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contactkeval asked a great question on how to transfer files to and from a laptop wirelessly without using ActiveSync. As long as both the laptop and the Pocket PC have WiFi this tutorial will allow you to connect your devices together using something called Wireless Ad Hoc (peer-to-peer) Networking. It's basically a way to connect to WiFi devices together without a middleman (i.e. router). Here is a great tutorial I found from Windows Mobile (Pocket PC) Tips and Information:
Windows Mobile Wireless Ad Hoc Networking
Despite what I've written earlier about it is better to get a wireless router and using infrastructure mode, there are still situations where adhoc mode might be useful. Imagine visiting a friend who has a notebook with wireless connection. He also has internet connection, and you'd like to check your emails. But he needs to work on something with his notebook. Internet connection sharing using ad hoc mode would be useful here.
And so, I've re-written the guide for Windows Mobile 2003 and Windows XP with SP2. The old version of the guide for Pocket PC 2002 is still accessible here.
1. Desktop (or notebook) settings
I assume that the host computer is running Windows XP with Service Pack 2 and that it has a wireless adapter installed. The first step is to configure the wireless adapter. Go to Network Connections by right-clicking on the icon with a little red cross in System Tray and select Open Network Connections.
Go to the properties page of the wireless network by right-click on Wireless Network Connection and select Properties.
Go to the Wireless Network tab, then add a new network by clicking on the Add button.
Fill in the details - SSID, WEP key and check the last box to indicate this is an ad-hoc network. WEP is disabled in the example below. After the initial set-up, you should enable it.
The next step is setting up Internet Connection Sharing (ICS). Back in Network Connections page, open the properties for the Internet connection. Right-click on the appropriate connection and select Properties.
Note:
The Internet connection is normally made through a dial-up modem, or a network card which is connected to cable/ADSL modem. The example in the screenshot above uses a dial-up connection.
What is interesting here is that you can create a dial-up connection even when there is no modem present. This means that a machine that has only a single wireless adapter and no other connections can still use ICS. The reason one might want to do this is because with ICS, Windows Mobile device will be automatically assigned an IP address. Without ICS, you would have to configure the device to a fixed address. If you frequently connect to other network which has a wireless access point, then you'd have to keep switching between fixed IP address and server-assigned IP address setting - very inconvenient.
In the properties page, go to the Advanced tab and enable ICS.
To configure the firewall, click the Settings... button under Windows Firewall. In the Windows Firewall dialog box, go to the Advanced tab. Disable the firewall for the wireless connection but leave it enabled for the Internet connection.
That's all for the desktop.
2. Device settings
The nice thing about Windows Mobile is that for Internet sharing, there is not much else to do on the device. After the wireless network on desktop is indicated as connected, enable the wireless on the device. A dialog box will then ask if the detected network connects to Internet or Work. Select Internet, wait a short while for the device to pick up a valid IP address, then everything is ready.
Note:
It appears that when wireless is enabled, the device will first connects to the desktop with a private IP address in the range of 169.254.x.x. Within 30 seconds, a new IP address will be assigned in the range of 192.168.0.x. Only then is the connection correctly established.
To be able to sync with the desktop in addition to sharing the Internet connection, you will need to perform additional configuration on the device. Go to the Connections settings page by tapping Start -> Settings -> Connections -> Connections.
In the Advanced tab, tap on Select Networks button to go to the Network Management page.
Set both fields to My Work Network, then tap on Edit....
Check the option that says "This network connects to the Internet".
Go to ActiveSync options on the device. Run ActiveSync, tap on Tools -> Options.... Check the option "Sync with this PC during manual sync".
If you want to maintain the ActiveSync connection after synchronisation is complete, tap the Options... button, then select "Maintain connection" for the When syncing remotely option. Remember that it is not possible to establish partnership with the desktop using network connection. You must have already done that beforehand through cable, cradle or bluetooth connection.
Make sure that desktop ActiveSync is configured to accept network connections. Click on the ActiveSync icon in System Tray and select Connection Settings.... The third option ("Allow network...") should be checked.
That's it! To sync, just tap the green Sync button on the device.
