5. Connecting to Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and VPNs

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5. Connecting to Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and VPNs

In this chapter, you learn about your EVO 3D’s connectivity capabilities including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, VPN, and web browsing. Topics include the following:

• Connecting to Bluetooth devices

• Connecting to Wi-Fi networks

• Using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)

• Turning your EVO 3D into a Wi-Fi hotspot

Your EVO 3D can connect to Bluetooth devices such as headsets, computers, and car in-dash systems, as well as to Wi-Fi networks, and 2G, 3G, and 4G (WiMax) cellular networks. It has all the connectivity you should expect on a great smartphone. Your EVO 3D can also connect to virtual private networks (VPN) for access to secure networks. Your EVO 3D can even share its 3G or 4G cellular connection with other devices over Wi-Fi.

Connecting to Bluetooth Devices

Bluetooth is a great personal area network (PAN) technology that allows for short distance wireless access to all sorts of devices such as headsets, other phones, computers, and even car in-dash systems for hands-free calling. The following tasks walk you through pairing your EVO 3D to your device and configuring options.

Pairing with a New Bluetooth Device

Before you can take advantage of Bluetooth, you need to connect your EVO 3D with that device, which is called pairing. After you pair your EVO 3D with a Bluetooth device, they can connect to each other automatically in the future.

1. Tap the Menu button and then tap Settings.

2. Tap Wireless & Networks.

3. Tap to enable Bluetooth.

4. Tap Bluetooth Settings.

5. Tap Device Name to change the name your EVO 3D uses when it identifies itself to the Bluetooth network. Your EVO 3D’s real model number is PG86100, and this is used to identify your EVO 3D when you pair with other Bluetooth devices. You could change it to something more personal, such as Craig’s HTC EVO 3D.

6. Tap Discoverable if you want to make your EVO 3D discoverable on the Bluetooth network. Your EVO 3D remains discoverable for 120 seconds (two minutes). Making your EVO 3D discoverable is necessary when someone else is trying to pair with your EVO 3D.

7. Tap Scan for Devices to get your EVO 3D to scan the Bluetooth network for other Bluetooth devices. If your EVO 3D finds any other devices, they are listed on the screen. In this example, a Bluetooth headset, a BlackBerry, and a computer have been found.

8. To pair with a Bluetooth device, tap the device. In this example, we are pairing with the Plantronics headset.

If you are pairing with a device that requires a passkey, such as a car in-dash system or a computer, the screen shows a passkey. Make sure the passkey is the same on your EVO 3D and on the device you are pairing with. Tap Pair on your EVO 3D to confirm the passkey on the device you are pairing with.

9. If all went well, your EVO 3D should now be paired with the new Bluetooth device.

If you are pairing with an older Bluetooth headset, you might be prompted to enter the passkey. Try using four zeros or four ones as the passkey. It normally works. If the zeros or ones don’t work, refer to the headset’s manual.

Changing Bluetooth Options

After a Bluetooth device is paired, you can change a few options for some of them. The number of options depends on the Bluetooth device you are connecting to. Some have more features than others.

1. Tap and hold on a Bluetooth device to see available options.

2. Tap to disconnect from the Bluetooth device.

3. Tap to disconnect and unpair from the Bluetooth device. If you do this, you won’t be able to use the device until you redo the pairing as described in the previous task.

4. Tap for more options.

5. Tap to connect with the Bluetooth device if you are currently disconnected from it.

6. Tap to enable and disable using this device for phone calls. Sometimes Bluetooth devices have more than one profile. You can use this screen to select which ones you want to use.

Each Bluetooth device can have one or more Bluetooth profiles. Each Bluetooth profile describes certain features of the device. This tells your EVO 3D what it can do when connected to it. A Bluetooth headset normally only has one profile, such as Phone Audio. This tells your EVO 3D that it can only use the device for phone call audio. Some devices might have this profile but provide other features such as a Phone Book Access profile, which would enable it to synchronize your EVO 3D’s address book. The latter is typical for car in-dash Bluetooth.

To quickly disconnect from a Bluetooth device, tap the device on the Bluetooth Settings screen and then tap OK.

