Getting a Connection

You need GSMDemo on your handheld. It is part of the Symbol demonstration software and should be preloaded. If it isn't, then complain to your supplier and get them to put it there. Use the GSMDemo Settings and Options feature off the bottom bar to alter the Band to 1900 MHz. Check the signal strength (black bars should show), and make sure the GPRS logo appears. On the newer releases of firmware you will need to set the APN (APN is a thing that looks like a domain name), user name and password here in GSMDemo, rather than later when setting up the connection (see below). When doing so, the technique is to hold the stylus on the area to change until you get a menu allowing you to choose an 'Edit' option. Exit from GSMDemo using the bottom bar Exit function. Do not just leave it running, or exit by clicking the 'X', since doing so will drain the battery relatively quickly by keeping the connection continuously active.

You next must set up the GPRS connection. To do this, tap Start to drop down a menu and select Settings then Connections off the bottom of the screen. From the displayed folders pick Connections and for the top entry (Internet) select Modify. Give your connection a name ("My Connection" is a bit lame), and pick the GPRS modem on COM9. Baud rate should be 57600, and you can skip the "Advanced" and go on to Next. Set the dialing string to *99# and go to Next and then Finish.

Now we are ready to try connecting. When you first tap the Connect botton for the Internet connection, you will be asked for a user name and password. If you are using the Rogers GPRS service with a Rogers SIM card then set the user name to wapuser1, the password to wap, and the domain to internet.com. For Fido (Microcell) set the user name and password both to fido, and the domain to internet.fido.ca. Make sure the bod for remembering the password is checked, and then proceed with the connection.

If your connection is successful then the box should change from "Connecting" to "Connected" and a doubled horizontal arrow symbol should appear and remain on the top line.

Using the Connection

A quick test can be done using Internet Explorer to access a simple web site. Otherwise go straight to Wavelink Telnet CE from the Start button. With the PDT8137 we are basically required to use the Symbol Wavelink program as a telnet client. Other telnet clients will work too, but they will not print reliably with the O'Neil printer: lines get lost and the printer or telnet client get stuck. Wavelink needs two configuration changes.

First of all, a connection needs to be set up. The host name for the connection should be ibisolutions.mine.nu. The terminal emulation should be set to VT100.

The second, slightly less necessary thing to do, is to set up a login script. You can see how to do this from the Wavelink manual on pages 44-48 (52-56 in the PDF). Set up the name prompt as login: and the response as the user name you were given for our sytem (eg. ibisdemo). Set up the password prompt as Password: and the response as the value you were given as a password to use with the user name (eg. passwd). Set up the command prompt as your rep code (123 works with the demo, and the response as the password for that rep code (pass for 123).

Now when you establish a connection using Wavelink to the host profile which you set up, the user name, password and rep code will be automatically supplied for you. Owing to the lamentable weakness of Wavelink scripting it is not possible to get the login process to simulate an Enter key so you must do the Enter yourself. Be very careful to allow a few seconds for the password to be invisibly displayed after its prompt, before you tap Enter.

You might also find it desirable to change the Wavelink fonts using the menu on the bottom bar.