E-Bitz - SBS MVP the Official Blog of the SBS "Diva"

It's all about...

It's all about this isn't it?

..making things easy...more agile.. easier to get the job done... Watch that and see if you don't agree with me that that's exactly what SBS is all about.. the foundation and base that makes it all possible....

....and I need to order two more Mobile phones for the gang in the office...

The bleeding edgers

After reading this blog post....

Windows Mobile 5 on Audiovox SMT 5600:

and this one... and checking in with the guy that I know who has done this to his phone..... I think I'll stay on my Windows Mobile 3 and not blow up anything....

But if you want to flash your SMT5600 up to Mobile 5... it "can" be done.... just have the First Aid kit at the ready...

So your RWW isn't RWWing?

A poster in the 2k group ...and a ping from a fellow MVP reminded me of some troubleshooting steps (not to mention some help from the Podcast gang)...about ensuring that RWW is working

1.  Check and make sure you at least have port 443 and 4125 open and forwarding from your router to the IP address of your SBS box

2.  Make sure the active X component has been loaded up

If you don't see that under XP sp2's IE "manage add ons" under the section "addons that have been used by IE" then the control isn't on the box yet. If it won't work through the normal means for whatever reason (normally you get the blue info bar that beeps and says to install the active X), then word is that you can also connect to the tsweb virtual directory to download the msrdp.cab active X control.  Go to www.domain.com/tsweb ..or http://servername/tsweb (if you happen to be on the network at the time).  There's also another way to copy the msrdp.ocx file to downloaded program files and run regsvr32 on it.. but.. sorry Mark.. Chris' Tsweb suggestion is a lot more blonder :-)

3.  Watch that antispyware software - there's been a couple of times that spyware programs have zapped that controll off the boxes.

4.  Check and make sure RDPing is working on the inside.. if not.. it's not going to work on the outside for sure

5.  Check that remote desktop is enabled in the xp sp2 firewall (scroll down and see the exclusion here)

6.  Check and make sure remote desktop is enabled.. if you did the /connectcomputer wizard it should.. but click on start, control panel, system, then remote, and make sure Remote Desktop is enabled and review the allowed users.

But that's about it... if you've used /connectcomputer and the ports are open..it should just "work".

So out in the field...

And I get this call that someone needs to get an updated information on to their accounting system.  I had already pulled over a zip file of the database using Logmein Reach as they did not have RWW, and so I had the data file on the server, but not on the workstation in a position accessable by those who needed it.

What to do?  Well with the Cingular aircard, not a problem.  We just remote back into the office (as I have my laptop with me) and do what I need to do.

No need to walk someone over the phone in how to do what needed to be done, no need to say "sorry can't do that, can we rebook the meetingi for tomorrow?"  I had the access I needed when I needed it, in a secure fashion so this was not an issue.

Bring your own access!

Sprint PPC 6700 Windows Mobile 5.0 device ROM upgrade

Jason Roy in the SBS2k listserve posts.....

I thought I would share this with the group as I know a few of you have
a Sprint PPC 6700 Windows Mobile 5.0 device.  I stumbled across and an
updated ROM image for the Sprint 6700 on their support site that has the
Messaging & Security Feature Pack integrated.

This gives you the capability for the Direct Push technology, remote
wipe, and support for A2DP.

I went ahead and flashed my phone and have not experienced any issues at
this time.  As an added bonus, they have also included additional
applications such as voice services.

Be advised that the flash update will erase any data that is stored on
the phone and reset the device to factory default settings so you will
need to reconfigure all of your settings once it is complete.

Here is the direct link to the download:

Looking for a Mobile 5 device?

Today one of the guys in the office that has a Mobile 3 (the Audiovox 5600) said that his daughter (who also has one... yes the Windows Mobile disease travels through families) was having a hard time finding a cigarette lighter because the stores she was going to were not carrying the "Business phones".  I have noticed too that the Cingular store I go to (well last I checked anyway) only had one or two business-like phones and you might need to shop around or order the phone and then activiate it at the store.

There's this thing that you can watch out for when ordering them.. as to whether the phone comes with a "locked" or "unlocked" security policy. 

Now what's that all about?  As a general rule of thumb keep in mind the following:  Unlocked devices mean that you can easily add our SBS self signed certs.  Locked devices means you "may" be able to install our self signed certs.  And the rules are different for Pocket PC devices versus Smartphones.

