Copyright: Copyright 1999 AvantGo Inc.


Using the AvantGo Connect Application

AvantGo Client uses the AvantGo Connect application to access AvantGo Server when you synchronize your handheld device. You usually do not need to use AvantGo Connect directly. Read this only if you want to learn more about what the AvantGo Connect application is and how you would use it should the situation arise.

 	About AvantGo Connect

 	Using AvantGo Connect Desktop Software

 	Using AvantGo Connect Handheld Software


About AvantGo Connect

AvantGo Connect is software that helps your desktop computer or handheld device communicate with web-based information on a network when you synchronize a handheld device. AvantGo Connect works with all Microsoft Windows CE-based PC Companions and Palm Computing Platform devices from 3Com and others.

Typically, you synchronize the contents of your handheld device with similar contents on your desktop computer. For example, your handheld device has a calendar application that you synchronize with a calendar application on your desktop to make sure they both have the same contents. To do this, you connect your handheld device to your desktop computer, and an ActiveSync or HotSync operation transfers data between the two.

Some handheld device applications require synchronization with a remote computer, one that you can’t connect your handheld to directly. This computer (called a server) might store HTML files retrieved from the Internet, phone lists that everyone in your company uses, or other data that is shared among large groups of people.

AvantGo Connect provides a common way for such remote servers to communicate with your desktop computer and handheld device. Once it is installed, your handheld can synchronize with any server that understands the Mobile Application Link protocol. To sync through your desktop computer, all you have to do is perform the ActiveSync or HotSync operation as you normally would. AvantGo Connect takes care of accessing the remote server and passing data back and forth between it and your handheld device.

Normally, you install AvantGo Connect on the desktop computer and on your handheld device. AvantGo Connect on the handheld is used if your handheld device has a modem (or any method of reaching the network) and thus can access the remote server without having to connect to a desktop first.


Using AvantGo Connect Desktop Software

You rarely need to use AvantGo Connect directly. You simply install it (as part of another piece of software such as AvantGo) and let it do its job. The only times you might need to use AvantGo Connect are to set up the connection to a proxy server or to perform some server configuration maintenance. This section describes the tasks you can perform with the AvantGo Connect desktop application. Later sections describe how to perform the same tasks using the handheld application.

 	Starting Up AvantGo Connect

 	Setting Up a New Server

 	Setting Up the Connection to a Proxy Server

 	Changing Your Password

 	Enabling a Secure Connection

 	Disabling a Server


Starting Up AvantGo Connect

To start AvantGo Connect::

1. 	Choose Start|Settings|Control Panel|AvantGo Connect.

The pull-down list on the top of the screen displays the handheld device’s user name. This allows you to use multiple handheld devices with the same desktop computer. Because a server configuration includes the user name and password necessary to login to the server, AvantGo Connect adds server configurations on a per-user basis. For example, if you own both a Windows CE and a Palm OS device and you use AvantGo Server for both of these, each requires a separate setup for AvantGo Server.


Setting Up the Connection to a Proxy Server

If the AvantGo Server is at a remote location and your access to it is through a proxy, you may need to configure the connection through the proxy.

 A proxy server is a computer on your company’s local network that limits access to other parts of the network for security reasons. All requests to access the Internet are relayed through this server. When connecting to an AvantGo server in this way,  you must set up access through your company’s proxy server.

When you install AvantGo, the proxy server should be set up automatically. AvantGo Connect looks at how your desktop Web browser is configured and configures itself in the same way. If your browser setting is incorrect or AvantGo Connect is unable to find the information, you may have to set this up manually. Contact your system administrator for details on the proxy setting.


Using Autodetect

Use the Autodetect feature to autmatically configure a proxy server. This feature is only available if your computer is set up to access the Internet through a proxy server and if all AvantGo servers should be  accessed through that proxy server (this is the most common case). Typically, your desktop computer already has a Web browser set up to use your proxy server. If you choose Autodetect, AvantGo Connect searches for and uses those proxy settings.

To set up a proxy server connection using AvantGo Connect Autodetect:

1. 	Choose Start|Settings|Control Panel|AvantGo Connect to start the AvantGo Connect application.

2. 	Click the Connection tab.

 	The proxy settings appear

3. 	Click Autodetect.

 	The Autodetect Network Connection dialog appears.

4. 	If successful click Done.

5. 	Click Detect Again to retry if unsuccessful.

6. 	If you want to see the details of the connection, click Show Details.


Configuring Proxy Settings Manually

Use the Change feature if some of the servers you access with AvantGo Connect should use the proxy settings and others should not. For example, suppose you subscribe to AvantGo.com and your company also has a server that you access through AvantGo Connect. You might need to access AvantGo.com through the proxy server but still access your company’s server directly. In this case, you must enter the proxy settings manually so that you can specify which servers should bypass the proxy settings.

Use Change if you have never set up this computer to access the Internet.

To manually configure the AvantGo Connect connection set up:

1. 	Choose Start|Settings|Control Panel|AvantGo Connect to start the AvantGo Connect application.

2. 	Click the Connection tab.

 	The proxy settings appear

3. 	Click Change.

 	The Advanced Connection Settings dialog appears.

