VisorCentral.com (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/index.php)
- Communications (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/forumdisplay.php?forumid=20)
-- RS232 to cellphone connection (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/showthread.php?threadid=5570)

Sprint pcs wireless web works great with
my laptop. i DID get a funky cable the
first time around (quality control issues?)
and i have to close out palm hotsink from the
system tray (i can then restart it once
connected). but i've been browsing graphic
heavy sites and it is not as bad as i remember the old 14.4 modem being. of course
lets see what happens when i hit the road!
again, if you want to hook it up to the visor, stick with the phone models folks have
had success with. the samsung 3500 is popular, but may not be compatible.
-otto

Carl,

I had earlier taken apart my serial cradle and soldered a lead to the PCB connector that goes directly to pin 1 (RXD) of the Visor. I soldered another lead to the PCB connector that goes directly to pin 4 (ground) of the Visor (I put the cradle back together with these extra leads hanging out - I did this for my GPS, but that's another story).


I am able to unlock the serial cradle from a "serial port already in use" state by doing the following:

Directly connect pin 1 (RXD) and pin 4 (GND) to the DB9 RXD and GND connections of the data cable to the Sprint PCS cellphone using the above soldered leads momentarily and then disconnect them. This clears the locked up state. There may be an easier way to do this! I may just try momentarily shorting RXD to GND on the cradle DB9, for instance.

First, I would like to thank rmapes for all the time he has put in raising our collective knowledge on this subject!

Second, is there a concensus that the Sprint PCS Web service, Sprints Motorola Timeport mobile phone, and a serial cradle/cable is a viable way to acheive a wireless connection?

SuperStream-

That configuration (Serial Cradle, Timeport, Sprint) works fine for me. Connection is at 14.4 - good enough for email, but Avant Go takes a bit of time.

Also, re: locking serial cradle - I read in another thread around here that you need to make sure that your phone is plugged in first and turned on PLUS that your Visor is OFF when you plug it into the serial cradle. I have tried it a number of times and it works like a charm. If you do this, you can even unlock a locked cradle. Who knows why it works, but it does!

OK, guys. I'm going nuts here. I have my SCH-2000 working with my desktop, so I know there's no problem with the phone/cable/service. I can't get my Visor to connect to the cell phone, though. I always get a 'modem not found' message. I've set all of the modem settings and checked the network settings, but no luck.

Have you tried a null modem connector in the connection? (Radio Shack has them for around $2. Make sure the Country is set up as Other. If all else fails try another phone at your cellphone store.

the trouble Lmidnight is having
connecting the SCH-2000 sounds the same
as mine (i was using the SCH-3500). i
suspect it's a problem with the samsung
phones. sprint told me that the web connection kits were all the same, so
that pretty much leaves the phones as the
only difference between those that can use
sprint pcs wireless web with the serial cradle and those of us who can't.
-otto

I'm afraid that may be the problem. I have tried the null modem connector and it doesn't seem to help. I'm sure it's not a problem with the phone because I was able to get it working with my desktop. I think I'll visit the Sprint store and try it out with a Nokia or Qualcom. Until then, I'll keep tinkering.

I just thought I'd recap the success/failure people have had connecting their Sprint PCS phones to their Visors. Hopefully this will help the people that were looking for what phone to buy...

User: krue
Phone/Model: Qualcomm Touchpoint
Method: EFIG board
Null Modem? yes
Works? yes

User: rmapes
Phone/Model: Qualcomm Touchpoint
Method: EFIG board
Null Modem? yes
Works? yes

User: rmapes
Phone/Model: Qualcomm Touchpoint
Method: serial cradle
Null Modem? no
Works? yes

User: jcmmcain
Phone/Model: Samsung SCH-8500
Method: serial cradle
Null Modem? n/a
Works? untested

User: ottoweb
Phone/Model: Samsung SCH-3500
Method: serial cradle
Null Modem? tried both
Works? no (only to PC)

User: LMidnight
Phone/Model: Samsung SCH-2000
Method: serial cradle
Null Modem? tried both
Works? no (only to PC)

I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if jcmmcain didn't have any luck with his Samsung phone; the SCH-2000, 3000 and 8500 all use the same data connection kit from Sprint. I wonder if the EFIG board would work with those...

Subnova-

Thanks for summarizing, but your posting on me is not quite right.

This is me:

User: krue
Phone/Model - Motorola Timeport
Method - Efig
Null Modem - Yes
Works? - No

User: krue
Phone Model - Motorola Timeport
Method - Serial Cradle
Null Modem - No
Works - Yes

Only the Qualcomm phone has worked with efig so far, while both the Qualcomm and the Timeport have worked with the serial cradle, as far as we know.

My input


User: Warkari
Phone Model - Motorola Startac
Method - Serial Cradle
Null Modem - Yes
Works - No

haven't tried w/o null modem yet.

Warkari

I'm confident that the problem with the Samsung/Visor combination is a compatibility issue. I hooked the serial cradle directly to an old 28.8 external modem with a m/m connector and I was able to communicate with the modem. Hope this input sheds some light on the discussion.

anyone have any updates on the samsung situation?

i am getting antsy to get a cell phone and a serial cradle/cable to make my visor wireless. i WAS leaning towards the samsung 3500 but have since rethought my decision based on this message board.

so, has anyone gotten a samsung to work yet or does anyone have any suggestions as to a good sprintpcs phone to get?

My Sprint PCS Qualcomm Touchpoint with Sprint wireless web data cable and the Handspring serial cradle works fine (with flow control turned off). I called Mark?Space and they claim their serial cable is just about ready to go.

Has anyone with the Samsung phones tried modifying the AT string in the modem preferences. Maybe the Samsung models don't like the X4 on the end.

Just my non-cents.

Codeman

Has anyone had success using RMapes' Visor/cell phone connection method with a Motorola Startac?

Or how about the Sanyo SCP-4000...

OEP

I tried using the Motorola Startac w/ and w/o null modem. Both attempts were unsuccessful.

Maybe I should try the modem command w/o the X4.

Warkari

The message I'm receiving with the Samsung/Visor combo is 'Modem Not Found'. I'm not an expert, but I would expext a 'Modem Not Responding' message if there was simply a connect string problem. That said, I'll try some different strings tonight. Any suggestions?

Don't forget to try turning off flow control and use "other" for country (modem preference menu).