Paul
Fri Feb 16 10:07:49 CST 2007
If WiFi is fine then you can do almost anything, yes.
Paul T.
"Andy Baker" <abaker@NOSPAMvanputer.com> wrote in message
news:45d58230$0$8725$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader02.plus.net...
>I should have mentioned that I am in the UK - here I think all pricing is
>by the MB at the moment. The CE device has an 802.11b WiFi unit built in
>that I will use to communicate with the router, and the device will only
>need to communicate once the salesperson finishes the day's work, so could
>plug into a phone connection at home or at a remote office - probably most
>of them have broadband connections at home anyway. I will look into it some
>more. Thanks for your help.
>
> Andy Baker
>
> "Paul G. Tobey [eMVP]" <p space tobey no spam AT no instrument no spam DOT
> com> wrote in message news:u4f%23u1RUHHA.528@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> Cingular/AT&T has an unlimited data plan for $20/month over and above
>> regular voice service. That's what I have on my WM5 phone.
>>
>> How would you communicate with your router? You have to get on *some*
>> network. The cellular networks are by far the most-widespread. If the
>> device might be anywhere, that's basically the only way to go.
>>
>> Once you are on the Internet, that router should be OK, but, again, you
>> have to get on some network somewhere...
>>
>> Paul T.
>>
>> "Andy Baker" <abaker@NOSPAMvanputer.com> wrote in message
>> news:45d4271d$0$8740$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader02.plus.net...
>>> Thanks Paul. I did mean GPRS - the device has an optional GPRS module. I
>>> will look into the possibilities as you suggest. The customer will
>>> probably want the cheapest solution - which from what I have found so
>>> far, doesn't sound like GPRS - the additional cost of the hardware and
>>> paying for data transmission by the MB. Can I set up a VPN connection
>>> straight from the CE device with a router/ASDL modem and my .NET
>>> application, or do I need additional hardware? The router that I have
>>> been looking at is the Linksys WRVS4400N, which says it has VPN
>>> capabilities. Thanks for your help.
>>>
>>> Andy Baker
>>>
>>> "Paul G. Tobey [eMVP]" <p space tobey no spam AT no instrument no spam
>>> DOT com> wrote in message news:OUKPtjFUHHA.1364@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>>>> No, not quite the right terminology. GPS is the set of satellites
>>>> which tell you where you are located on Earth, not a communications
>>>> method. Internet is also not a connection method.
>>>>
>>>> I think you mean GPRS, which is a data connection protocol which things
>>>> like GSM phones (Cingular/T-Mobile/most, if not all of Europe),
>>>> provide. If the device has a *GPRS* module, then you'll need cellular
>>>> service from a company which provides GSM/GPRS connections and you'll
>>>> need some way for connections from the Internet, which is effectively
>>>> where the GPRS connection will 'take' the device, into your corporate
>>>> network. Once you have that, whether it's a VPN or just an open port of
>>>> some sort (HTTP, FTP, whatever), you can send and receive data between
>>>> your corporate network and the device anywhere it can get a connection.
>>>> If the device does not have GPRS capability, you'll have to figure
>>>> something else out; GPS won't help.
>>>>
>>>> If you want a recommendation, the best security will be with a VPN
>>>> connection, which prevents anyone from listening in on your
>>>> 'conversations' between the device and the server and which prevents
>>>> anyone from impersonating the valid client and getting access to your
>>>> network. Your router may offer VPN connections or you can use any
>>>> number of different servers to construct one. You'll have to see what
>>>> you have, what capabilities it provides, and read up, if it's not
>>>> enough, on what you need to add.
>>>>
>>>> Paul T.
>>>>
>>>> "Andy Baker" <abaker@NOSPAMvanputer.com> wrote in message
>>>> news:45d338e8$0$8727$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader02.plus.net...
>>>>> We have a VB.NET application that runs on a CE.NET 5 device, and at
>>>>> present users return to the office to upload and download data by
>>>>> logging into the main SQL server. We will shortly need to accommodate
>>>>> users accessing the server remotely (from outside WiFi range) . What
>>>>> possibilities are there for this? I have looked at literature, and as
>>>>> far as I can see, I have 2 possibilities - GPS and internet. Our
>>>>> handheld device has an optional GPS module, but is it possible to
>>>>> connect the CE.NET device directly to the office network using a
>>>>> combination of the existing 802.11b module in the device, a wireless
>>>>> broadband router and VPN, or use an ftp site to transfer data. I can
>>>>> see these options being easier to implement and cheaper (which is the
>>>>> most important) than GPS. What hardware/software would I need for any
>>>>> of these options? I am completely new to this area, so any help would
>>>>> be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
>>>>>
>>>>> Andy Baker
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
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