Sync between Android and Win7 via Wifi, PC addressing

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Tosco
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Sep 07, 2011 8:11 pm

Sync between Android and Win7 via Wifi, PC addressing

Post by Tosco »

I have to sync my phone (Android) and notebook (Win7) when I am in the office or maybe at home.
The notebook get a different IP address in the two locations, so I have to align the configuration of your Android agent.

I would appreciate a new option to specify the name of the computer instead of the IP address.

Thanks in advance for your evaluation,
Enrico

Birdy
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Re: Sync between Android and Win7 via Wifi, PC addressing

Post by Birdy »

Hello Enrico,

Actually you can already enter a hostname instead of an IP address.
Did you mean that would like to be able to enter 2 addresses and be able to choose the one you want ?
Birdy

Tosco
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Sep 07, 2011 8:11 pm

Re: Sync between Android and Win7 via Wifi, PC addressing

Post by Tosco »

The hostname is resolved by a DNS and DHCP normally works independently. By the way the computer's name (NetBIOS names) of the Windows PC is not normally resolved on non-Windows machines and some special configuration/tool are required to obtain the mapping. This function is not usually included in the low cost ADSL router you buy for Internet connection at home.

If BirdieSync were able to probe directly NetBIOS name (as I noticed in other applications for Android, e.g. SplashID), the problem would be solved.

Enrico

Birdy
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Re: Sync between Android and Win7 via Wifi, PC addressing

Post by Birdy »

Actually BirdieSync already resolves NetBIOS names. I made a test again and it successfully worked. Now the question is to know why your NetBIOS name could not be resolved... Could you confirm that you tried to connect over Wi-Fi and not over a cellular connection ?
Birdy

Tosco
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Sep 07, 2011 8:11 pm

Re: Sync between Android and Win7 via Wifi, PC addressing

Post by Tosco »

If I specify the IP address (dynamically assigned) of my notebook as "Desktop Address" in BirdieSync it works correctly, conversely if I write the NetBios name (Window's Computer Name) BirdieSync is not able to connect.

Usually the networking software layer of any host (I suppose Android is doing the same), when you provide a name instead of an IP address, it asks the DNS (this is normally provided by DHCP) about the IP address correspondent to the specified name. This means that the NetBios name must be registered in the DNS. This can be done when a local manageable DNS is available, and this specific function is active.

The "IP Address" of my Notebook is assigned dynamically by DHCP, in office this service is located in a server, at home the ADSL router is doing the job. Thus to have BirdieSync resolve the name, DHCP should update the DNS. In office this function could be activated because we have a local server, at home there is no way.

I guess you have a local DNS in your company.
Anyway the best solution would be to have Android able to obtain the IP address directly, this is surely possible because another Android application works correctly (SplashID).

More infos here:
http://www.techrepublic.com/article/how ... ks/5034239

Birdy
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Re: Sync between Android and Win7 via Wifi, PC addressing

Post by Birdy »

BirdieSync already makes the distinction between DNS and NetBIOS name resolution. Actually it tries both. Now for some reason, NetBIOS name resolution seems to fail.
From what I understand, you only have a problem at home (at work it uses a DNS server ?) with your ADSL router.

What is displayed when you type "nbtstat -a <your IP address>" in a command prompt window ?
Is your NetBIOS name properly displayed ?
Could you confirm that Scope Id is empty ?
Also in your Wi-Fi settings for your network on Android, is the IP dynamically attributed (I would like to ensure that the Android device and your computer are on the same network).

After you got the connection error with the NetBIOS name when attempting to connect BirdieSync Android application, could you then change Android BirdieSync settings to the IP address, connect to BirdieSync and then transfer the mobile device log with BirdieSync menu "Help/Transfer mobile device log..." ? Then build a log archive with "Help/Archive logs..." and send it to support(at)birdiesync.com.
Thanks.
Birdy

Stef
Posts: 34
Joined: Fri Jun 25, 2010 7:16 am

Re: Sync between Android and Win7 via Wifi, PC addressing

Post by Stef »

Me too, I have to sync with two Notebooks and it's unfortunately not very comfortable to change every time the IP address for connecting to the Notebooks.
Would it be possible to improve the setup of the connection generally? I would like to have the possibility that the notebook searches for Android devices via Wifi and connects to it automatically (after confirmation of the connection on the Android device). At least for computer beginners the procedure with the entry of the IP address of the PC is not the best solution.

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