 	Enter the necessary information in the Servers box. Your system administrator has all the necessary information.

4. 	Enter information in the HTTP Address and Port fields if your proxy server uses the HTTP protocol.

 	When you enter information in the Port field, the Use HTTP authentication field is enabled.

5. 	Check the Use HTTP authentication box to enable user name and password protection

6. 	If you enable Use HTTP authentication, enter your user name and password for the server you entered in the Address field.

7. 	Enter information in the SOCKS Address and Port fields if your proxy uses the SOCKS protocol.

8. 	Enter information in the Secure and Port field if you need to connect to a server that provides secure SSL connections.

8. 	Enter exceptions to the HTTP and SOCKS settings in the Exceptions field.

 	These are the hostnames of servers that AvantGo Connect should access without going through the proxy server.

 	For example, if you use AvantGo Connect to access both AvantGo.com and your company’s server, you might need to use a proxy server for AvantGo.com but access your company’s server directly. In this case, enter the hostname of your company’s server in this screen.

9. 	Click OK to save your proxy settings


Enabling a Secure Connection

When you enable secure connections, AvantGo Connect uses the HTTPS protocol instead of the HTTP protocol in connecting to the server during a sync. If the following conditions are true, you can connect to AvantGo Server using secure protocols:

 	You have installed the security module add-on to AvantGo Client.

 	Your system administrator has installed the security module add-on to AvantGo Server and enabled the use of secure protocols.

 	Your server configuration in AvantGo Connect has the secure connection enabled.

To enable a secure connection, do the following:

1. 	Select Start|Settings|Control Panel|AvantGo Connect to start the AvantGo Connect application.

2. 	Select the server from the list shown.

3. 	Click the Properties button.

4. 	The Edit server profile dialog appears.

5. 	Check the Connect to this server using a secure protocol box.

 	This box is enabled when a secure server appears in the Hostname field.

6. 	Click OK.


Disabling a Server

When you sync a device, AvantGo Connect connects to and synchronizes with each server listed for that device. If your synchronizations take too long and you don’t need AvantGo Connect to access one of the servers, you can disable it. Disabled servers are not accessed during a sync.

To disable a server:

1. 	Select Start|Settings|Control Panel|AvantGo Connect to start the AvantGo Connect application.

 	The AvantGo Connect application appears.

2. 	Select the server from the list shown.

3. 	Click the Properties button.

 	You’ll see a dialog that provides connection information.

4. 	Uncheck the Connect to this during device synchronizations box.

5. 	Click OK.

 	When you want to sync with this server again, simply check the Connect to this during device synchronizations box again.


Setting Up a New Server
Setting Up a New Server on the Desktop

Note: Most applications that use AvantGo Connect automatically add necessary server configurations for you. You rarely have to add a server configuration manually.

To manually add a new server configuration, do the following:

1. 	Select Start|Settings|Control Panel|AvantGo Connect to start the AvantGo Connect application.

2. 	Click the Add button.

 	The Edit server profile dialog appears.

3. 	Enter the host name of the server.

Tip: This is not a URL, so do not include a protocol prefix such as "http://".

     	Press the Test button to verify that AvantGo Connect can successfully connect to the server. If the test is successful the server access information appears in the Server Information field.

4. 	Enter your login ID and password for the server.

(Note that you must already have set up an account on the server.) Some servers do not require a login or password.

5. 	Click Cancel to cancel your changes.

6. 	Click OK to complete the server setup.


Using AvantGo Connect Handheld Software

One component of AvantGo Connect software is installed on your handheld device. You must not delete AvantGo Connect or its related files from your handheld device. This software allows you to synchronize a handheld’s data with a remote server either by going through a sync operation or by connecting directly to the server through a modem attached to the device.

As with the desktop software, the AvantGo Connect handheld application can usually complete its job with no user intervention. However, you may need to perform some maintenance tasks, and this section describes how to do so.

 	Starting Up and Choosing a Server

 	Enabling a Secure Connection

 	Disabling a Server

 	Syncing With a Server

 	Setting up a New Server

 	Removing a Server

 	Resetting the Connection


Starting Up and Choosing a Server
Starting Up AvantGo Connect and Choosing a Server

To start up AvantGo Connect on your handheld device:

 	On Windows CE devices, in AvantGo Client:

1.	Tap  Start|Settings.

2.	Tap the Connection tab.

3.	Tap AvantGo Connect.

 	On Palm OS devices, click the Applications silk-screen button and choose AvantGo Connect. Or start AvantGo, tap the Menu silk-screen button, tap Options and select Server Preferences.

When AvantGo Connect starts up, it shows you connection information for a server.

On CE devices, if the device is set up to access multiple servers, both servers appear in the Server settings: box.

On Palm OS devices, if the device is set up to access multiple servers, then the pop-up list will display more choices. Press the arrow key to see a list of servers and go to another server if necessary.


