Troubleshooting MDA Compact IV Internet Connection Sharing

[Frank_Rizzo]

UPDATE: I have a solution for this now. I'll keep this text here as an FYI:

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Anyone got any tips for this? I can't get it working, just as I couldn't get it working for the MDA III

Objective: Use phone as modem when connected to Laptop running XP SP3 via USB cable.

Contract is Business Combi 15 with Mobile Broadband Plus

1. With default settings (as-is / out of the box)

USB cable works as I can run active sync, install apps, browse phone on laptop etc.

a. Disconnect USB cable
b. Run ICS
c. Set PC Connection to USB
d. Set Network Connection to T-Mobile Internet
e. Press Connect
f. Connect USB cable

Active Sync runs on laptop, device moans about active sync running - shut it down etc.

Unable to shut down AS.

Unable to browse internet on laptop.

2. Change USB to PC Connection to Advanced

a. Start, Settings, Connections, USB to PC
b. set Active Sync, Enable advanced network functionality.
c. Connect ICS
d. Connect USB cable.

Unable to browse internet on laptop.

3. Change USB to PC Connection to Disk Drive mode

(this I believe does not run AS at all)

a. Start, Settings, Connections, USB to PC
b. set Disk Drive mode
c. Connect ICS
d. Connect USB cable.

Unable to browse internet on laptop.

When I say unable to browse internet:

IE comes up with cannot display page (dns type error...)
Can not ping any host or IP address.

ipconfig /all

only shows the internal NIC as disconnected.

obviously the USB is the connection here so no IP info for it.

Any clues as to how to get this going?

Possible suggestions:

1. Contract does not have 'phone as modem' active.
2. Firewall issues (I turned off 3rd party firewall but Windows may still be firewalling something)
3. Can't do it with XP or XP / SP3
4. Need something like RNDIS (there was a message about found RNDIS, locating driver but it did not complete and hasn't appeared again)

 

[Frank_Rizzo]

Here's an update.

I unistalled AS and installed from the supplied CD (even though they are both v4.5).

This time I get more success. The notification tray shows a network connection icon and I can see the status of it:

Local Area Connection 6

Acquiring Network Address
Duration: I gave up after 5 minutes
Speed 10.0Mbps

Packets Sent 1 | Received 0

Properties-> Windows Mobile-based Internet Sharing Device #2

Phone is connected to laptop Status Connected
Phone is connected to internet T-Mobile Internet (HSDPA)

 

[Frank_Rizzo]

Solution was simple

I tried it on the Vista desktop and had exactly the same problem. However, Vista is a bit more helpful and has a walkthrough mode of diagnosing network problems.

One step in the diagnostic routine indicated:

"You have DHCP disable schmuk!"

That was it. I have dhcp disabled on all pcs as they have static IPs.

Never had a problem with this before when using wifi or hotel hardwired lan. Only with this phone have I had to turn on dhcp.

Note: I found a lot of pages in google with problems exactly like this (phone as modem won't work / sits at acquiring...) this was for all brands of HTC not just diamond. Nearly all had no solution. None I found mentioned that dhcp service should be enabled.

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Speed Tests

Run some speedtests and was getting the following results

~250Kbs download
~310Kbs upload

That's in HSDPA mode.