Pocket PC Networking Error Message

[Mahstah]

I have a support request for the AximUsers.com community.

Today, my Axim X51v presented me with an error message. It reads:

(Title bar) Pocket PC Networking
(Exclamation point yield sign warning icon)
(Error body) Unable to obtain a server-assigned IP address. Try again later or enter an IP address in Network settings.

display_1.JPG

Environment: Windows XP SP2 + all patches, A06 ROM, ActiveSync 4.1

Situation: The pocket PC syncs fine, can access the internet when cradled or over WiFi, and displays the correct DHCP IP address when cradled. There is no functional loss to the Axim but the error message persists. It pops up after about 1 minute when the Axim is set in its cradle to sync. The error message is an annoyance.

Setting a static IP to IP: 169.254.2.1 Subnet Mask: 255.255.0.0 Gateway: 169.254.2.2 did not solve the problem when applied to the adapter Remote-NDIS Host on the Axim. Remote-NDIS Host is the ActiveSync USB network adapter that communicates with the desktop Windows Mobile network adapter. Restarting the desktop computer multiple times and soft resetting the Axim multiple times did not help. Reinstalling ActiveSync did not help either. Disabling the Windows firewall completely did not resolve it. Wireless is disabled, the message is related to the USB “network” connection. The Remote-NDIS Host adapter gets the correct IP when set to DHCP.

I have researched this error message in multiple ways on Google and read a number of other site’s forum posts with this problem (which goes back to WM 2003), but no solutions. Some people suggest setting a static IP, but didn’t get confirmations as to whether it worked. It didn’t work for me. Even the Google groups microsoft.public.pocketpc group has threads regarding it but no confirmed solutions.

I hope someone can help me. I'll give a GeForce 5200 AGP 128MB video card to anyone who solves this. Thanks,

Mahstah

[l0l]

The challenge is on. I saw your message today and began working on it right away ... started late (2 am Mountain time).

I didn't Google, since you mentioned the solution isn't there. Based on the information you provided, I was able to duplicate your error.

THE SOLUTION:

1. Remove the Axim X51V from the cradle.
2. Edit the X51V registry. I used PHM Registry Editor Version 0.7.
3. Look for the registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Comm\RNDISFN1\Parms\TcpIp
Change
EnableDHCP=1
to
EnableDHCP=0
4. Quit the registry editor using Tools > Exit. I did not soft reset the X51V.
5. After making the above registry change, dock the X51V. I waited more than 30 minutes and still no error. Before the registry change, the error appeared between 1 to 3 minutes after docking the X51V.

That's it.

You can keep the GeForce 5200 128 MB AGP video card. It's against my rule to take things from friends. Ask AximUsers.com to give me a promotion ... with the title Moderator.

I'll catch you later today. It's way past my bedtime now - 3.45 am Mountain time.

I've attached the wrong error message file. The correct file is attached in the post (#3) below.

[l0l]

Oops! That was the wrong file. Here's the proper one.

[Mahstah]

Where did you find this solution? Or did you think it up yourself? Excellent job l0l, you may have the only solution on the internet for this error.

I don't know how the problem incarnated itself but your suggestion worked. My best guess is that I frequently try to reproduce problems other people on this site have so I can step by step walkthrough fixes, I'm sure it's my fault.

You surely are top notch support for AximUsers but I don't have the ability to make you a moderator. At 100 posts you will get Senior Member status.

Thanks again, and awesome job (again),

Mahstah

[l0l]

Originally Posted by Mahstah

Where did you find this solution? Or did you think it up yourself? Excellent job l0l, you may have the only solution on the internet for this error.

I don't know how the problem incarnated itself but your suggestion worked. My best guess is that I frequently try to reproduce problems other people on this site have so I can step by step walkthrough fixes, I'm sure it's my fault.

You surely are top notch support for AximUsers but I don't have the ability to make you a moderator. At 100 posts you will get Senior Member status.