3. File sharing
With adhoc connection established, it is possible to access files on the desktop from the device. The reverse (access files on the device from desktop) is unfortunately not possible. For that you can ActiveSync, though it's just not the usual file sharing anymore.
Set up shared folder on the desktop just as you would when doing files sharing between computers. Note that you just need the File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks service. It is not necessary to have Client for Microsoft Networks installed.
For the device, I use GSFinder+. Invoke File -> Tools -> Network Connect... to map the shared folder to the device. The first time you run this item, you'll be ask if you want to active the Network folder. This is a special folder which appears to be like a storage card. Mapped folders will appear under this special folder.
With this approach, shared files appear to be in the Network storage card and you are free to read them (and write to them, if the permission was set). So you can, for example, map a folder with audio files and play them with Windows Media Player on your device.
Well, that's the end of this guide. Until Windows Mobile 5, which is probably just a couple of months away...
And how about WM5 and Active Sync 4.1? Im using my HTC Universal and my laptop with Wifi card included wich LAN Network connection! How can i connect to the Internet without using Access point?
At this point there are no software programs out there to officially connect a Windows Mobile 5.0 device to OS X. However, not all is lost. Mark/Space has a beta program for those who have Windows Mobile 5.0 devices who want to sync with their Macs. The Missing Sync 2.5 alpha might do the trick for you. Your O2 XDA Atom is listed under their compatibility list for this alpha version as well. Check out the FAQ for version 2.5 here. Watch out! It might be a bit buggy, but let us know how it works for you!
Thanks, Tim... I'm going to try this out, since I am no longer using Wi-Fi for connecting to the Internet with my MDA, but instead use the GPRS function... hey, I paid for it...
But it sound like an interesting way for me to download files from the laptop to the MDA when I don't have a sync cable...
Welcome to Pocket PC Addict mlk! Are you trying to sync with your desktop wirelessly? Or are you trying to use your desktop as an internet connection for your HTC Wizard?
If you are trying to sync wirelessly, ActiveSync 4.x disabled this feature due to security purposes.
But if you are trying to get a wireless connection via an adhoc setup, you should be able to connect with your laptop just like you would any access point. Just make sure that you have enable the ability to connect to both Infrastructure and Ad-Hoc networks.
It is possible to use an 8125/8525 as a Router, Eg I want to have 2 laptops use the 8525's Edge or UMTS data service via 802.11b/g networking. I guess what I'm trying to ask is can the PPC be configured to act as a gateway and share it's UMTS connection via WiFi. Reason for this is a 26k Dial-up connection at the vacation home
Great tutorial! I'm having a bit of trouble attempting to setup my pc as a way to get on the internet through my ppc (iPaq - H4350 - Pocket PC 2003 Premium). I've turned on my wireless card on the pc. I've set it up as an Ad-hoc with an SSID (no wep yet). I go to share my LAN connection and it states that it wants to change my IP to 192.168.0.1 (I believe that's the ip). I have my desktops set up with fixed ip's, the router still has DHCP on (it always has worked this way - some say to turn off dhcp when you assign fixed ip's to your desktop). The outcome of this is that the pocket pc seems to connect to my desktop's wireless. It even gets an assigned ip of 169.254.x.x. NOw i didn't realize that I had to wait 30 seconds for it to get the correct ip. I did, however, attempt at accessing the internet several times within a half hour with no luck. I'll summarize all this info below.
Windows XP Service Pack 2 Router address: 192.168.1.1 (Linksys) DHCP on LAN Card intial setup: fixed ip 192.168.1.90 / gateway: 192.168.1.1 LAN Card final setup: ICS states that it will assign it an ip of 192.168.0.1 Wireless Card setup: use DHCP to automatically assign ip. have Ad-hoc setup and SSID name entered. No WEP yet. H4350 PPC 2003 Prem. setup: Connects to adhoc wireless network. the only assigned ip so far is 169.254.x.x. Is not able to connect to the internet.
I spent nearly 2 hours last night trying to get this to work. No luck yet. Has anyone run into this problem? Thank you for the help!!!
