Always-on networking via GPRS

Mikko Rauhala mjrauhal at cc.helsinki.fi
Tue May 1 17:56:06 CEST 2007


ti, 2007-05-01 kello 17:58 +0300, Nuutti Kotivuori kirjoitti:
> As I've understood, on the GSM level, the GPRS connection gets paused
> on text messages and incoming calls - but the GPRS call can still be
> resumed. On answering a call or making a call yourself, I take it that
> the GPRS call will get disconnected. Did I get this part right?

All correct.

> Or is there a way to keep GPRS alive over voice calls?

No, it's Class B, which can be attached to both GPRS and GSM services at
once, but only utilize one or the other at any one time.

> Or do text messages disconnect the GPRS connection?

Yes, though the suspension of GPRS should be rather minor since SMS
transmissions generally don't take that much time.

> On the actual software level, I guess this means that PPP will get
> disconnected on voice calls, so the 'ppp0' device will go appear and
> disappear and possibly change IP-addresses on every disconnection as
> well. Is there any way to have the device survive disconnections?

This shouldn't be necessary (and isn't on other Class B phones), though
is, I guess, partly a software issue (that is, is able to be handled
badly :). As said, the GPRS just gets paused, not turned off, so it
should merely block for a while and should be recoverable after
voice/SMS use, at least if Neo's GPRS chip isn't somehow more limited
than eg. an N-Gage (my current phone, was the cheapest Putty capable one
at the time ;] ). On that phone, I can happily continue an existing
Putty terminal session after a phone call has interrupted it, kinda
expect to be able to do the same with the Neo.

> USB-networking is probably no problem since it shows up as a normal
> ethernet device on both ends. But how to do Bluetooth networking? One
> choice would be to do Bluetooth PAN. This would require 'pand' and
> modules on the Neo1973 side. The device should be configured as a
> Bluetooth NAP, I guess.

Hmm, I was thinking of putting the NAP on the other side, but it can
make sense to do it this way too, one supposes. Anyways, once I get my
Neo, I'll certainly be exploring Bluetooth PAN networking for wireless
at home and perhaps work (and hey, then I can use my laptop as a BT/WiFi
bridge ;P ).

(I'll pass on DUN, it's just... more of a kludge, and we have a proper
hackable system to be able to do it right. Some may of course find it
useful for legacy device connectivity via Neo.)

-- 
Mikko Rauhala   - mjr at iki.fi     - <URL:http://www.iki.fi/mjr/>
Transhumanist   - WTA member     - <URL:http://www.transhumanism.org/>
Singularitarian - SIAI supporter - <URL:http://www.singinst.org/>





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