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PassThru - FAQs

Will PassThru work with the Psion Revo ?

Yes - PassThru has been fully tested with Web and Email without problems. You can also fax using the EasyFax software originally intended for the Psion Series 5 before it was replaced by Message Suite. You can download EasyFax from Psion's site using this link :- EasyFax101f.zip

Will PassThru work with other devices ?

PassThru can be used by any device that has a serial port. I know of one user who found it useful to disable his main PC's Internet Explorer to prevent his kids running up the phone bill on the net and now accesses the internet and email using his laptop PC connected to the desktop machine's modem via PassThru ! I have tested PassThru with a 3c, Series 5, Revo, a Sinclair Z88, and an Amstrad NC100. The program has been registered by users of the following machines :-

Psion Series 3a, 3c, Siena, Series 5, 5mx, 5mx Pro, Revo, Palm, PPC (but most people registering don't specify their client machine unfortunately)

Can PassThru access the Internet through a LAN connection ?

No - PassThru is designed to make a PC equipped with a modem look like an external modem. WinCE and EPOC32 devices can access the Internet in this way using the direct connection option. The disadvantage of this approach is that it requires the cooperation of the LAN owner and you usually have to install additional software on the host machine. Also, some LAN setups prevent you from accessing your POP3 mail server through the proxy connection. However, if you have the cooperation of the appropriate IT department then this is the best way for regular connections. You can find out more from the following links :- MochaPPP | Setup Instructions

Can PassThru access a network printer ?

Yes - if you specify the full network printer name in the 'Printer Port' option then the PrinThru option will print across a LAN in this manner.

Sometimes PassThru seems to freeze after a connection is terminated ?

If you get a bad disconnect it is possible for PassThru to get stuck in a loop where it has only been able to send part of a packet of information. I had to put this 'feature' (deliberate bug !) in v1.07 to overcome a fault that can occur in fax transmissions. Basically fax allows the possibility of data loss at the receiving end (if you think about traditional paper faxes this must be the case - how do you 'unprint' lines with errors on them ?) and this can cause havoc with the handshaking between the PC and the palmtop which is designed to be error-free. In versions prior to 1.07 long waits could result in timeouts and consequent 'forgotten' lines. Fix: run any communications application (eg. on a Psion run the Comms program and close it again or enable the communications link) - this will free up PassThru and allow it to be closed normally.

I can get PassThru to work with Comms but why can't I connect to the Internet or access my mail ?

If PassThru operates with any communications program on your Palmtop device, then it should work with any other configured to use the same serial port. There is no way for PassThru to determine whether it is handling an Internet connection, faxing, or using a communications terminal. I always recommend that people start with a communications terminal such as Psion's Comms application first because that is the easiest way to test the connection. Sending fax is the next easiest option followed by web browsing. Email is slightly harder because it relies on two setups being correct; the ISP settings and the Email SMTP/POP3 settings.

Can PassThru be used via Infrared ?

Yes. This works under Windows 95/98/NT. It also works under 2000/XP, provided that you install the very latest version of IrComm2K

Is the connection via PassThru identical to an external modem ?

Not quite - PassThru can't emulate all the lines that software might check; that is the reason why I recommend that handshaking is set to RTS/CTS and that all other options are set to off (ie. DSR/DTR and DCD). Of course software handshaking (XON/XOFF) can be used but there are few applications where this is useful.

Can PassThru use a PCMCIA card modem fitted to a laptop ?

Some people manage to get this to work and others don't - it depends on the modem.

Can PassThru use a Winmodem ?

Some Winmodems emulate a Hayes command set in software well and others don't. Some users have reported that they can get the DOS version of PassThru to work with aWinmodem (because of its' DOS Hayes emulation) but not the 32bit version. Other users have found the opposite applies (!). There are some Winmodems which will just not work whatever you do :-(

I can use PassThru to access the Internet and my Email with my Psion Series 5 and it works OK with Comms but I can't get it to send a fax - what am I doing wrong ?

You must use 19200 baud as the PassThru Palmtop Port Speed in order to use the Psion Email application to send a fax. When the S5 sends a fax it ignores the baud rate setting specified for your modem in the control panel.


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Sunday, 15 February 2004