In regards to Pocket PCs...now obviously the ones that are unlocked ... the certs off the SBS box that you MUST get on to that device will just go (remember what the mobility podcast gang talked about...just get that cert on the device as the key to authentication is if the device can get to that SSL page it's trying to go do without error).  If the device is locked, you can download a utility called spaddcert (it's says 2003 but it works on the 2005 PPCs) to install the certs.  The key here is to get that cert on the Mobile 5 device.  In that respect it's the same for the Mobile 3 that I have.. at least as far as PPC devices go anyway.  Remember like they said...this is just about PPC devices.  As those will allow you to get that cert on the device no matter what.  You just have to follow manual instructions to install the cert like I had to do because I had on previous version of ActiveSync my Mobility Wiz wouldn't Wiz.. (or as someone would say.. Whiz)  ...and I had to manually install it on the device via the using the ActiveSync interface to drag and drop the cert on to the device and then manually "install" it by clicking on the file on the phone. You can either follow the blonde instructions on that process or the official ones.

Unlocked PPCs will just go, Locked PPCs you can use the utility to install it the cert on the device.  Kinda like what I had to do for my sister's phone with her Novell/Groupwise sync software.  We used a little utility to get the cert on the device.  So we're cool with PPC devices and how they handle our Self Signed certs right?

Now then, here comes the fun part. 

Smartphones are different.

Smartphones aren't quite so easy and like the Podcast gang said it depends on the vendor.  If you have a locked Smartphone you are limited to making sure that Vendor provides a "get a cert on the device" utility, or you purchase a third party cert and put that on your box.  If you have a locked smartphone and the vendor is not providing a cert workaround tool... you can't use the spaddcert tool...and you are stuck  yeah.....hmmm... how about those godaddy cheap certs sound?  So far most of the gang installing these devices with the SBS self signed certs have found a couple of vendors to be SBS friendly.  So far primarily i-mate, Verizon and Sprint have the SBS self signed cert friendly ones per what the gang tell me so far.

So here's a tentative list I got from the Mobility community (and please let me know if there are any errors in this listing):

(and this is US devices only so please.. if you know of similar information for your country, please post it)

Cellular	Model	Type	Self Signed OK?
Cingular	2125	SmartPhone	Y
Cingular	8125	PocketPC	Y
T-Mobile	MDA	SmartPhone	N
T-Mobile	SDA	PocketPC	Y
Verizon	6700	PocketPC	Y
Verizon	Treo 700w	PocketPC	Y
Sprint	6700	PocketPC	Y

(Self Signed OK?  = means it's either unlocked or comes with a cert install tool so you can get the cert on the device)

Word is the Motorola Q coming out that's a SmartPhone will most likely be locked but Verizon has been providing the cert tool so as soon as that one comes out and it's confirmed we can add that to the listing.

So overseas, most of the devices I hear the "Drool" factor over is the i-Mate ones like Nick has.  And his is obviously working just fine on a SBS 2003 box, self signed certs and ..yeah...even a .local (I checked with him after that blog post about .local being an issue with phones).  I've yet to hear from the gang any Smartphone overseas working other than the i-mate.  But if you know of others with similar 'they just work' or 'work with a tool to get the cert on them', let me know and I'll add them to the list.  And don't forget the prior post with links and resources.

Stuff on Windows Mobile 5

Information on Devices:  http://www.xda-developers.com/

And Vlad's wiki on Mobility and Exchange
http://www.vladville.com/wiki/

SBSPodcast gang on Mobility
http://blogs.technet.com/sbs/archive/2006/02/12/419364.aspx

Peter Gallagher on ActiveSync
http://blogs.technet.com/petergal/archive/2006/02/02/418663.aspx

In particular check this error out...this one is specifically for Graeme:

http://www.vladville.com/wiki/activesync-error-85010014

And of course the whitepaper out earlier this week:

Windows Mobile 5 document on the web!

Okay so we know that Windows Mobile 3 were easily set up with SBS..but the new 5 ones were a bit more troublesome...well not anymore with this document:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=8be70d72-1e5a-4128-a30c-dafeeb43544d&displaylang=en

This white paper provides step-by-step instructions for deploying Microsoft® Windows Mobile® 5.0 powered devices in an IT infrastructure that is based on the Microsoft® Windows® Small Business Server 2003 (Windows SBS) server software.

Check out the Podcast gang resources as well here and here

And check out Nick's early reviews of the push technology..... so far Vlad reports that there's one device that's been spotted.

$612 million later

Your fingers may not be safe but your Blackberries are.

