How to Synch Your Palm Organizer Over a Network

By Gerry Morris

Palm organizers, including the Treo 650, can be synchronized with your desktop computer from another computer on the network or from another computer (for instance your home computer) over a VPN. You may find this useful if you use more than one computer in your office, delegate the task of keeping your organizer synchronized to a staff member or want to sync your organizer from home or while on the road. The setup required is fairly simple.

In my description of how to accomplish a network sync I’m going to refer to the computer where the organizer’s data resides as the primary computer. That’s probably your desktop computer. I’ll refer to the other computer from where you want to sync your organizer over the network or VPN as the remoter computer.

To sync your Palm product over a network the HotSync Manager program must be installed on both the primary and remote computers. The organizer must have been synced on each computer at least once. On the primary computer, right click the HotSync Manager icon in the system tray and then click Setup from the drop down menu. Click the Network tab and check your organizer’s device name in the dialogue box designating this computer as the primary PC for lansync operations. Close the dialogue box.

I recommend changing your primary computer’s IP address from a dynamic IP to static IP address. To select an IP address, click the start menu and then click the “Run” option. In the command line that appears type “cmd” without the quotes. A DOS command prompt will appear. At the command prompt type “ipconfig /all” without the quotes. Information about your computer’s current IP address will appear. Write down the IP address, the address for the default gateway, the subnet mask and the DNS server addresses. Close the DOS box. Next go to the Start Menu and chose “My Network Places. When the box appears choose “View Network Connections” form the menu at the left of the box. When the connections appear, right click the active connection and chose “Properties.” Double click “Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and then click the button “Use the Following IP Address.” Fill in the IP address that you wrote down earlier. Also fill in the subnet mask if it doesn’t fill in automatically and add the default gateway address. Lastly, fill in the DNS addresses. Click OK. In a few seconds the changes will take effect. Open your browser to make sure you have Internet access. If the browser works you’ve done everything correctly.

Next, configure your palm device. Go to the HotSync screen and from the Options menu chose Lansnyc Preferences. Select Lansync. Then sync your Palm device with your primary computer. Then go back to the Hotsync screen and from the options menu select Primary PC Setup. Here you should see the name and IP address of your primary computer. If not, fill in that info.

Next, go to the remote computer. Right click the Hotsync Manager icon in the system tray and clear all the check marks except Local USB (or whatever your sync connection is to this computer) and Network. Now sync your Palm device from this computer. (If you are using a VPN connection be sure to start the connection first.) You will see the Hotsync progress screen appear on the remote computer and it will report a connection with the primarily computer. The sync will otherwise proceed as normal. If someone is observing the screen at the primary computer they will see the HotSync progress screen appear as with any other HotSync operation.

For this process to work over a VPN the Internet connections on each end must be of good quality. Also, if you are using a Treo 650, for some reason if Documents to Go is installed, you must remove the memory card if one is installed or the sync won’t complete.

E. G. “Gerry” Morris is a solo practitioner and has practiced law for over 27 years in Austin, Texas. He is certified as a Criminal Law Specialist by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. His firm web site is at www.egmlaw.com. Email your comments and questions to Gerry at tech@egmlaw.com.