Using the IPAQ hw6900 as a USB Modem
Most of the time when I am away from my home network I have easy access to free WIFI. But I don't like being chained to locations that provide free WIFI. I subscribe to an unlimited data plan through AT&T and decided to explore using the hw6925 as a modem for my new UMPC.
The hw6900 includes a Modem Link application in the Programs screen. When you open up this application, you can choose to use a USB or IrCOMM connection to link the hw6900 to the computer. Choosing the USB option disables your ActiveSync connection, so after you've used your hw6900 as a USB modem, be sure to remember to deactivate this connection before you attempt to sync.
Before you can use your hw6900 as a USB modem, you'll need to install a driver to your computer. You should be able to find the driver for the hw6900 in the \Driver folder on the Getting Started CD that came with the pocket pc (it is called 6900USB.INF), but I have also attached a zip file of 6900USB.INF here. To use your hw6900 as a modem, you need to setup the Modem Link connection, install the driver to your computer and create a modem connection on your computer.
Setup the the Modem Link connection:
- On the Pocket PC, tap Start > Programs > Modem Link icon (see 1st screenshot above)
- In the Connection: drop-down box, select USB and tap "Activate" found at the bottom left of the screen (see 2nd screenshot above)
- The Modem Link connection disables your ActiveSync connection, so be sure to turn off the Modem Link connection when you are done using it or else you will not be able to sync your Pocket PC.
Install the driver to your computer
After you've activated the Modem Link software on your Pocket PC, attach the Pocket PC to the computer via a USB cable. The FOUND NEW HARDWARE wizard will appear on your computer's screen
When prompted if "windows can connect to Windows Update to search for software", select "No, not this time," then select Next.
In the next screen you will be prompted how you wish to proceed. Select "Install from a list or specific location (Advanced)" and select "Next" to continue.
When prompted to choose your search and installation options, select "Search for the best driver in these locations," then place a checkmark in both boxes. Select the "Browse" button and navigate to the specific location on your computer where the 6900UBS.INF file is (I copied the file from the "Getting Started CD" to an SD card). Tap the "Next" button
The Hardware Installation box will indicate that the software you are installing has not passed Windows Logo testing, select the "Continue Anyway" button.
A system restore point will be established and the driver will be installed to your computer. When the driver has been installed, you will see a "Found New Hardware Wizard" box that indicates the software has been installed and is ready to use. Click the "Finish" button to close the wizard.
Create a Modem Connection on the Computer
After you've installed the modem driver to your computer, you can create a modem connection on the computer and save it to your desktop as a shortcut.
- Activate Modem Link on the Pocket PC and attach the Pocket PC to your computer with the USB cable (this will ensure that the correct modem is attached to the connection settings)
- On the computer, select Start > Settings > Network Connections > New Connection Wizard
- Select Connect to the Internet > Set up my connection manually > Next > Connect using a dial-up modem > Next
- Input description in the ISP Name box (I entered hw6900 USB Modem ) > Next
- Input *99# in the Phone Number box
- Input the appropriate user name for your wireless provider in the User Name box. (Since AT&T is my wireless provider, I input WAP@CINGULARGPRS.COM here)
- Input the appropriate password for your wireless provider in the Password and Confirm password boxes (Since AT&T is my wireless provider, I input CINGULAR1 here)
- Change the checkmarks next to "Use this account and password when anyone connects to the Internet from this computer" and "Make this the default Internet connection" as appropriate. Select "Next"
- Place a checkmark in the box next to "Add a shortcut to this connection to my desktop" if you wish, then select "Finish"
Using the Modem Connection
You can probably still use the hw6900 as a USB modem for your computer if you don't subscribe to a data plan with your wireless provider, but it will probably be very expensive. If you plan to use the USB modem connection very often, you really should consider subscribing to a data plan. Once you've installed the 6900USB driver and created a modem connection shortcut, all you need to do to use the modem connection is:
- Activate the Modem Link software on the Pocket PC
- tap Start > Programs > Modem Link
- tap the down arrow to the right of the Connection box and select USB
- tap Activate on the lower left edge of the screen);
- Attach your Pocket PC to your computer with the USB cable;
- Select the Modem Connection shortcut on your desktop and select the Dial button.
- Once the computer is connected, you'll see a message on your computer that everything is connected and you can start surfing the internet.
If your computer has a problem connecting to your hw6900, review the Modem Properties to make sure the HP IPAQ hw6900 Modem is selected (select Properties button > General tab).
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great wrk boss...u r only one provided me the driver........thnks a lot for your efforts ...wish u all the best
PERFECT! Thanks!!!!
Thanks for the help, I was looking for USB modem driver.
Regards,
Arvind Maurya
I have attempted to complete the process as outlined. However, every time I reach Register Name on Network, I receive an error message that the PPP Link Protocol was Terminated. Have I done something incorrectly or do I need to something more.
Try this and let me know if it resolves the issue for you:
On your computer, select start > settings > Network Connections > hw6900 USB Modem
Select the Properties button > Networking tab > Settings button > remove the checkmark next to "Negotiate multi-link for single link connections"
Click OK > OK to save the setting.
Thank you for the prompt reply and suggestion. I did not have the check to negotiate so I added the check. The results were the same.
Any other suggestions would be appreciated.
John
Go back and remove the checkmark you put there. Then try this:
On your computer, select Start > Settings > Network Connections > hw6900 USB Modem
Select the Properties button > Security tab > under security options, tap the down arrow to the right of the selection box under "Typical" and select "Allow unsecured password"
Click OK
In summary, you should clear the "Negotiate multi-link for single link connections" check box and you should "allow for unsecured password."