But here are some thoughts on the device from conversations on a listserve.....

Pick a PDA not by picking a standard mobile company but by the device you want

• Look at what additional apps are built for the platform.  Folks may love Blackberries, but there isn't much software you can add to it
• Find the device most usable for your needs.
• Check with your firm as to what they are rolling out and supporting.  If given the choice between a Blackberry or Palm/Windows PDA, for flexibility consider the Palm/Windows platform.

Remember in SBSland we have put Blackberry servers 'on' our SBS boxes but you can also bounce emails out alternative email address or install the Blackberry software on the workstation.

The SBS Podcast gang back on the air

The Official SBS Support Blog : Inside SBS #14 - The Mobility Meltdown:
http://blogs.technet.com/sbs/archive/2006/02/12/419364.aspx

It seems like daily there is a post about "how do I get this sync'd with that".  Check out the Texas gang as they delve into the details of Mobility and SBS!

RWW and Verizon revisited

Huy has a Verizon card and it was not letting him connect to Remote Web Workplace.  The card he has is the PC5740 and the software version is 5.3.8. 

Huy Pham wrote:

Dear Susan,

I have found the solution thanks to hint of your blog. You're right, Verizon fixed this compression error by putting in an option for users to turn it off in the management software.

If you get into VZAccess Manager, Tools, Preferences, Venturi, and uncheck "Compress and accelerate WWAN connections", everything works like a charm.

Thank you so much for your time. If you can please post this in your blog, it'll save a lot of people some time =).

Not a problem Huy....

Are branch offices just for large and enterprise firms?

Looking at this download makes me wonder if companies realize that we're getting a heck of a lot more agile these days..... This Branch office document discusses the how branch offices can provide substantial benefits for organizations of all sizes, especially large ones and enterprises.

But here's the thing...with laptops now out selling desktops.... http://ask.yahoo.com/20060113.html ...define that branch office please?  Sometimes that branch office may be just a laptop out in the field.  Chad was talking about a setup where the main office has a server, but all the 'remote offices' had only one or two PCs and no server.  Offline folders and folder redirection is all fine and good, but when a blog post about troubleshooting offline folders has this much feedback... wonder if it works as well as advertised.

These days you want to sell things to folks?  Make sure the mobility stuff is showcased and it's bulletproof and it works.  We're not working in offices anymore...we're in Starbucks..or at home.  In fact if I were in charge of the Universe I'd be pricing and bundling a SBS mobility pack... SBS+Member server for Terminal Server+Audiofox phones or something.  Bottom line I'd bundle a TS "kit" with the needed help and instructions to roll it out effectively.  In fact maybe even a different phone line with technical support just for mobility setups. 

And can we get over this idea that servers are sold based on the number of employees?  I can point to several of my fellow CPA firms that have 35 employees and like six or seven servers.  Yet seemingly to Microsoft, having six or seven servers is something you'd only do in mid market settings, yet we do it all the time around here.

Bottom line.. if you need those branch office features in Windows 2003 R2, my understanding is that you can reap all those benefits but they'll have to go on your member servers or you'll have to be a bit more creative is setting up solutions for your "faux branch office".

JeffM says......

I cannot do IM from a phone....

the t9 stuff I just cannot handle it

oh I could ask a really nasty technical question and make you t9 answer it this could be great fun

let's see...food... wireless... connectivity..... communication... what more can you want?

That's true

I'm waiting for the chip implant for brain waves transfer personally

Okay are you sure this is 99 page white paper Jeff or is this some of our new International non English Speaking MVP that we've yet to track down that I'm IMing with?  This can't be you

Hey.. that's why I carry the Tablet PC, and the verizon card with me.... I tried it once... I have new respect for the coherent emails I get from folks that have the tag line "typed on a Windows mobile"

am I annoyed? No I think this is funny

I may copy this to the blog as an historical moment.....as this ranks up there with the times that Jeff posts "yes"

and we all fallover in a faint at your short content

so it has to relearn? ooh yuck

well it's about as fun as the times that IM converts ( ) into funky stuff

Deploying a third party cert

So someone the other day asked me about installing a Certificate authority on a SBS box.... and I argued with them and pointed to the post I had done the other day about self signed certs.  So today I realized that all we needed to know about how SBS handled the Certs and where it saved them was in the “More information“ click box inside the Connect to the Internet wizard.....

You'd think I'd learn to read by now wouldn't you....

