Blackberry Bold - with wifi - can control SB3?

mcgsxr · « **on:** 13 Nov 2008, 12:00 am »

I am getting a BB upgrade from work, to the new Bold. I see that this BB has wifi.

Is there hope that I will be able to load some s/w on this device, and control my Bolder SB3 with it?

Anyone done this?

mcgsxr · « **Reply #1 on:** 13 Nov 2008, 12:28 am »

Extensive searching of the Slimdevices forums uncovers this, but I will have to wait until I get the new device to try it.

http://wiki.slimdevices.com/index.php/ConnectingRemotely

Yes, I am cheap and don't want to fork out for the great new Logitech remote!

Hopefully the Bold can serve this purpose, it would be great to have a wifi remote for the SB3.

mgalusha · « **Reply #2 on:** 13 Nov 2008, 02:35 pm »

Mark,

You should just be able to point the BB browser at your server http://server:9000, obviously replace server with the machine name or IP address. There are interfaces designed for small screens such as the iPod touch and the Nokia 770. I think there is also a "moble" skin in squeezecenter. This of course assumes it's happy talking to your wifi network but as long as that's working it should be no problem.

mike

randytsuch · « **Reply #3 on:** 13 Nov 2008, 03:15 pm »

I got a blackberry with wifi about a month ago, and I could not bring up slimserver on it's browser.

I end up just using my laptop as my "remote"

BTW, yesterday, a guy at work was showing me his $500 mini laptop, made by MSI, the motherboard manufacturer.
It was very cool for $500, little, and weighed only a couple pounds, runs a Intel Adam. Would make a nice remote

Randy

mcgsxr · « **Reply #4 on:** 13 Nov 2008, 03:16 pm »

Thanks Mike.

Once I get the unit, I will check out what I can and cannot connect to.

It will be a BES unit, so tied to my corporate network, but I assume that I will be able to connect to my home wifi network.

The mobile skin you mention, is this something that I would need to install on the unit? It sounds like I would have to download Slimserver to my Bold, and then activate the mobile skin?

randytsuch · « **Reply #5 on:** 13 Nov 2008, 11:50 pm »

I have the 8820, and just tried it again, and can't get it to load the squeezecenter page.
I can go on the internet at home from my blackberry on wifi, but can't get this to work, not sure if there is some trick I need to know.

BTW, if you go to http://server:9000/handheld/

then you should get the generic handheld skin

Randy

mgalusha · « **Reply #6 on:** 14 Nov 2008, 12:57 am »

That is odd, if it hits the internet via wifi it should be able to hit the slim server. Do you get the same results using the server IP Randy?

randytsuch · « **Reply #7 on:** 14 Nov 2008, 02:00 am »

Quote from: mgalusha on 14 Nov 2008, 12:57 am

That is odd, if it hits the internet via wifi it should be able to hit the slim server. Do you get the same results using the server IP Randy?

Not sure exactly what you mean by "server IP"?

Even if I can't do it with my blackberry, this thread motivated me to resurrect my Nokia tablet. I bought one a while ago, but had not used it recently. With the handheld skin, seems to be a reasonable remote. I had just tried it with the skin I was using at the time, and that did not work well.

Randy

jonwb · « **Reply #8 on:** 14 Nov 2008, 03:19 am »

My wife is getting a Bold for work tomorrow. I'll give it a try and let you know if I have any luck...

mcgsxr · « **Reply #9 on:** 15 Nov 2008, 02:23 pm »

I can connect to my wifi at home, and can surf the external net on my Bold.

I can connect to my wife with my work notebook, and can remotely control my SB3 with my notebook.

When I try to connect to my SB3 using the Bold, I get an error - HTTP Error 400: Bad Request

I am entering the handheld link from above.

mcgsxr · « **Reply #10 on:** 15 Nov 2008, 04:38 pm »

It may have to do with the fact that I am on BES. Apparently, you need to use the wifi browser to directly connect to the Net.