Advanced Bluetooth Settings

Your EVO 3D has two extra Bluetooth features that might prove useful to you. It can become a Bluetooth FTP server, and it supports the Message Access Bluetooth profile. Here is how to enable and configure these two features.

1. Tap Advanced Settings.

2. Tap to enable or disable the Bluetooth FTP Server.

3. Tap enable or disable the Message Access Profile.

4. Tap to change the Message Access settings.

5. Tap to enable or disable support for sending email messages to another device via Bluetooth.

6. Tap to enable or disable support for sending SMS (text messages) to another device via Bluetooth.

Bluetooth FTP Server, when enabled, allows people using devices that also support the Bluetooth FTP Profile browse the external MicroSD memory card in your EVO 3D. They can delete files, browse the files, and upload files. The first time someone tries to access your EVO 3D via the FTP Profile, you are prompted to accept it. If you want a quick way to access files sent to your EVO 3D using this feature, from the Home screen tap the Personalize icon (bottom right), tap Folder under Add Items to Home, and tap Bluetooth Received.

Bluetooth Message Access is a Bluetooth Profile that enables you to exchange email and SMS (text messages) with other Bluetooth devices that support the Message Access Profile. This is normally supported by car in-dash systems so that they can automatically receive emails and SMSs and read them to you while you drive.

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) networks are wireless networks that run within free radio bands around the world. Your local coffee shop probably has free Wi-Fi, and so do many other places such as airports, train stations, and malls. Your EVO 3D can connect to any Wi-Fi network and provide you higher Internet access speeds than the cellular network.

Connecting to Wi-Fi

The following steps explain how to find and connect to Wi-Fi networks. After you have connected your EVO 3D to a Wi-Fi network, you automatically are connected to it the next time you are in range of that network.

1. Tap the Menu button and tap Settings.

2. Tap Wireless & Networks.

3. Tap to enable Wi-Fi.

4. Tap to change Wi-Fi Settings and connect to Wi-Fi networks.

5. Tap to turn on or off your EVO 3D’s Wi-Fi radio.

6. Tap Network Notification to enable or disable the notification that tells you a new open Wi-Fi network is available.

7. Tap a Wi-Fi network to connect to it.

If the network you want to connect to is not listed on the screen, it might be purposely hidden. If it is hidden, it does not broadcast its name, which is also known as its SSID. You need to tap Add a Network, type in the SSID, and choose the type of security that the network uses. You will need to get this information from the network administrator ahead of time.

WPS is a standard that enables you to securely connect to a Wi-Fi network with little or no participation from you. WPS is designed to handle the entire process of connecting to the network on its own. Many times the Wi-Fi network router you are connecting to has a WPS button on it. You simply press the button and then tap Wi-Fi Protected Setup on your EVO 3D and you will be connected.

8. If the Wi-Fi network is secure, you receive a prompt to enter a password or encryption key.

9. Tap Connect to continue.

10. If all goes well you see the Wi-Fi network in the list with the word Connected under it.

If all does not go well, you might be typing the password or encryption key incorrectly. Verify this with the person who owns the Wi-Fi network. Sometimes there is a lot of radio interference that causes problems. Ask the person who owns the Wi-Fi network to change the channel it operates on and try again.

Wi-Fi Network Options

1. Tap a Wi-Fi network to reveal a pop-up that shows information about your connection to that network.

2. Tap Forget to tell your EVO 3D to not connect to this network in the future.

3. Tap and hold on a Wi-Fi network to reveal two actions.

4. Tap to forget the Wi-Fi network and no longer connect to it.

5. Tap to change the Wi-Fi network password or encryption key that your EVO 3D uses to connect to the network.

Advanced Wi-Fi Options

Your EVO 3D enables you to configure a few advanced Wi-Fi settings that can actually help preserve your battery life.

1. Tap the Menu button while on the Wi-Fi Settings screen and tap Advanced.

2. Tap to change the Wi-Fi sleep policy. This enables you to choose if your EVO 3D automatically turns off Wi-Fi. Because Wi-Fi is more efficient than 3G and is free, you should leave this set to Never.