Web Server Certificate

Several of the Web services require Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) to secure communications between a Web browser and your Web server. For the wizard to configure SSL, you must either have the wizard create a Web server certificate or you must provide a certificate file from a trusted authority.

A certificate is needed to establish identity and create trusts for the secure exchange of information. The certificate must be signed by a certification authority (CA). The wizard can create a certificate signed by your server, or you can obtain your own certificate signed by a commercial CA, such as VeriSign.

Option Description

• Create a new Web server certificate Click to create a self-signed certificate, and then type the full Internet name of your server that is used to access your server from the Internet.
  The certificate expiration period is set to five years. The certificate will also be saved as SBScert.cer in the Clientapps\SBScert folder so that it can be deployed to client computers by the Client Setup Wizard.
• Use a Web server certificate from a trusted authority Click to use a certificate obtained from a trusted authority, and then click Browse to locate the certificate.
  If you do not have an existing certificate from a trusted authority, but would like to obtain one, you must create a certificate request using the Web Server Certificate Wizard in Internet Information Services (IIS). To do so, complete the following:
  
  To create a certificate request
  
  Open Server Management.
  In the console tree, click Advanced Management, click Internet Information Services, click YourServerName (local computer), and then click the Web Sites folder.
  In the details pane, right-click Default Web site, and then click Properties.
  On the Default Web Site Properties page, click the Directory Security tab, and under Secure communications, click Server Certificate.
  On the Server Certificate page of the IIS Certificate Wizard, click Create a new certificate.
  On the Delayed or Immediate Request page, prepare a request to be sent later or immediately as needed.
  On the Name and Security Settings page, in Name, type a name for the new certificate. Next, select the appropriate bit length based on your organization's requirement. Verify with the CA that they support certificates of the corresponding encryption strength before submitting the certificate request.
  On the Organization Information page, in Organizational Name, type the legal name of your organization. In Organizational unit, type the name of your division of department. If your organization does not have a division, you can type the legal name of your organization.
  On the Your Site's Common Name page, type the common name for your site exactly as it appears to the external users, such as www.mydomain.com.
  On the Geographic Information page, type the required information.
  On the Certificate Request File Name page, type a file name.
  On the Request File Summary Page, click Next.
  Click Finish.
    Note
  
  To open Server Management, click Start, and then click Server Management.
  Once you have completed the process for obtaining the certificate, the organization will send you the certificate along with instructions for installing the certificate. You must then rerun the Configure E-mail and Internet Connection Wizard to change your Web server certificate settings.
  
    Notes
  
  This certificate is not deployed to client computers as is it already a trusted certificate.
  If you want users to securely access their Internet e-mail on the server using either Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) 2.x devices or Microsoft Smartphone 2002 or Microsoft Pocket PC Phone Edition 2002 mobile devices, either the server must have a commercial certificate from a trusted CA or you must follow a procedure so the device works with a self-signed certificate that you create. This procedure decreases the security of your mobile device. Therefore, the recommended and more secure method is to use a commercial certificate. For more information, see “Connecting Mobile and Remote Users” at the Microsoft Web site (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=33539).
  The 2003 versions of these mobile devices do not require a commercial CA for the higher level of security.  [The Audiovox 5600 will easily accept the self signed certs]
   
  Do not change current Web server certificate Click if you are rerunning the wizard, and you do not want to change the settings specified the last time you ran the wizard.

We're now a three phone firm

Set up another Windows Mobile phone...we now have three phones that connect seemlessly and effortlessly to the network here at the office [and three more ways that a firm password is on a remote device too, so one has to keep that in mind]

I still did it the manual way because I've found that it's just faster when I know a workstation might have previously had Active Sync installed.  If they have not had it installed, it works like a champ.  If they have, it's just easier for me to install it manually.

You can read the manual stuff here.....

My cell phone is visiting the mountains this weekend

My coworker today said he was getting a new phone from Cingular... WAIT!  I said.... before you make up your mind as to the phone... take mine up to the Mountains and make sure it works... if it does.... I'm going to insist that he buys an Audiovox.  I like having standardization and phones are a part of that.  Right now I have to help everyone find the right infared cable or datacable.  With the Audiovox, especially now how I know easily how to set them up, it's a piece of cake.

Standardization makes my life easier... and when the phone is so WOW..... well it's an easy decision to make.  Ensuring that the phone will meet the needs of the employees...well that's why my phone is up visiting the weekend cabin of a co-worker.  If it works.... we'll have three Audiovox's in the firm.