Then test to see if that resolves your issue
Thank you for the additional try. I tried this with no success. I also tried to achieve connection by unchecking under networking the enable lhc. When I do this the modem is not recognized until I recheck the box. I have also attempted to lower the baud rate. All with no luck.
Any other suggestions are welcomed.
John
In order to finally succeed I researched using other smartphones/pda's. The solution was to change the user name from wap@CINGULARGPRS.COM to isp@CINGULARGPRS.COM. The password stays the same.
Hi
In some cases you need to add extra initialization seeting for your modem. in XP
Go to contol panel->Phone and modem options->Modems->hw6900 modem properties->Advanced.
in the extra initialization box type as formatted below.
AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","GPRS.APN.COM"
you need to find the name of GPRS APN from your service provider and replace text "GPRS.APN.COM" with correct APN name.
Hope this helps.
I attempted this setup (with ease) for a user and it connected right away at about 235kb. However, IE can't seem to find any web pages and the mail client can't talk to our mail server. I've done the modem connect with my HTC8525 and had to do nothing special to browse the internet. Did I miss something simple? Just for kicks I did an ipconfig /registerdns while it was connected but no joy.
I appreciate the help and the post. I'd not have gotten this far without it.
I have not had to do anything special (other than what I wrote in this article) to use my hw6925 as a USB modem for a couple of different computers.
I don't know if this will help, but you might check the pocket pc's connection settings to choose the "My Work" option instead of the "internet" option...that's the only thing that comes to mind, but I'll mull it over some more and if I can think of any other things to try, I'll post them here.
Julie, Will this work with Windows Vista? I've heard many rumors that it's not compatible.
Also, do I use the standard sync cable? I assume so, as activesync is disabled.
Thanks! - Jay
I don't think the driver works with Vista. I think I saw a posting on a Pocket PC forum that discussed this issue. I'll look around and see if I can find it again. If I find it, I'll post a link in another comment to this thread.
There are two files attached to a thread on HP's forum. One is an Vista 64 bit driver and the other is an 32 bit driver. I don't use Vista so I can't confirm that the drivers work on the hw6900. If you use them please post back your experience.
Hi, could you send me the file 6900UBS.INF. I cant seem to find it.
Thanks.
I've posted a link to a zip file that includes the driver in the article.
Hello Prof Julie.
I tried out the files from the website you listed above. still am not able to use my iPAQ as modem with Vista 32bit.
Thanks for sharing your find with me. Finally, HP has posted a driver that works with Vista!
Fantastic! I tried to find this driver for two days. HP support was no help. Thank you for posting this! Great work.
Works perfect. Thank you!
I am using VISTA 64 bit on my PC and connecting it thru USB cradle with my HP iPAQ 6965. Every time i get the "New Hardware" prompt & take it to the location where i have downloaded the sp 36828 file, it does not recognise it as the driver for that device. as a result i am unable to install the iPAQ as a modem. Pls help
I'm afraid that driver is designed to work with 32 bit machines. I don't know of a driver that will work with a 64 bit machine.
I have successfully downloaded the modem driver supplied by you and installed it on my laptop running Windows XP Home Edition SP 3. The modem works well! Thank You very much. Best Wishes for 2009.
I'm glad you got the modem working properly. Thanks for letting me know.
Prof Julie,
do you have anything like this but to use on a linux pc?
thanks
Unfortunately, I don't have a driver you could use on a linux computer. Have you tried using a Bluetooth connection?
Am not able to download the modem drivers for vista 32-bit from the HP site. I tried and 'Explorer cannot display page' pops up. Please help, I need this driver. Thanks
I've uploaded the 32-bit driver for Vista to Rapidshare (at least that's the one the user on the HP forum said worked for them).
I downloaded the file 6900usb.inf and when i click to install it it asks me if i want to run the program i hit yes and it doesnt do anything the screen disappers and nothing happens. also there is no option to choose my phone as the modem to connect to through the network. am i doing something wrong ?can you help?
hank reeves
I'm not sure I understand your issue. Did you download the 6900usb.inf file that I provided (on rapidshare?)
Thanks, bought a new netbook and almost crack my head looking for the CD, so thanks a lot for the driver, its workin great!
Thanks for the information provided. It was a great help to configure my hw6915 as a modem to be used by vista 32 bit PC. I also requested the ISP configuration information to my ISP provider. After a while connecting and verifying "user and keyword" (in my own translation from my Spanish configured iPaq) it always failed (error 737 about a loop or other errors).
I was surprised that iPaq>Programs>Use-as-modem was specifying "Name of access point" as "movistar.es" (as it is in one of the iPaq configured connections to GPRS). Then I reviewed the information in your web page and realized "Name of access point" should be . But the modem application on the iPaq only offers "movistar.es" value to choose -no other option-. It is running windows Mobile 5.0 SO 5.1.195. Any idea? thank you very much in advance. JC
I think you may need to go into Connection Settings (tap Start > Settings > Connections tab > Connections icon) and set up the modem connection (Add new modem connection) before you can select it when using the device as a USB modem for your computer. Then, after you've set up the modem connection there, it should show up on the Modem Link screen.
Try that out and let me know how it goes.
I have just bought HP iPAQ 900 series and i would like to share my internet with my laptop. Such that my Smart phone acts like a modem. The phone runs on WM 6 and already have active sync install on my laptop. Let me know if there is drivers that i need to download.
thanks,
Allan.
You can do use the HP IPAQ 900 as a modem for your computer by turning on internet sharing. See this article entitled, "Tethering a laptop to a WM6.1 Device."
Obviously, if a computer is not bluetooth enabled, there is no way to sync via bluetooth connection. In my earlier article about bluetooth syncing, I mentioned that I use a USB bluetooth dongle to sync my windows mobile device to my laptop.