Thanks again, and awesome job (again),
Mahstah

Honestly, I did not look for the solution. I trusted you when you said there is no conclusion on the problem ... on the Internet. The difficult part was "how to duplicating the error message". That was my main focus; if I can cause it to happen, I should know what causes it (cause & effect).

My first instinct was ActiveSync on the X51V. Then I thought about the Axim's adapter Remote-NDIS Host, and the Static IPs 169.254.2.1 & 169.254.2.2 used by ActiveSync.

By then, it was quite clear that "something" must be creating a problem in the X51V "communication interface" ... the adapter (RndisFn). With that in mind, I selected the
Remote-NDIS Host adapter and configured it to accept "Server-Assigned IP address".

After docking the X51V for about 1 minute, the error message popped up. Bingo! I was almost sure what to look for to fix it.

Next, I went to check the registry settings for the adapter. And there it was ... DHCP enabled:
"EnableDHCP=1". So I set it to "0" to disable it.

After the change, I docked the X51V for 15 minutes without any error messages.

Then I duplicated the error condition again to make sure it is repeatable. It did. So, after fixing the registry (again), I let the X51V docked for about 30 minutes. When the errorr message did not show up, I knew the problem was fixed.

The hardest part was posting my "solution". I rushed (was afraid someone else could beat me to it), and edited my posts a few times. Took me more than an hour to write.

I was just kidding about the Moderator title ... a bit of fun in between work.

Note:
I also used vxUtil (Info, Ping, etc) for troubleshooting (the network).

Cheers.

[Mahstah]

I didn't think anyone would reply to it at all and was going to "bump" the topic a couple of times before hard resetting. Your intuition and research is much appreciated, not just by me but by others who will find this topic via their search engines (when it gets crawled). Watch as this topic continually gets more views over time.

Thanks again l0l!!!

[mbloof]

Theres a solution to this "error message" ??

In my case, the only time I've NOT seen it is when rebooting my desktop with the Axim cradled.

Great job guys!!

I'll have to go digging around in the Axims registry and fix it.

Thanks!

Mark.

[quepol]

now the follow-up question... i'm no longer getting the annoying pop-up on the PPC itself, but i notice that it's still going through the motions on my desktop.

open up Network Connections and take a gander the next time you sync. on my machine, "Local Area Connection 3" appears; device name is something like "Windows Mobile Device." also, a networking icon appears in the system tray, with the little yellow i'm-searching-for-an-IP-address animation. it obviously never finds one, but "LAC3" remains in my net connections.

any ideas???

bravo on the registry hack!

[Mahstah]

Unless your LAC3 continues with the animation, what you describe is normal. Mine too performs the "help me get an IP" dance in the tray upon cradling, but it stops after 5 seconds. At the moment the dance is over AS is fully connected, having given itself the usual autoconfiguration address.

If your virtual network adapter never stops trying to get an IP, you may have fudged up your network settings on your desktop trying to get rid of the PPC networking error. Uninstalling and reinstalling ActiveSync should fix the problem.

[rael42]

Just a little more information. This fix did not work for me on my X51v. I followed the steps exactly and when I went to dock the ppc, I got the same message back within 3 minutes.

I looked around the registry a bit near that RNDISFN1 key and saw that it had a binding for AnthaVPN and since I installed the full version around the time I started to get the error message, I uninstalled AnthaVPN and now the error seems to be gone.

I installed AnthaVPN (bought the full version before I realized there was a demo) to try and get VPN working on my AXIM. My Palm T|X worked perfectly with our PIX 506e (PPTP) but the AXIM will not work with the built in VPN client and now I've been informed that AnthaVPN has issues with the radio in the X51v and they are working on it. I've been promised a beta as soon as they have it ready to go, but for now I'm just carrying my Palm and the AXIM so I can get direct access to my servers.

So if you're still having this issue or looking for other possible causes of the error, I think AnthaVPM may be a possible culprit. I hope when they have the software working with the AXIM I don't find I have to live with this error, but if so, I guess I'll make do.

jon