About those good passwords

Dana posts about an issue he hit when he had a good strong password chosen and used it to also sync with his SmartPhone.  You know...he had a space in his password.  Now windows likes it just fine....

Smartphones...well let's just say that they needed a bit of help from the Active Sync client.

If these devices are business phones, why aren't these native?

In the Cingular store, the Audiovox is in the section called “business phones”.  So if they are business phones why aren't two things natively on the Windows Mobile platform? 

• Reading word docs
• Reading pdfs

Whenever I'd get an email on the road with a PDF I couldn't read the attachment... hmmm.. there had to be a solution...and of course there is....

Oh I think I just found phone heaven here

ClearView for Smart phones...I'm testing out the PDF viewer

Oh this is too cool...you do have to scroll a smidge but this is definitely a keeper.  In fact I'll probably get the entire ClearView Suite.

And yes, that is an actual view of the screen of my Audiovox....now I'll bet you are wondering how I did that one, huh?  ActiveSync Remote Display which is part of the Powertoys download pack for Developers.  Well obviously I'm not a developer but I like to do screen shots of what I see so that you can see it too.  [That's at 50% zoom just so you know]

That's also a cool tool to keep around for presentations for those that do demos.

Sold on that Smartphone add on!!

Any Novell experts out there?

One of the advantages of the Microsoft Mobility world is that it's very easy to find a sync tool between a “fill in the blank” and Outlook.  Groupwise however... I'm not sure if I can find the same resources.  We're looking for the same kind of autosync'ing ability that the SBS 2003 + Windows Mobile gives me with the audiovox phone. My sister saw mine and well... uh... we're getting another one. 

[BTW you do know about the free Smartphone offer for you or your clients [US only but keep your fingers crossed]

So anyway .... any of you Novell folks know if Quartz PortaMail for SmartPhones works well to sync email and contacts to a Audiovox phone?  Her firm uses Groupwise and one of these days they are planning to move to Exchange... in the meantime I'm trying to duplicate the experience I have with my phone for her Groupwise stuff.

Now if her firm had a SBS box.... but... uh... well... you see she works for a medium sized firm and well... they just aren't as agile as us small businesses, that's for sure.

Blackberry on SBS

<with the caveat that I have not done this>

In order to support Blackberry's on a SBS box you need to purchase SBE Blackberry Enterprise Server 4.0 for Exchange.  The docs say it's not "supposed" to be installed on the same server that Exchange is on.  But SBSers in the newsgroup report doing so.  So while SBSers 'have' done it on SBS, here's my response:

Talk that owner/user into an Audiovox 5600. SOOOO much easier to set up it's not funny.  And the cost?  Only the cost of the phone.

The cost of the Blackberry Enterprise Server Small Medium Edition 4.0?

... googling now as I'm not sure what it goes for.... WOW

Oh my goodness... you guys are actually spending $1,499 $1,600 [including taxes and shipping] for a 5 user blackberry when I can get the same functionality and more for the price of a smart media phone?

Are you guys insane?  You have to be nuts to pay that for adding that to your network when for the mere price of a PHONE you can get everything that the Blackberry does and more?

I mean check out the Siemens SX66.  $499 and a slide out keyboard like the Blackberry's.  The Audiovox was in the $200 range.

Man, I'm sorry but those Blackberries better do something more than “oh the other Attorneys all have them so we have to have them” for that price.  Not when you can get the same functionality in the phone and everything else is automagically in the box ready to go in the SBS 2003 sp1 platform.

P.S.  Wow... that Blackberry better be really worth $1,600.  Personally I can think of a lot better way to spend a technology budget.

Just keep on drooling folks

From the mailbag today comes the question if Remote Web Workplace is avaibable for non SBSers.  Someone wanted it for their larger firms.

<evil cackle>  No… it’s ours… all ours….  With kudos to the SBS Dev team that is one of the killer apps of SBS.  You can kinda make up your own…as Tristan has blogged about but that one is just ours.

So how many RWW machines can you hang off a SBS box?

From the mailbag today comes the question about the a practical way to 'size' the amount of bandwidth each RWW connection uses. 

The mailer asks “  The issue is setting a clients expectations on the realistic total number of CONCURRENT RWW sessions that his business class (5MB/1.5MB)cable modem would support. He wants a rough idea for that inevitable snow day or foul weather that multiple employees want to work from home, and would hit the SBS2003 box simultaneously.... Thoughts?”

