can the sj-20 conect to the internet via cradle?

[beldar_2002]

can the sj-20 conect to the internet via cradle?

[dib]

I want to konw this question,too!

[hydra]

I'm sorry to report that this is not currently available for the SJ-20 connected via usb. (Although a new program is in beta that could allow this for Palm Computing devices and the Sony NX series Clies, read on). Traditionally, in order to share an internet connection between two pcs, a network needs to be established with internet connection sharing. A handheld and a pc can in fact be networked like two computers with a "direct cable" connection but it is currently available only through parallel, serial, or IR ports, not usb.

I say this with reservation, because it is only a matter of time before this is also possible to do via usb. For example, for sometime there has been a special networking usb cable (http://www.buslink.com/usbusb.htm) that allows a "direct cable" network connection between two computers. This cable could be adapted for palm os devices and would allow for internet connection sharing.

Also, as mentioned previously, a company calledSoftick (http://www.synclive.com/ppp/) has developed a program that allows a palm os device to make a PPP connection to a computer through USB. Although this is slightly different than a direct cable connection, it allows almost identical functionality (among other things, internet connection sharing).

This program would be exactly what you are looking for, but it is currently only supported for Palm Computing devices and the NX series Clies.

I have an SJ-22 and decided that I would go ahead and try this program anyway to see if I could work around the bugs associated with my model. I'm sorry to report that after several hard resets (with both my handheld and computer) and numerous BSOD's/Physical Memory Dumps I decided to wait for a supported version.

The good news is that networking and internet connection sharing IS available through serial and IR ports, so you could purchase a serial cable compatible with the SJ-20 and establish a connection that way. In addition, it is only a matter of time before the Softick program supports other devices, and who knows, a specialized networking usb cable could even be developed for palm os devices.

For information on connecting via serial of IR see this
thread (http://www.cliesource.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13615).

[hydra]

I realize that I've probably said enough in this thread, but I wanted to answer one more question with regards to making a network/internect connection via usb:

The Windows CE/Pocket PC devices have been able to do this for a while. How do they do it, and why is it not available for the palm os?

Interestingly enough, Microsoft has written a usb driver that allows it to emulate a com port. It is installed as part of ActiveSync and only supports WCE devices. The following is from their MSDN library:

This driver is available in Microsoft Platform Builder, and is called USB Serial Host driver, WCEUSBSH.SYS. Note that this driver is not for use on Windows CE-based platforms. It is the desktop software required to enable USB connectivity between desktop computers and Windows CE-based platforms. Microsoft® ActiveSync® version 3.5 installs this driver on desktop computers. The main task of the USB Serial Host driver is to expose the standard Win32 serial interface to the upper-level application, such as ActiveSync, so that the application can use the USB connection as if it were a standard serial port connection.
By emulating a com port via usb, they get the network functionality of a com port and thus can perform internet connection sharing via usb. I have looked and looked either for a palm os equivalent, or a stand alone USB to serial software emulation. To date, I have found nothing.

Another intersting situation would be a serial cable for your clie hooked to a serial to usb cable converter (http://www.usbgear.com/item_288.html). These cable converters come with a driver that allow the usb port to function as a serial port. However, there is additional electronics in the cable that allow for this functionality; It is not simply a software work around.

Ultimately I hope that Palm decides to support this functionality with a driver similar to WCEUSBSH.SYS. This would make it all possible. :)