Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 97

I ordered the Visor-to-Startac cable from Cables4PDAs.com, but can't make it work with my VDX. According to Verizon tech support, you need OS3.3 or later. She wasn't sure why, but had heard from Motorola that earlier versions weren't compatible with CDMA.

I'm surmising the reason has something to do with the "Connection Method" setting in the Palm Preferences, which doesn't exist in OS3.1. According to Cables4PDAs, you should set it at "serial to modem" for Platinum Visors, which run OS3.5. According to Verizon, you should set it at "serial to PC" for their system or "serial to modem" if you're using a different ISP.

Verizon tech support also said that CDPD coverage probably won't get any better than it is now, because the wireless companies are focusing their resources on CDMA which has the potential of much higher speeds. (Bad news for Minstrel users!) High-speed CDMA, which will boost speeds from 19.2kbps to 1.44mbps (did I get these numbers right?), could be introduced as early as later this year. Anyone know anything more about this?

Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 93

Check your modem settings.

Check to see if you Modem is set up as follows:

Modem: Standard
Speed: 14,400
Speaker: Low (not used)
Flow Ctl: Off
Country: Other
String: AT&FX4

Make sure you have "Country" set to "Other". A VDX will and does work with this cable and a CDMA StarTAC. What model phone do you have? When you plug the cable and phone together and tap "connect", does the phone beep?

nysebull
http://www.cables4pdas.com

Registered: Jan 2001
Location:
Posts: 3

Visor->StarTac on Verizon

I received my cable from http://www.cables4pdas.com yesterday and I want to thank them for the GREAT service. I followed the configuration directions from their website and was online on my second try...the first try doesn't really count since I forgot to turn the phone on!

I am using a StarTac ST7868W with a Vdx on a Verizon account without their wireless web service.

I used the following settings:
Modem: Standard
Speed: 14,400
Speaker: Off
Flow Ctl: Off
Country: Other
String: AT&FX4

My ISP is Mindspring/Earthlink.

Software - So far I have tried ProxiWeb, ProxiMail and Blazer with good results.

It is great to be wireless for the price of a cable! Thanks nysebull for making it so easy for me.

Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 93

One other thing.

Make sure you don't have another modem, like a Thinmodem or Minstrel, plugged in when you try to use the cable to phone solution.

Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 97

I've figured it out, thanks to all your help.

My settings had all been correct. The Visor had successfully connected with the phone (a Startac 7868w), which showed the phone number on the screen. But there had never been any successful connection or handshaking.

It turned out that the problem was at Verizon's end, and that I can't (so far) use Verizon's wireless web service as my ISP. When "fjs" said he (or she) was using Mindspring/Earthlink as his (her) ISP, a little bulb went on. So I tried another ISP account, and connected successfully. So thanks, everyone!

Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 13

Can you use QNC with Verizon? QNC (Quick Connect Network) lets you use Verizon as an ISP. QNC provides a quicker connect time and in my case a faster connection. You have to ask Verison's tech support. You need their phone #, user name and password. I'm using Sprint's QNC and it works great. (Sprints QNC information:Phone Number:#2932, User:web, password:web) As you can tell the phone number is different and this QNC information only works on the sprint network.

Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 97

Verizon doesn't call it QNC, but it sounds like the same thing. They gave me the phone number #777, username qnc and password qnc. They also gave me some DNS numbers to experiment with whenit wasn't working.

When I try it, the phone shows the phone number #777 but then it just sits there and never indicates any kind of connection or handshaking, no matter how long I leave the phone and Visor on before cancelling.

Meanwhile, I'm no longer having any success with my other ISPs. I keep getting an "authentication failed" message, even with the same username and password I used successfully. I've tried some other ISP accounts, too, and I get the same error message. I tried everything suggested on the RS232 thread, along with NYSEbull's suggestions, and nothing's working. I'm posting a more detailed message on the RS232 spread in the hope someone can help me there.