And I'm off to google as we think we remember stats like 50kb/s per session..but it would depend on options you chose...like sound, drive redirection, printer redirection and what not.  Remember this is based on the Remote Desktop Protocol and supports Encryption.  I find that the key here is more of how good the pipe is coming into the office.  DSL is best, Aircard is fine, dial up is... a bit icky but okay... I do find that I really miss a two screen experience though.  I wish multiple monitors on both ends of the RDP session were supported fully.

Some articles here about RDP and it's performance...

Windows IT pro mag

White paper on RDP

Terminal Server Scaling

A little flexibility

So the co-worker got back from Manila and after all my planning and prep for remote access, he had to be a bit more flexible.  Here's some of the things we learned from this trip:

• You may sign up for it here...but it may not be over there.  He ended up getting prepaid cards to “AirborneAccess.net” and used it for an hour's worth of access time per location.  The Tmobile I signed him up for just wasn't in the coffeeshops and hotels he went to.
• Orinoco cards make better connections.  I have an old Orinoco Gold B [not a Proxim label] that will hang off of just about anything.  It's the one card that I find will make solid connections no matter what.  I should have sent it with him.  He found that at times he had to position himself ..just so.. to get access. 

But all in all he was able to have access in many places.  He still had to find a power plug in.  But other than that, finding access, but being a bit flexible abut it, was pretty easy.  I'll checking the laptop back in, scanning it, making sure it's good to go for the next trip.

Uh...guilty...don't leave home without it...

http://www.corporatemedianews.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=33580

A recent survey of U.S. adult computer users, commissioned by Intel Corporation(R) and conducted by Harris Interactive(R), reveals that 34 percent of respondents or their families have taken a laptop PC with them on vacation(1) and half (51 percent) of all respondents are likely to take a laptop PC on a future vacation(2).

...along with the cell phone, battery chargers, the wireless aircard....

Who knew a phone speaks more languages than I do?

I've always said that I speak Californian...not English...but Californian.  And somehow I slid through my high school and college years not being forced to learn enough of a foreign language to be literate in anything other than Californian.  (No, the Taco Bell menu doesn't count as knowing Spanish...'Chalupa' is not a real word, and singing enough latin songs in Choir...well let's just say Latin has a small following in the spoken word department). 

So who knew our phones had more language skills than I do?  All this time I've been thinking that a person who types/sends emails from a Audiovox phone was...

1. Insane
2. Geek
3. Thumb overachiever
4. All of the above

What I didn't realize that there's this 'helper' language on the phone to jump start your responses.  The Tegic T9 language is a 'predictive text' language that will learn as you type.  There's even a T9 dictionary that in the margin gives some interesting tidbits that let you know that 22663 [translation: as a matter of fact] men are more likely than women to send a mobile instant message or text message at a busy meeting [30% versus 17%], but 3949 [translation: For what it's worth], women are more likely than men to send one when they are using crowded public transportation [41% versus 30%], and in bed [26% versus 14%].  .....hmmm.... okay I'm a geek but I don't take my cell phone to the bedroom..495946 [translation:  If you know what I mean]

So on more googling it appears that this is called “Textonyms” and T9 isn't the only language out there but a whole category of predictive languanges.  24868 [Translation: But in the Meantime] T9 is a subsidiary of AOL .... I mean ..... who knew that what I see as a form of leet speak was going to be turned into a standard for cell phone messaging.

Once again proving that one should 78369 or better yet 7836 [translations:  see below].

P.S.  I noticed in Cnet's reviews they say the Audiovox is “difficult to sync to a corporate email server”... well if you are as blonde as I was yes...otherwise... I disagree on that one. 

Translation:  78369 = Read the Documentation/Directions

Translation 7836 = Read the F....... well you know..  the manual

I got no strings

So the partner in my office went to make changes to his address book and then got out the usb cable to syncronize the phone.  But wait.. we don't need any cables.  The cool thing about the Audiovox 5660 phone [aka the SeanDaniel.com phone] is that once it's set up, it not only will automagically sync up, but with a mere rocker bar you can scroll to the sync button and manually sync it.

Just like Pinocchio, we don't need any cables anymore to make the sync connection.  And now that I know the steps, I told another in the office that it would be way much easier setting up the next one if they wanted to update their phones.  The partner said he was going to take it to a meeting on Monday and show it to the Attorney who was using a Blackberry.  He said that he was in a conference the other day and they needed to make a conference call and they just used the Attorney's cell phone speakerphone ability.  It was that good.  We both agreed that we really like the size of the Audiovox.  It was smaller than his old clunky Nokia and then way way smaller than the Blackberry.  Granted the advantage that the Blackberry has is a slightly larger keyboard for email...but I'm a gal who always says “pick your tool“.  If you need to email 'that' much ...take a tablet pc along with a wireless aircard.

