Group,

I bought iPronto and I am trying to make it communicate with my laptop without using any access point, but unfortunately with no results. The version of the firmware is 1.5.8. Does anyone knows if the absence of the wireless access point makes the difference for not establishing communication between the iPronto and the laptop?

This message was edited by castorwax on 07/27/04 18:23.

Yes it needs a Wi-fi wireless router to communicate with your lap top. The lap top also needs the router to communicate with other devices. you can by a Wi-Fi router rather cheap now days.

The iPronto cannot operate in "ad-Hoc" mode ... as aimdoug says, you *WILL* need to get an access point to be able to program the iPronto from your laptop. You will also need the access point to be able to access anything using the iPronto's Web Browser or use the iPronto's EPG...

Phil

If that's true, then it should be possible to use a sniffer to determine the protocol used with the NetX device. Then, one could talk to the NetX device from any WiFi equipped device.

And, it should also be possible to use the iPronto with the Global Caché GC-100 which is far more capable than the NetX device.

Probably - I know that there was discussion about making the protocols for the NetX public but I don't know whether that got shelved for licensing issues.


Well - you'd have to be able to get the iPronto to "talk" the right data of course. I have been trying to convince Philips that we need some way of passing messages (rather than commands) out of the iPronto so that things can be triggered (such as home automation events etc.) and they did show interest in this but it's just a case of trying to find a way to integrate it in to the iPronto without it being something that only has limited use or functionality.

Phil

Phil

The GC-100 needs TCP strings and uses a simple format that is much like the CCF hex format but with decimal numbers and comma delimiters.

Re talking to the NetX. My contention is that the iPronto does not talk to the NetX for purposes of sending IR patterns through the wifi Network. I say this because I did put a sniffer on the system and the only TCPIP traffic occurred when a PC was talking to the NetX. It then did a broadcast UDP discovery. When the iPronto was talking to the netx for IR transmissions there was never any IP traffic on the network.

My belief is that the iPronto talks to the netx in a manner similar to how teh pronto talks to its RF to IR converter. No one has been able to prove me wrong or show me why my thinking is erroneous

Then why would the NetX need an IP address? Why not just use the RFX6000? My bet is it uses the network to set the IP address but then uses Ad Hoc mode to send the IR data.

You might be correct. I had no way of verifying if they were using Ad Hoc. I would like to do that, do you have any suggestions. What i really want to do is have the ipronto talk directly via RF to my PC that runs my home theater. I currently use IR and it works fine. Can any one send me someplace where "Ad Hoc" mode is described.

I don't have a link that explains ad hoc.

A wireless packet sniffer like [Link: packet-sniffer.net] should help you sort things out.

I found a link which provided enough of an explanation. I would chase after the Netx stuff if I had a netX. When I saw no traffic in my original testing, I returned the netX.

What I got from the link was that I could set up a windows PC to have both an ad hoc connection and a wired ethernet connection under Windows XP. I would need to Reverse emgineer the protocol but that is doable, If I had the netx and the wireless packet sniffer. Anyone want to loan me a netX? I don't feel like shelling out $300. I would buy the wireless packet snifter. Too bad the browser on the ipronto is so lame.

[Link: microsoft.com]

Hello !
I am waiting in a few days my new Ipronto

You say that a WiFI router is necessary ?
Actually, I have 4 PC linked to an Ethernet Hub-switch and an ADSL Ethernet Modem-Router
I have not any WIFI router

For programming, updating the Ipronto, I planned to add, in one of these networked PC, a WIFi card..
have a look to the 3rd picture on :
[Link: asus.com]
I thought that the PC would be an Internet server for the Ipronto...

With this solution, you say that it will not be OK for the Ipronto to access to the Internet ?

Thanks for any help :)

Best regards from France

This message was edited by Jean-Max on 09/12/04 12:46 ET.

Barry,

I've been asking Philips whether it might be possible to have a "Software NetX" which sits on a PC and then you attach actions to iPronto commands but I don't know whether they considered it "possible" (i.e. feasible) or not.

I guess what you could really do with is something like a Girder iPronto plugin (I don't like Girder - too damn complicated for new users like me but it is a powerfull application).

Phil

Hello !

Why not an HTML interface in the HTPC to receive commands from the Ipronto's Web Browser ?
This HTML interface would allow every HTPC command (read DVDs, MP3, SatTV and so on.. )
If the HTPC is in fixed mode IP, this HTPC HTML interface would be easyly used from Ipronto from an unique favorite shortcut :
YES or NO ?

Thanks for any idea about this :)
Best regards frim France

Yes, a good idea however by using (something like) a software NetX you would not have to drop over to one of the web browsers - you would be able to remain within the "remote" part of the iPronto.

Phil