Enabling a Secure Connection

When you enable secure connections, AvantGo Connect uses the HTTPS protocol instead of the HTTP protocol in connecting to the server during a sync. If the following conditions are true, you can connect to AvantGo Server using secure protocols:

 	You have installed the security module add-on to AvantGo Client.

 	Your system administrator has installed the security module add-on to AvantGo Server and enabled the use of secure protocols.

 	Your server configuration in AvantGo Connect has the secure connection enabled.

To enable a secure connection in AvantGo Connect on  Windows CE:

1. 	Open AvantGo Connect. See  Starting Up and Choosing a Server for more information.

 	The AvantGo Connect dialog is displayed.

2. 	Tap Properties....

3. 	Check the Connect securely box.

4. 	Tap OK.

To enable a secure connection on Palm OS:

1. 	Open AvantGo Connect. See  Starting Up and Choosing a Server for more information.

 	The AvantGo Connect application is displayed. (You can also get to this screen by tapping the Applications silk-screen button and then tapping AvantGo Connect.)

2. 	Choose the server from the pop-up list.

3. 	Check the Connect securely box.

4. 	Tap Done to return to AvantGo Client.


Disabling a Server

You can disable a server from your handheld device just like you can disable a server in the AvantGo Connect desktop application.

To disable a server on Windows CE:

1. 	Open AvantGo Connect. See  Starting Up and Choosing a Server for more information.

 	The AvantGo Connect dialog is displayed.

2. 	Choose the server that you want to disable from the pop-up list.

3. 	Tap Properties.

 	The Edit server profile dialog appears.

4. 	Uncheck the Enabled box.

5. 	Tap OK.

To disable a server on Palm OS:

1. 	Open AvantGo Connect. See  Starting Up and Choosing a Server for more information.

 	The AvantGo Connect application is displayed. (You can also get to this screen by tapping the Applications silk-screen button and then tapping AvantGo Connect.)

2. 	Choose the server that you want to disable from the pop-up list.

3. 	Uncheck the Enabled box.

4. 	Tap Done to return to AvantGo Client.


Syncing With a Server

If your device is equipped with a modem, you can synchronize directly with an AvantGo server.

To synchronize with AvantGo servers on Windows CE:

1. 	Open AvantGo Connect. See  Starting Up and Choosing a Server for more information.

2. 	Tap the Sync All button.

To synchronize with AvantGo Connect servers on Palm OS:

1. 	Click the Applications silk-screen button and then choose AvantGo Connect.

2. 	Tap Modem Sync.


Setting up a New Server
Setting up a New Server on a Handheld

Note: Most applications that use AvantGo Connect automatically add necessary server configurations for you. You rarely have to add a server configuration manually.

To add a server configuration manually on Windows CE, do the following:

1. 	Open AvantGo Connect. See  Starting Up and Choosing a Server for more information.

2. 	Tap Add.

3. 	Enter the same information that you would enter in AvantGo Connect desktop.

To add a server configuration manually on a Palm OS device, do the following:

1. 	Start the AvantGo Connect application.

2. 	Tap the Menu silk-screen icon, tap Server and choose New.

3. 	Enter the same information that you entered in AvantGo Connect desktop.


Removing a Server

To remove a server on a Windows CE device:

1. 	Open AvantGo Connect. See  Starting Up and Choosing a Server for more information.

2. 	Select the server so that its settings are the ones currently being displayed.

 3 	Tap Remove.

To remove a server on a Palm OS device:

1. 	Select the server so that its settings are the ones currently being displayed.

2. 	Choose Delete from the Server menu.


Resetting the Connection

In rare instances, you might need to remove all data from a server and refresh it entirely.

To do so on a Windows CE device:

1.	Open AvantGo Connect. See  Starting Up and Choosing a Server for more information.

2.	Choose the server from the list.

3.	Tap the Properties button.

4.	Tap Refresh all content at next sync.

On Palm OS devices:

1.	Open AvantGo Connect. See  Starting Up and Choosing a Server for more information.

2.	Choose the server.

3.	Tap Refresh All Content.


Setting Refresh Rates for Continuous Sync Mode at AvantGo

When your device is in its cradle and it is syncing continuously, you may want to reset the refresh rates of your AvantGo Channels. To set up when you want your channels refreshed set your refresh rates on your channels at http://www.avantgo.com.


Changing Your Password

When connecting to a server during a sync, AvantGo Connect uses the login name and password specified in the configuration for that user name and server combination.

Tip: If you change your password on the server, you also need to change the password that AvantGo Connect uses to access that server. If you don’t, AvantGo Connect will fail to connect to the server the next time you sync.

To change a password used by AvantGo Connect:

1. 	Select Start|Settings|Control Panel|AvantGo Connect to start the AvantGo Connect application.

2. 	Select the server from the list shown.

3. 	Click the Properties button.

 	The Edit server profile dialog appears.

4. 	Click the Set Password button.

 	The Change Password dialog appears.

5. 	Enter your new password in the New password field.

6. 	Click Cancel to return to the Edit server profile dialog without changing your password.

7. 	Click OK to change your password.