This blog post mentions that in the UK they have an offer for a free trial to some executives.  Check it out.  Even they know the power of the “WOW” method of selling.  No marketing.. no glossy ads... just showing someone it works.

It's not that long ago that I had a brick of a cell phone and now the partner has Outlook and Internet in his pocket.  Keep in mind that I've only enabled OMA and haven't opened up any additional ports to my network.  Look how much more efficient I've just made someone in the office with an investment of about US$200.

I'd even strongly recommend that you consultants pick up this phone [or a Windows Mobile Smart Phone Device like it].  Remember the marketing method used to sell it to us?  It [or something like it] was seen in use.  When you use it in front of your clients... you will sell it...and if they don't have a SBS 2003 network ... well you just might sell one of those too.   

There are times I am SOOOOOOO blonde - As the Cingular Turns part three

Sometimes it's the stupid little things that trip you up and then get you frustrated so you don't check the things that are trying to tell you the problem.

Here it was...in my event logs for the last day trying to tell me ...Girl... hello.... the user login name isn't what you put in... it's supposed to be something else...and I wasn't looking for the clues.

So let's start over and showcase all the places I screwed up.

1.  The basics of the phone.  First off get that phone so it can surf the web.  Problem number one that I had was that I didn't realize that the phone was slightly screwed up and I wasn't getting Internet access.  No access, no Sync.  So step number one in that Mobility document beside setting up the server side [to get OMA to work] is to ensure your phone can even GET to the web.  If not... get that fixed first with the Cingular folks. [for the record turning the phone off and then back on did the trick ...duh]

While there is a guide here:  Accessing browser settings on the Audiovox SMT5600 (KB34899) and the best way to find that document is to put 34899 in this search box.  Better yet call Cingular's Data Technical Support team at 866-490-2666.  Get the phone correct, get the OMA working and test it [go to https://server/OMA put in the username and password and ensure it works.  Now step two...the Certs..

2.  The basics of the certificate in place. Now in a perfect world the SBSmobility config thingy would work and if you already have SBS 2003 sp1 in place you have Active Sync 3.8 ..but ...we don't live in a perfect world...so of course I had to manually install the certs on my phone.  There are two ways to get them off a system and get them on a phone.  In IE, Tools, Content, Certificates, see the two certs that ...one is for your domain name...the other is publishing.domainame?  Export them to a local place on the computer's C drive and the using the ActiveSync Explore ability to open up that smart phone, stick them in My documents.  Now go to the phone, in the file manager, to the my documents and click on them to install.  You can also export out certs using the MMC [start, run, MMC, Add a snap in for Certificates and export them out that way].  In fact even if the SBS mobility configuration does automagically work, it wouldn't hurt to browse and confirm that those certificates are installed....start..settings...more... certificates..root...more... scroll down and your two certs from your server should be there.

Okay got all those parts in place?  Cool.  Now comes the important step:

3.  The basics of the credentials for access.  ENSURE THAT THE USERNAME YOU PUT IN TO THE ACTIVESYNC SET UP IS THE RIGHT NAME AND IT'S CAPITALIZED PROPERLY.  For some insanely stupid reason I thought the login name for the user I was setting this up for was one thing..and instead.. it was another.  So here I am trying like crazy last night and it would not work.  Meanwhile back in my Security event logs... my system was patiently telling me that I was close...but had screwed up the username/password.  Yup I had even been getting Event 529's in the security log file.  I mean how much more blonde could I have been?  Hello?  There it was in my face telling me that I had messed up the most basic of the settings.  So while the phone was now off the cable, all I had to do was to enter the RIGHT user name [making sure I hit T9 for caps] and .....there we go.... technology working....

So voila we sync and at the end it asks me for the SMS phone number and just remember it's the phone number of the device@mobile.mycingular.net.

Now.. knowing that the password for the domain is on this device...NO WONDER in Exchange 2003 sp2 they will add the feature that you can remotely 'kill' the device to ensure that someone can't get unauthorized access.

The moral of this exercise?

Make sure you check the BASICS.  I did some very dumb things along the way because I assumed I had them in place.  I didn't.

But now we have a little more WOW in place at the office.