3. Tap to enable or disable a Wi-Fi feature that boosts the Wi-Fi range of your EVO 3D. This is useful if you are far away from the Wi-Fi router. It does drain the battery faster, though, so be careful.

4. Tap to setup and configure a Wi-Fi Proxy. A Wi-Fi Proxy is a server on the network that handles data that is not destined for the default gateway.

5. Use this Wi-Fi MAC address if you need to provide a network administrator with your MAC address in order to be able to use a Wi-Fi network.

6. Tap Use Static IP to force your EVO 3D to use a static IP address and static network access settings.

7. Set the IP address, Gateway, and Subnet mask for your EVO 3D if you are choosing to use a static IP in Step 6.

8. Scroll down for more options.

9. Tap to enable or disable a feature that lets your EVO 3D choose its own IP address if one is not automatically assigned to it.

Believe it or not, Wi-Fi is more efficient than a 3G or 4G cellular network. The more time you can keep the Wi-Fi radio on and can be connected to a Wi-Fi network, the longer your battery lasts. If you have a valid data connection via Wi-Fi, your EVO 3D actually stops using the cellular 3G or 4G network. So while at home, why not set the Wi-Fi sleep policy to Never. Unless you have an unlimited data plan, it is also a good idea to use Wi-Fi whenever possible because it is free.

First, what are an IP address and a MAC address? A MAC address is a number burned into your EVO 3D that identifies its Wi-Fi adapter. This is called the physical layer because it is a physical adapter. An IP address is a secondary way to identify your EVO 3D. Unlike a Physical Layer address or MAC address, the IP address can be changed any time. Modern networks use the IP address when they need to deliver some data to you. Typically when you connect to a network, a device on the network assigns you a new IP address. On home networks, this is typically your Wi-Fi router.

In rare circumstances, the Wi-Fi network you connect to might not assign your EVO 3D an IP address. In these circumstances, you need to ask the network administrator to give you a static IP address.

Some network administrators use a security feature to limit who can connect to their Wi-Fi network. They set up their network to only allow connections from Wi-Fi devices with specific MAC addresses. If you are trying to connect to such a network, you have to give the network administrator your MAC address, and he adds it to the allowed list.

Cellular Network Settings

Your EVO 3D can connect to 2G (CDMA 1X), 3G (EVDO Rev A), and 4G (WiMax) cellular networks.

Changing Mobile Settings

Your EVO 3D has a few options when it comes to how it connects to cellular (or mobile) networks.

1. Tap the Menu button and tap Settings.

2. Tap Wireless & Networks.

3. Tap to enable or disable connecting to the Sprint 4G WiMax network.

4. Tap to see information about the 4G network you are connected to, including the network provider (if you are roaming), signal strength, and your IP address.

5. Tap to enable or disable the mobile network.

6. Tap Mobile Networks to change options.

7. Tap to enable or disable a feature that plays a sound when you connect to a mobile network that is not your home network.

8. Tap to enable or disable warning messages to be displayed when you are roaming and use voice or data services.

9. Tap to change the roaming mode. You can change it to only roam on the Sprint network, or to allow your EVO 3D to connect to any compatible CDMA network.

10. Tap to enable or disable the ability to make and receive voice calls while roaming.

11. Tap to enable or disable the ability to use cellular data services while roaming.

12. Tap to enable or disable the ability to make and receive voice calls while roaming.

13. Tap to enable or disable the ability to use cellular data services while roaming.

14. Tap to enable or disable always-on mobile data.

If you disable always-on mobile data, you can save on battery life. However, you effectively kill the functionality of any app that needs to be connected all the time, such as Instant Messaging apps (Yahoo!, Google Talk, and so on) or apps such as Skype. You also stop receiving email in real time. When this feature is disabled, about five minutes after your EVO 3D goes to sleep, it disconnects from the mobile data network, but it remains connected to the mobile voice network.

Virtual Private Networks (VPN)

Your EVO 3D can connect to virtual private networks (VPNs), which are normally used by companies to provide a secure connection to their inside networks or intranets.