I would like to go WiFi with my HPrx5965.
My setup is the following: my broadband line goes first to my wireless Belkin modem/router.
From my modem/router a LAN cable goes to my desktop PC.
What steps should I follow to hook up my PPC WiFi?
That was a good tutorial, thanks for the information. I have a question I'd like to ask if I may and I'm not quite sure how to explain it..
Can one of the wireless computers in this picture share the internet connection with a wireless laptop, if it has 2 wireless cards using the ad hoc method? One wireless card is connecting to the router, and the 2nd wireless card is connecting to the laptop?
I think I've read that the PC sharing the internet connection must have a wired internet connection. But I don't fully understand why. I know this can be done if it's all on normal ethernet cable, but I don't know about wireless.
That was a good tutorial, thanks for the information. I have a question I'd like to ask if I may and I'm not quite sure how to explain it..
Can one of the wireless computers in this picture share the internet connection with a wireless laptop, if it has 2 wireless cards using the ad hoc method? One wireless card is connecting to the router, and the 2nd wireless card is connecting to the laptop?
I think I've read that the PC sharing the internet connection must have a wired internet connection. But I don't fully understand why. I know this can be done if it's all on normal ethernet cable, but I don't know about wireless.
Well if i we're you since both laptop and the desktop have wireless on it. I suggest connect both to the router wireless and don't use the adhoc connection and in this way you can save the other wireless card in your laptop.
Murduck
__________________ The pursuit of Happiness is a most ridiculous phrase; if you pursue Happiness you'll never find it...
Hi murduck, normally that would be common sense I think hehe. But in this case I can't do that. The wireless internet right here is not encrypted in anyway i don't think, but to use it you have to have a username and a password. I buy internet for 30 days at a time. every 30 days i put in a user/pass. (maybe it uses my mac address? because I only enter the username/pass one time. not everytime i logon.) That's why I need more specific information on my previous question.
Hi murduck, normally that would be common sense I think hehe. But in this case I can't do that. The wireless internet right here is not encrypted in anyway i don't think, but to use it you have to have a username and a password. I buy internet for 30 days at a time. every 30 days i put in a user/pass. (maybe it uses my mac address? because I only enter the username/pass one time. not everytime i logon.) That's why I need more specific information on my previous question.
I see. well if thats the case all you have to do is share your internet connection on the laptop with 2 sets of wireless adapter, but before you do that try to pair your desktop wiith your laptop via adhoc connection first.
This might get more complicated than i thought...
murduck
__________________ The pursuit of Happiness is a most ridiculous phrase; if you pursue Happiness you'll never find it...
I too am curious if you could I could reverse this and use my 3g network from my ppc as a modem for my laptop. Internet on my phone is alright, but I am leaving for vacation friday morning and this could be most useful for the time I am away.
I'm having a problem with this using my laptop (XP SP2) and my PPC (WM5) - I get connected to the wireless network, but the PPC does not see an internet connection.
Is there some other option that I need to enable?
I've tried adding the network as an access point (failed), and I waited and wait, but did not get a valid IP address (I get 169.254.218.xx).
I actully stumbled on your site while searching guides on ad-hoc wireless networks and liked your site and so became a member. But my problem still persists
I have two Dell laptops: Dell XPS 1330 running on Vista Home Premium and another Dell Latitude D590 running on Xp Service Pack 2. And I have a HTC Tytn-II running on Windows 6.0.
I have created an ad-hoc wireless connection and the laptops happily talk to each other and share the internet (an ethernet DSL internet connected to the laptop running on Vista).
The mobile (Tytn-II) connects to the ad-hoc connection but does not get a proper IP (192.168.0.x) nor can I share files or internet on this.
This sucks. The way I understand is that your laptop first connects to it's own network, sort of. But mine doesn't. I guess it has nothing to do with the fact that I have also have a 2.4ghz-speaker system in the room, because you do not really need EM-radiation to connect to yourself.
All my firewalls are shut down, and it still doesn't work.
So what am I doing wrong?
Check out the FAQ for version 2.5 
over this. ICS and Connevt Over Eithernet in AS have been taken out off WM5.
