SymSMB - Wireless file access for S60 3rd.phone and PC

[JDub]

Yes, I've done this a few times - with OS X and Opera. Maybe it's a weird combination?

I'll try later with Firefox - Should do the trick!

[sp00k]

The following is part of a report that I sent to Telexy after pointing out that their instructions were difficult to follow for anyone not well-versed in computers and network connections...(ME!) I sent them this as an example of what was needed. I reproduce it here in the hope that it may help someone.

It details only a simple, basic connection and doesn't cover setting-up the network drives component but it's sufficient to enable the user to access the N95 via their PC, transferring data to and from the N95.
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A simplified walk-through to set up a network connection from PC to Phone.
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On Your Phone
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To set up the program... Go to.... Options/Settings/Accounts/Options/New Domain: Enter the name of your PC (obtained by right-clicking 'My Computer' and selecting Properties/Computer Name and reading 'Full computer name:')

Name: Enter your username, as recognised by your PC,(As detailed in Control Panel/User Accounts window)

Password: Enter a password of your choice (This doesn't need to be the same password that you may have set up to access your PC) Now press 'Back' and you should see on-screen your account name, consisting of {Name of your PC}\{Your username on PC}

Press 'Back' again and scroll to 'Connections' and select it, go to Options/New Name: Enter a name for the connection, any name you like, 'fred' for example, will do here. :)

Access Point: Enter your choice, connecting via WiFi is obviously free of data charges.

Auto connect: Again, enter your choice. Press 'Back' and you will see {Name you chose} and the message "Not connected". press 'Back' again and select 'Shared folders'/Options/New Name: Enter a name for the folder on your phone that you wish to share, this is NOT the name of the actual folder on your phone, it's just a name that you choose to call it, e.g. "data1".

Shared folder: Select the folder on your phone that you intend to share i.e. that you want to be able to access from your PC for example, or just select the drive letter itself if you want access to all the folders. Press 'Back and then 'Yes' to permit this share.

Account: You'll see the name of the account that you've previously created, select this and 'Yes' to read and Write if you want full two-way connection from your PC. Press 'Back' and you'll see the name of the folder that you chose, plus the Drive letter (or folder name), e.g. data1 & C:\ displayed.

Press 'Back' again to view the full Settings screen. Click on 'Connections'/Options/Start and connect to the network, the two-way arrow logo will change to a solid color and the IP address will appear below it when the connection is made.

On your PC
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Open Windows Explorer, go to Tools/Map Network Drive. Choose a drive letter that isn't in use and on the second line, where it says "Folder:", enter the following details... \\{Name that you gave your connection, e.g. fred}\{name of the shared folder e.g. data1}. You would enter... \\fred\data1 ...as an example.

Select 'Finish' and the process is completed. Now when you open 'My Computer' in the left-hand column in Windows Explorer you should see your mobile phone drive listed, as for example... {data1 on 'fred' (X:)}
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[markr041]

This is helpful, but I see this software as far more useful in accessing my PC from the phone (client). That is what I cannot get to work, and needs, I think, info, on what to set up on the PC, which is totally lacking in the doumentation. PC's are now ultra-protected, and it appears to be far more complicated to access a PC than the phone.

[sp00k]

OK, fair enough...

Go to Options/Settings/Network drives/Options/New

Name: Any you like but I strongly advise you to keep all names simple ones! In this instance, we'll use joe

Drive: Choose any free drive from the list.

Access Point: Mine is set to ask. (Needs to be set to a fixed option if you use an IP address for the Host name field)

Account: The one that you set up earlier.

Host: The NAME of your PC, same name as the first part of your account name.

Share: (Map a drive on the PC, using \\{PC name}\{name of share folder}. As I wanted to access my main drive from the phone, I called it cshare, so I enter \\ACER\cshare to map a drive on the PC.) Therefore all I need to enter in this section on the phone is... cshare.

On your main screen you should see listed, in addition to the connection(s) that you set up earlier, a network symbol, with the drive letter that you selected, next to it. Clicking on it should connect you to your PC drive.

The above is from memory... so bear with me! ;)

[markr041]

Well, my settings match yours except I use an ip address for Host. The reason is that the PC I am trying to access is miles away in my office. I use that ip address to get access using vnc etc. A "name" is not going to do the trick (the name is used for domain, as the computer is stand-alone).

Others have reported not getting it to work, like me, when they use ip.