Adding a VPN

Before you add a VPN, you must first have all the information needed to set it up on your EVO 3D. Speak to your network administrator and get this information ahead of time to save frustration. This information includes the type of VPN protocol used, type of encryption used, and the name of the host to which you are connecting.

1. Tap the Menu button and tap Settings.

2. Tap Wireless & Networks.

3. Tap VPN Settings.

4. Tap to add a new PPTP, L2TP, or IPSec VPN.

5. Tap the VPN technology your company uses.

6. Go through each section and enter the information your network administrator gave you.

7. Tap the Menu button and tap Save to save the VPN settings.

Connecting to a VPN

After you have created one or more VPN connections, you can connect to them when the need arises.

1. Follow steps 1–3 in the “Adding a VPN” section to navigate to the VPN Settings screen.

2. Tap the VPN you want to connect to.

3. Enter your username and password.

4. Tap to allow your EVO 3D to remember your VPN username.

5. Tap Connect. After you’re connected to the VPN, you can use your EVO 3D’s web browser and other applications normally, but you now have access to resources at the other end of the VPN tunnel, such as company web servers or even your company email.

You can edit an existing VPN or delete it by tapping and holding on the name of the VPN. A window pops up with a list of options. From here you can edit the VPN’s settings or delete the VPN.

Sprint Hotspot

Your EVO 3D has an application called Sprint Hotspot that enables you to use Wi-Fi to share your EVO 3D’s 3G or 4G Internet connection with up to eight other devices. This feature only works with an optional extra monthly fee, which covers the extra data you use when this feature is enabled.

Starting Your Sprint Hotspot

1. Tap to launch Sprint Hotspot.

2. Enter a unique name for the Wi-Fi network you create when you enable this feature or leave it as the default.

3. Tap to select the type of security you want to use on the Wi-Fi network or select No Security. It is a good idea to use security so that the people who connect to your hotspot have encrypted data going over the air.

4. Enter the password or key you want to use on your hotspot to encrypt the data.

5. Tap to start your hotspot.

After you start your Hotspot, provide the Router name (SSID), Security, and Password to anyone who you want to allow to connect. In the notification bar you will see the 3G Mobile Hotspot icon indicating that your Hotspot is working. Tap Manage Users to see who is connected.

Advanced Settings

Sometimes you want to have some more control over your 3G Mobile Hotspot, such as changing the Wi-Fi channel, or you might want to control who can connect.

1. Tap Manage Users before you start your hotspot.

2. Tap to enable or disable a feature that lets you decide who can connect to your hotspot. When this is enabled, you are prompted to allow or block connection requests.

3. Tap to choose how many people can connect to your hotspot. You can have up to eight connections.

4. Tap Done to save your settings.

5. Tap the Menu button and then Advanced to see the advanced hotspot settings.

6. Tap to change the number of minutes after which your hotspot automatically disables itself if it detects no activity.

7. Tap to change your hotspot’s LAN settings. Only change the LAN settings if you have an understanding of IP.

8. Tap to choose the IP address of your Wi-Fi hotspot.

9. Tap to change the subnet mask of the IP address.

10. Tap to enable or disable the ability for your Wi-Fi hotspot to automatically assign IP addresses to devices that connect.

11. Tap to choose the starting IP address that your Wi-Fi hotspot uses when it automatically assigns addresses.

12. Tap to reset the LAN settings.

When you use Sprint Hotspot, it is a good idea to keep your EVO 3D plugged in to the wall or to a car charger. This is because Sprint Hotspot uses a lot of power and CPU cycles and drains your battery very quickly.

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Table of Contents for 5. Connecting to Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and VPNs

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5. Connecting to Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and VPNs

Connecting to Bluetooth Devices

Pairing with a New Bluetooth Device

Changing Bluetooth Options

Advanced Bluetooth Settings

Wi-Fi

Connecting to Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi Network Options

Advanced Wi-Fi Options

Cellular Network Settings

Changing Mobile Settings

Virtual Private Networks (VPN)

Adding a VPN

Connecting to a VPN

Sprint Hotspot

Starting Your Sprint Hotspot

Advanced Settings

Table of Contents for
5. Connecting to Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and VPNs