not getting enabled on HTC P3400i. Can you please let me on what I need to do?
Alternately, is there any other method by which I can connect HTC P3400i with a serial port device?
This serial port device is a highly specialized device. I am able to use it with my laptop using USB to serial cable. It communicates further using RF.
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It sounds like you are attempting something that is quite unique. I don't know what you are trying to do and can't really help you work through your issue. Seems like you'd need some kind of Bluetooth profile to accommodate this type of use and I doubt any such profile exists.
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