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Author How-to guide: T68i + Windows Xp + Usb cable
rivieram
T68i
Joined: Nov 07, 2002
Posts: 15
From: Sonora, CA
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Posted: 2002-11-08 05:40
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Important: See new information about updating your USB ports at the end of this post.

After several days of experimentation and reading in the forums, I have figured out the definitive way to get XP to recognize your T68i with a USB cable (DCU-10). Here it is:

Correct Software Version
To use any of the fun software for the T68i (Outlook synchronization, Image Editor, etc.), you need to have Mobile Phone Monitor running and you need Release 5. To get it:

1. Go to Communications Suite Download Page.

Correctly Installing The Software
1. For a clean install, use Control Panel/Add-Remove Programs to remove any previous version of the "Ericsson Communications Suite" or "XTNDConnect PC" that might be on your system. These are listed as two separate entries, so look for both.

2. During installation, you will be asked, "Create a shortcut to the Dial-Up Wizard on your desktop?" It is important that you say "Yes" because you'll need this shortcut later. If you've already installed Release 5 and don't have the shortcut, make a shortcut to this program:

"C:(backslash)Program Files(backslash)Ericsson(backslash)Communications Suite(backslash)phonesettings.exe" /Dun_wizard

Install The Cable First
Before running the software, setup the cable by itself. Plug the cable in without the phone connected and wait for XP to recognize it as a new USB device.

Tell Monitor Where To Find The Phone
To get Mobile Phone Monitor to start automatically when you connect the phone, you must first set it up to search the correct port. Here's how:

1. Click the Start menu. Then right-click on My Computer.
2. Click the Hardware tab, then click the Device Manager button.
3. Click the "plus" sign (+) next to Ports. Look for your USB cable to be listed there.
4. Next to the cable, in parenthesis, you'll see a COM port number like this: (COM 4). Write down your number.
5. Click Device Manager.
6. Click the Start menu again. This time click Control Panel.
7. On the left side, click "Switch to Classic View".
8. Double-click on Phone Monitor Options to open it.
9. Click the COM Ports tab. You'll see a list of COM ports, including the one you found in step 4 We'll call this your COM port. Using the buttons on this tab, make sure that your COM port is Enabled and Reserved. Then use the button to "turn off" all other COM ports, making them Disabled and Not Reserved. (Note: In this context, "Disabled" means "don't look for a phone here." It doesn't affect your use of the COM ports for other things.) Following the example in step 4, I would "turn on" COM 4 and "turn off" all other ports.
10. Click the Setup tab. Click the option labeled "Show icon only when phone is connected." You'll need this to tell when XP can "see" your phone.
11. Click Apply, then Ok to close Mobile Phone Monitor.

Everyday Instructions: Connnecting And Using The Phone
As another reader pointed out, Dial-Up Wizard seems to be the only program that can reliably find your phone and maintain a connection. With it open, you can use any other programs that communicate with your T68i. Here's how to get a reliable connection every time:

1. Turn on your phone and leave it at the standby screen (desktop background showing).
2. Start the Dial-Up Wizard but Don't do anything with it. Just let it start and leave it alone.
3. Press the "NO" button on your phone to help wake-up Mobile Phone Monitor.
3. Look for the Mobile Phone Monitor icon to appear in the notification area (next to the clock). This is confusing because there are two icons that look like mobile phones. Monitor is the one on the left. (Pause your mouse over both icons to see the difference; XTNDConnect PC's icon is on all the time but Monitor's is only on when the phone is connected.)

If the Dial-Up Wizard comes up with a dialog box that asks you to "choose which phone" but, in the list of phones, says "None," you need to close Dial-Up Wizard, press "NO" on the phone, and start Dial-Up Wizard again.

If the Monitor icon is showing up, you're ready to use any T68i cable application (Outlook sync, Image Editor, My Pictures, etc.). Don't close Dial-Up Wizard until you are done using the phone with the PC. If you accidentally close it, start again at step 1 of this section. If the Monitor icon goes away but the Wizard is still running, press the "NO" key on your phone to wake-up Monitor. (Be sure to check in the "hidden icon" area under the arrow button. If you haven't used the phone connection in several minutes, XP hides the icon.)

New Information: Making later changes to your USB ports
I installed some new USB devices and lost access to my phone... until I discovered these facts:

1. XP adds and removes COM ports as you add or move USB devices around. This is very dangerous for Phone Monitor 'cause you just set it up to look on one port only.
2. Phone Monitor won't work with a COM port number higher than 4... even though it will let you choose COM 5, 6, 7, etc.

The solution is three parts:

1. Don't move your USB cable once it is installed. Leave it in the same physical port in your computer. Moving the cable later will change the COM port. If you must move the cable or you add a hub (like I did), go back to the Tell Monitor Where To Find The Phone section of these instructions and start again there.

2. Don't try to use the cable on a COM port numbered higher than 4. The only way to tell this is to plug the cable into various physical USB ports on your computer and watch what happens in My Computer/Hardware/Device Manager/Ports (see Tell Monitor Where To Find The Phone in this post), checking to make sure the cable is assigned to a COM port of 4 or less.

This should save you the headache of losing access to your T68i (which of course, once you have, you can't live without!) as you add and move USB devices on your system.

