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Setting up my wireless network on the IPAQ 910c was very easy.  When I turned the WIFI radio on, the IPAQ 910c detected my network and prompted me for my WEP encryption code.  As soon as I entered the encryption code, the device was connected.  I had hoped that I could copy and paste the code from a note I have stored on my computer (I can do this on my windows mobile 2003 device), but copying and pasting the encryption code didn’t work on the 910c.

The WIFI connection settings options and input screens are fairly similar to those on my IPAQ hw6925, which runs WM5.0, but there are some notable differences.  WM6.1 allows you to connect to a network that uses WPA2 or WPA2-PSK authentication and AES data encryption.

To get to the devices WIFI configurations, Tap Start > Settings > Connections tab > WIFI.  You’ll be taken to the main Wireless Networks screen, which should look familiar to you.

Wireless tab

Tapping Menu on the lower right hand side of the screen yields the following options:  Add New, Remove Settings, Edit, Advanced, and Turn Off Wi-Fi.  Most of these options are self explanatory so do not provoke any further discussion, but the Advanced option is new and different:

Network Adapters tab

The network adapters tab shows all the adapters that are installed on the device.  I have never configured any of the network adapters on any of my mobile devices – the default settings work just fine for me.

If you tap an adapter and then select the Edit option you can change some IP address and some name server addresses.  These screens are similar to those you’d find on a WM5.0 device.

Add New….. or Edit Wireless Network Configurations

Manually adding a network or editing an existing WIFI connection is similar to how you’d do it on most other windows mobile devices:

Tap Start > Settings > Connections tab > WIFI

Tapping Add New . . . or tapping any networks that are displayed in the screen take you though a series of Configure Wireless Network screens:

I don’t know if the option to designate a network as hidden is new to WM6.1, but it is a new feature for IPAQs.

Tapping Next takes you to the Configure Network Authentication screen where you will select the type of authentication and data encryption used on the wireless network and where you can enter required encryption keys or passphrases.

The types of Authentication that are supported under WM6.1 are:

• Open
• Shared
• WPA
• WPA-PSK
• WPA2
• WPA2-PSK

Data Encryption options that are supported under WM6.1 differ based on the type authentication selected for the wireless network:

• If Shared or Open Authentication is selected, you can select Disabled or WEP data encryption
• If any form of WPA Authentication is selected, you can select TKIP or AES data encryption

WPA2 and WPA2-PSK authentication and AES data encryption is new to WM6.1

Tapping Next takes you to another Configure Network Authentication screen

If you use IEEE 801.1x network access control, you can select Smart Card or Certificate or PEAP and set up any related properties by tapping the Properties button.

Internet Explorer

Internet Explorer runs much faster on the IPAQ 901c than on my IPAQ hw6925, but the application itself hasn’t changed much from WM5.0.  There are a few nice additions to Internet Explorer on this WM6.1 device.

The Menu option has been changed to include more efficient access to commonly used options:

The Zoom Out option is new and seems useful

All in all, other than moving options around and changing some of the menu options, nothing has changed much from WM5.0.

Coming Next

There are some notable enhancements in the text messaging and email functionality on the IPAQ 901c that will be the subject of my next article.  Interesting enhancements include:

• Threaded text messaging
• HP Voice Reply
• Follow up options
• Folder management
• Sorting options

Julie (15 Posts) - Website | Twitter | Facebook

Julie is a moderator on MobilitySite. She is a Microsoft MVP Mobile Devices and also moderates on Microsoft's Windows Mobile forum and is frequent contributor on HP's IPAQ forum. Julie's windows mobile blog is http://pocketprimer.com); and you can follow her on twitter (@ProfJulie)