So now it looks like a limitation (bug) of the software, and not my lack of understanding. But I am still hoping it is the latter (most in forums assume that it is always the hardware or software!).

[markr041]

OK, I see. This program is only for sharing my pc and my phone in my home network, not for over the internet.

It's just a substitute for bluetooth or a USB cable, then. I don't see why this is so useful, since I can use Nokia Suite to move files between the phone and PC using bluetooth, and there is a media sharing program within the phone using Orb on the PC, for example, to play stuff on the PC on my phone using the wi-fi network at home.

Am I missing somthing?

[Telexy]

Originally Posted by markr041

OK, I see. This program is only for sharing my pc and my phone in my home network, not for over the internet.

Wrong. It is for sharing over the Internet too!
But you need to know how to make configuration for share on your computer.
First step is to have access to shared folder of one computer from another
computer over Internet and without SymSMB.

I repeat, without SymSMB!

If you unable to do it, then it is too soon to start talk about what SymSMB can or can not do.

This part (Network Sharing) isn't included in documentation as this configuration is outside of SymSMB. I guess that was a wrong approach)

If you are able to do it, and only after that, try to use SymSMB to access the same shared folders.
In mean time, there is a lot of people trying to help you, asking you questions
but you are not providing them with answer.
Please, contact Telexy directly and we will help you.
(Telexy.com / Contact Us / Technical Queries).

[markr041]

Recap: I followed the instructions in the "manual" exactly, and it did not work for a computer not on my local network. Now the makers of the software tell me (as was DaveW): "First step is to have access to shared folder of one computer from another computer over Internet and without SymSMB. "

There is nothing in the documentation that says this (that I saw). Yes, I do not necessarily expect that SymSMB has to tell me how to set up sharing across remote computers, separated by 100's of miles. But one sentence indicating that this is necessary would have avoided all of this. And, yes, I could be a moron for not knowing this requirement. I am very grateful for those trying to help.

If, btw, sharing drives over the ethernet across distant computers is straightforward (no additional software), why are there all of these programs out there that require host-based software or use of web-based servers: ftp servers, pcanywhere, vnc server plus the web-based ones for doing this (I have used all of these, including with phones)? I was not aware you could share folders across the internet without these add-on solutions.

I am absolutely sure there are many out there who might use SymSMB who are just as ignorant as me about internet file sharing.

[markr041]

Hey, chill out. I am in fact trying to be helpful to the software author by saying if the program is going to be sold to a wider audience than just geeks like you obviously are (in the good sense) it ought to be made more clear what is required to do what. It is clear from the documentation how to share on a home network for an average person and it worked for me; it is not clear, and you have not helped (I was not asking you to), how to share a drive across the internet even when you know your own password and log-in name and ip address for the remote host without additional software. I'll do some work work to know more about this. And maybe it is not even a good idea to do it (is that what you were trying to say?)

[salada2k]

It might be worth making the point, unless it was already made, that it could be a local firewall that's blocking your outbound connection rather than an ISP that your connection is passing through. Try doing it from somewhere else, especially if your at work, an internet cafe, a library..etc. Try from your mates broadband connection or even better a direct dial up connection (if you know anyone who's got one!) There are many and various things that can go wrong when trying to do this across the internet.



Secondly, although SymSMB is an excellent application, I would feel neglectful if I didn't mention that if you don't know what you're doing, don't enable access to your home file shares to the internet. You are likely to fall victim to someone messing with your PC. People scan the net looking for such machines every day. Unless you can secure it, don't do it.

The other thing to remember that the N95 is marketed at least to power users and people that may know a little about how they can achieve what they want to do. If you don'y that's why we have this site so everyone can realise the potential of this awesome device, and skilled software developers like Telexy can make it even better with awesome programs like SymSMB. But that doesn't automatically mean that you won't have problems and a certain level of expertise is required, because that is the nature of the beast!

What I'm saying in regards to the internet has nothing to do with SymSMB anyway, that's just general good advice. SymSMB enables this function because it supports the SMB protocol and the protocol allows these kind of connections across the internet. But the SMB protocol requires a certain level of access to your PC that comes hand in hand with security risks.

I believe a way forward for you has been answered in that you need to test access to your shares from another computer as has been mentioned by myself and others, and then once that's working then start playing with SymSMB. Have access control on your router only allow connctions from your N95's IP address when you have it all working. Do the same in your firewall software, make sure you're fully patched as well.