[and pssst... we just added the category of “Mobility” to the blog]

P.S.  You 'can' obviously do this with merely an IP address access to the server...just leave the domain name blank.  You can do this with a tzo.com account...and with a real account... you can even do all of this WITHOUT using SMTP email [yes even if you are a Pop connector person and have no MX records or open port 25...this all works automagically...well... if you are a bit more brunette anyway....]

As the Cingular Turns, part 2...

The good news the Audiovox is now connecting to the Internet [uh...fixed that one with the Cingular guy having me turn the phone off and then on again]

hmmm .... I'm not doing something right....

While I have the active sync 3.8 on the workstation, and Chad walked me through manually installing the certificates on my device [the instructions aren't clear that you have to go to the 'my documents' on the device and click to install the certs there] So the certificates of my server and the publishing one are there...but it still will not connect.

Then when I try to use the automated config tool I get this in the log file:

7/2005 23:55: 4 -- Start Logging
SUCCESS: Located a  suitabile connected device.
INFORMATION: sbsmobcfg.exe launched in main config mode.
ERROR: Could not get server "Server" name from: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Windows Small Business Server\Clients\config.dat
ERROR: Could not get domain name "Domain" from: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Windows Small Business Server\Clients\config.dat
ERROR: Could not get config VPN status "VPN" from: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Windows Small Business Server\Clients\config.dat
ERROR: Could not get phone number "Number" from: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Windows Small Business Server\Clients\config.dat
ERROR: Could not create an ICertificate object.
SUCCESS: Server Sync feature configured.
SUCCESS: Successfully configured mobile device.
ERROR: Could not delete SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows CE Services\AutoStartOnConnect -> SBSWirelessConfig value.

Hint there is no config file on the local machine but I followed the mobility document to shoot down activeSync 3.8 and it 'is' there.

But you can look at the device and the server setup appears to be there.  Now here's the insane thing I do at the office... my remote access isn't tied to a domain name [don't ask it's the way I like it] instead it's an IP address but the ISA cert matches that so I'm not sure if that is throwing it a curve.  I'll call Cellular tomorrow and give it another go.

Once I get this working... it looks like it will be really cool.. I'm just missing something stupid, I know....

Technology is never quite as easy as it seems

Well here I am back home reading the... um... cdrom I guess you'd call it.  The Audiovox didn't come with a manual, just a quickstart guide and instead with a cdrom that you had to browse to find the PDF manual.  And I'm obviously missing something.  I sync'd.  Then I had to manually run the SBS mobility config file and when I go to synchronise it gives me a “failed to connect would you like to try pass through settings”.... uh...okay...whatever that is...so now that I read the Small Business Mobility document, I'm off to the Audiovox document and Wayne's chapter in the Advanced Windows Small Business Server 2003 book to see what I missed.

For all I know it could be the cell phone not fully set up.  I'm not sure if I need to set up the Xmail or whatever the Cingular service is, but it also doesn't appear that the plain ol' Internet [IE on the phone] is working.  So I need to read up as to what I missed.

My sister and I were joking that instructions need to be more step by step....

1. Open the box
2. Remove the phone from the box
3. Turn on the phone
4. Take the twisty tie off the power cord
5. Save the twisty tie in case you want to wrap the power cord back up exactly the way it was [which of course you never can]
6. Firmly grab the power cord and extend it to ensure that you cannot wrap the power cord exactly the way it was
7. ....you get the idea :-)

Like one of the question I have about the settings that isn't clear on page 21 is that it says “enter the domain name for the Windows Small Business Server“.  Okay ... does that mean the domain name on the inside or the domain name on the outside?  Like when I log into the network at the office all I see as the 'domain name' is DOMAIN, not DOMAIN.LOCAL or DOMAIN.COM.  So I'm not quite sure which domain that is.  Plus if you have a dyanamic IP or no domain name [as you can set up a server by accessing it with https://ipaddress/remote and Remote Web Workplace will work]  or https://domain.tzo.com/remote what exact fully qualified domain name are you talking about?  I only open up 443 on my servers, thus the instruction to put in the “fully qualified domain name“ at home is https://domain.tzo.com/remote.  So in those cases when it wants Server name and Domain, in a dynamic setup or places where folks haven't set up a domain name and are using an IP address... can they still use this? 

It's not clear to me.

In the meantime... since I can't get to the Internet on the device at all, I'm not 100% sure it's even fully ready to go.

Bottom line... I'm reading and seeing what I missed.

In the meantime...the phone is charging.