With these directions I've successfully sync'd Outlook with the phone (this is way cool) and used many other T68i applications. Hope this helps. Good luck!

David




[ This Message was edited by: rivieram on 2002-11-22 06:01 ]

[ This Message was edited by: rivieram on 2002-11-22 06:03 ]
Bug One
P900
Joined: Oct 31, 2002
Posts: 98
From: Kent, UK
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Posted: 2002-11-08 08:35
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Nice work. Thanks for spending the time to help others.
hyperken
Samsung Galaxy Note
Joined: Jun 24, 2002
Posts: > 500
From: Malaysia
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Posted: 2002-11-08 09:37
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nice job keep it up
/
Trace
T68 gold
Joined: Nov 11, 2002
Posts: 7
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Posted: 2002-11-11 13:55
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Fantastic! However, the Sony site appears to be severely sick, and I can't get past step 1 - i.e. download the communication suite.

Does anyone know of an alternative site?? Or could someone put on on a FTP site for me? Or email it to me? I know it's 24 MB, but I really want to play :(
jocer
T68 gold
Joined: Oct 14, 2002
Posts: 47
From: Philippines, Makati
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Posted: 2002-11-11 15:03
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Hello is this same for windows98se?
if not can I have a copy of instruction just like that


thanks
jocer
T68 gold
Joined: Oct 14, 2002
Posts: 47
From: Philippines, Makati
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Posted: 2002-11-11 15:10
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any alternative site?
Frieda
T300
Joined: Nov 11, 2002
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Posted: 2002-11-12 00:30
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can't seem to be able to install the XTNDConnect PC program.. at first it said i had to run outlook, then i started outlook and tried again, but it keeps telling me i have to purchase and uninstalls.

anyone?
rivieram
T68i
Joined: Nov 07, 2002
Posts: 15
From: Sonora, CA
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Posted: 2002-11-12 06:53
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Frida,

If you could be more clear with the message, I could try to help you. "i have to purchase and uninstalls." doesn't make any sense. Try to tell me exactly what the dialog box says that you are seeing.

David
T68iFan
T68i mineral
Joined: Oct 18, 2002
Posts: 214
From: Los Angeles
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Posted: 2002-11-12 07:29
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Well done, Rivieram.

This post was posted from a T68i

T68iFan
T68i mineral
Joined: Oct 18, 2002
Posts: 214
From: Los Angeles
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Posted: 2002-11-12 07:30
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Well done, Rivieram.

This post was posted from a T68i

Frieda
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Joined: Nov 11, 2002
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Posted: 2002-11-12 13:17
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ok here we go. i'll try to be more clear.

when trying to install the Communications Suite package 1,1,5,1 which contains the MobilePhoneMonitor and the XTNDConnect PC, Windows XP gives me a warning: "Microsoft Outlook must be run prior to installing XTNDConnect PC". Well, i'm running Outlook so this warning doesn't really make sense.

the next thing i get is an install screen where i have to pick which version of XTNDConnect PC i want to install, the version you have to purchase online with more functions, or the regular version (no purchase required). if i go for the regular version, again i get that same warning: "Microsoft Outlook must be run prior to installing XTNDConnect PC". i can pick retry or cancel, and retry doesn't seem to work (same message pops up) so that leaves me with the cancel button. as soon as i press it i get another popup screen that says "purchase" and the whole thing uninstalls.

kroobie
T68 gold
Joined: Nov 12, 2002
Posts: 1
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Posted: 2002-11-12 22:05
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I am now up and running thanks to Rivieram's excellent instructions - many thanks!

I did have the same problem as Frieda at first tho because you have to have Outlook installed to install the XTND stuff otherwise it aborts the installation.

I have always used Outlook Express up till now but I had to install Outlook to install the XTND stuff.

Fortunately I had a copy of Outlook - bit of a bummer for those who use Outlook Express and don't have Outlook.

Kat

[ This Message was edited by: kroobie on 2002-11-12 21:06 ]
Frieda
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Posted: 2002-11-13 01:06
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aw no.. that's it? hmm need to get myself a copy of outlook then.. hmpf!
rivieram
T68i
Joined: Nov 07, 2002
Posts: 15
From: Sonora, CA
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Posted: 2002-11-13 05:31
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Thanks, Kroobie, for the follow-up.

I was going to say the same thing... Outlook (something that comes with MS Office) is a different program from Outlook Express (a freebie with Windows).

If you do any real contact management, Outlook is definitely worth having. Very sophisticated.

As for the XTNDConnect PC free vs. paid issue, I would not recommend clicking "Paid" unless you actually plan to pay for and download the paid version. It can sync with other contact management programs (besides Outlook), so if you have one of those, that might be useful for you. The list of programs it syncs with is available on this page from the company's site.

Good luck,
David
rivieram
T68i
Joined: Nov 07, 2002
Posts: 15
From: Sonora, CA
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Posted: 2002-11-13 05:35
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Jocer,

For Windows 98, most of the same instructions apply -- except the "daily instructions" at the end of my post. Once you have everything installed correctly, you should not have to do anything except plug-in the phone to the end of the USB cable. If that doesn't work, post here and let me know.

Does Windows 98 even support USB? '98 was a long time ago! Just FYI, that operating system is considered very unreliable. You'd be better off spending the $99 to upgrade to Windows XP.

David
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