How Can I Troubleshoot Connecting My Windows Mobile or CE Device?

End Of Support for Windows Mobile/CE

Please note that as of 12/31/2020, FoundryLogic no longer supports Windows Mobile and CE devices. Please see the V5 FAQ for more information.

Overview

When having difficulty connecting Windows Mobile or CE devices, the three most common problem areas are:

  1. ActiveSync or Windows Mobile Device Center (WMDC)
  2. Device Host and Port Settings
  3. Network Configuration and Firewall

Active Sync and Windows Mobile Device Manager (WMDC)

(Unless otherwise noted, the rest of this guide refers to both Active Sync and Windows Mobile Device Manager as simply Active Sync.)

If the device is physically connected and powered on, but Active Sync refuses to recognize it, please follow these troubleshooting steps:

  • If using Windows Mobile, disable Advanced Network Functionality. Tap Start > Settings > Connections tab > USB to PC > remove checkmark inbox next to “Advanced Network Functionality”.
  • If the host PC is Windows 10, check to see if Windows Mobile Device Center is installed.  If not, download from http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=3182.  Before you run the install, change the compatibility settings to ‘Windows 7’.
  • If the host PC is Windows 10, try the following:
  • Warm boot/reset the device. See your device’s documentation on how to do this.
  • In Active Sync’s Connection Settings for the device, try the following:
    • If “This computer is connected to:” is set to Automatic, try setting it to Internet and vice-versa.
    • Check that “Allow USB connections” is enabled.
    • If “Allow USB connections” is enabled, disable it, reboot the PC, then re-enable it.
  • Try using a different USB port.
  • Remove all device partnerships.
  • On the PC, go to Start > Control Panel > Device Manager and uninstall the device driver for any unrecognized USB device(s).
  • Try using a different docking cable.
  • Try using a different docking cradle.
  • Shutdown and unplug the PC for 1 minute. Then plugin and restart the PC.

Host and Port Settings

If Active Sync recognizes the device, but the device is unable to sync with Retail Mobile Services, please check the host and/or port settings on the device going to Menu > Options > Server.

Note a common mistake is to forget to update the Server’s IP address when moving devices between store locations.

Also note that a blank Server value is valid and causes the device to connect to an instance of Retail Mobile Services running on the workstation to which the device is currently connected.  Windows, however, sometimes fails to resolve the IP address of the Active Sync host correctly, but you can enter the IP address of the workstation yourself.  (The DOS command ipconfig is useful for quickly determining the IP address.)

Unless otherwise directed, set the port to 6131.  Most users do not need to change this.

Network Configuration and Firewalls

If after ensuring that the device is recognized by Active Sync and that the host and port settings are correct, check for network configuration and firewall settings that may be blocking connections between the device and Retail Mobile Services.  Use a browser to connect to directly to Retail Mobile Services using one of the following URLs:

http://<host>:/time

Where <host> should be replaced with the IP address of the workstation where Retail Mobile Services is running and <port> should be replaced with port number (6131 unless otherwise directed).

If the connection is successful, the server returns the date and time.  If unsuccessful, the browser will display an error.  An error indicates a network configuration or firewall setting is blocking connections to Retail Mobile Services.  It could also mean that Retail Mobile Services was not installed, was not installed correctly, or is simply not running.