Tech: How to Set up VPN on a Cingular Wireless HTC 8125 Running Windows Mobile 5

So you just bought a brand new, fancy smart phone from Cingular Wireless that runs Windows Mobile 5.0. It's got everything you need to entertain and stay connected. All you need now is to be able to use it to securely access your corporate email and intranet web documents. If you're saavy enough to have figured out how to configure the network connections in Windows mobile, you may have already seen your phone connect to the VPN server and fail. If this has happened to you, or you are not sure where to start, here's what to do:

1. Select Start -> Settings -> Connections -> Connections -> Advanced

This will open the connections screen that will allow you to define connection ordering, intranet URLs needed for the VPN Server, and the VPN server settings.



2. Open Select Networks

By default you will most likely see Media Net as the connection used to connect to the Internet. If you are not using a VPN, or you do not require the use of nondefault network ports, this will work fine for you. However, this connection relies on a proxy server, and uses the wrong access point. Instead, do the following:



3. Change the Media Net connection to My ISP.

If My ISP does not exist, create a new connection.



4. Create a new modem called Cingular GPRS APN that uses a Cellular Line (GPRS)


5. Select Next and set isp.cingular as the access point for the connection to use


6. Set the User name as ISP@CINGULARGPRS.COM, password as CINGULAR1, and leave the domain field blank.


7. Select Finish

You now have a working Internet connection that can also communicate with VPN servers. Next, you'll want to configure your work connection which includes the VPN server information. Perform the following:


8. Select Edit under My Work Connection


9. Select the VPN tab


10. Create a new VPN connection by selecting New

Choose a connection name and the fully qualified hostname of the externally facing VPN server. Choose the appropriate VPN type. If you are using Microsoft products, it will more than likely need to be set to pptp.



11. Select Next, and fill in the appropriate fields for User name, Password, and Domain.


12. Select Finish.

Now you have a working VPN connection. The last remaining item, is to create filtering rules so that your email or web client will know what URLs are internal. Perform the following:



13. From the Network Management Screen, select ok.

You should now be back at the Connections screen.

14. Select Exceptions


15. Select Add new URL

Here you will want to create wildcarded URLs for all of your internal domains including the domain for your email server, and any web servers you will be accessing. You are now ready to go! Interestingly enough, I was only able to get a VPN connection initially established through the Outlook client and not the Web client. Once the VPN connection had been established however, I could access whatever intranet web documents I wanted. Be sure to set up your web client to use the internal server name (and an associated exception filter) in order for this to work correctly. You are now ready to join the mobile workforce, and check your email from the beach...if that's what you REALLY want to do while you're there. Have fun!