You CAN browse the external net using either your Internet Browser, or the Blackberry Browser (the default for BES users), but if your BES Security groups are not setup to allow wifi Browser, it will not be an option.

I appear to be in that situation, as the only Browser options I have are:

Blackberry
Internet
Rogers Mall
Hotspot

However, I cannot get any selection other than Blackberry Browser to "stick". I change the browser, save it, but when I return to the screen where I enter the IP address to search for the SB3, it has returned to Blackberry Browser.

I think that is why I am stuck.

For BIS users, you should be able to use the device.

randytsuch · « **Reply #11 on:** 15 Nov 2008, 04:43 pm »

Quote from: mcgsxr on 15 Nov 2008, 02:23 pm

I can connect to my wifi at home, and can surf the external net on my Bold.

I can connect to my wife with my work notebook, and can remotely control my SB3 with my notebook.

When I try to connect to my SB3 using the Bold, I get an error - HTTP Error 400: Bad Request

I am entering the handheld link from above.

Yep, that's pretty much the same problem I had, when I tried to connect with my blackberry.

I'm wondering if there is some kind of firewall or security thing. When I surf the net from home with my blackberry, I'm not sure if I am going through the blackberry server first, and if the blackberry server could be blocking it.

Also, did you see this page?
http://wiki.slimdevices.com/index.php/Blackberry

I could not do step 2 on my blackberry. It shows up as an option, but when I select it, it won't remember "wi fir browser".
Maybe that makes the blackberry use a different way of browsing the internet, when it is connected via wifi.

Randy

mcgsxr · « **Reply #12 on:** 15 Nov 2008, 06:16 pm »

I did see it, and I have no option for Wifi Browser, under that menu.

Clearly a BES issue. I am sure one of the security settings in BES allows for Wifi Browser, and either my firm (and perhaps yours) has elected to deny access to this application, or it is default to not allow it, and the admin has no idea that it is there etc.

I will reach out to the girls that run our BES, and see what they are willing to do.

Somehow, I have doubts that my desire to utilize their unit for wifi control of a personal audio system will resonate with them... then again, they are young and hip (more so that this rapidly greying kid) so perhaps they will research it, and as long as it does not interfere with security in any way, will make allowances for it.

I would not know why it would be less secure to allow Wifi browser - any takers on that question?

randytsuch · « **Reply #13 on:** 15 Nov 2008, 06:48 pm »

Well, I got it working.
I was in the wrong menu, from "Browser Options", I had to go to the "General Properties" page, then I was able to change the Default Browser to "Wi Fi Browser".

The other day, I was trying to change it from the Browser Configuration page.

So now, I am get the slimserver handheld page on my blackberry, and I can control my music from my blackberry

Randy

mcgsxr · « **Reply #14 on:** 15 Nov 2008, 07:15 pm »

Likely simple, but I am not sure where to find the General Properties page.

What menu is it under?

randytsuch · « **Reply #15 on:** 15 Nov 2008, 09:56 pm »

Quote from: mcgsxr on 15 Nov 2008, 07:15 pm

Likely simple, but I am not sure where to find the General Properties page.

What menu is it under?

When you are in the browser program, press the key that pulls up all the choices (on my blackberry, it has a bunch of dots on it, just to the left of the trackball).
From there, select options.
From that, I get a page titled Browser Options, that has three options, "Browser Configuration", "General Properties" and "Cache Operations".
I was able to select "Wi-Fi Browser" from General Properties.

My options were

Blackberry Browser
Internet Browser
Media Net
Wi-Fi Browser

Good luck
Randy

mcgsxr · « **Reply #16 on:** 15 Nov 2008, 11:52 pm »

Thanks Randy, I am getting closer...

I have been able to select the equivalent (called HotSpot Browser on my unit), and I can connect to http://server:9000

The REALLY odd part, is that I STILL cannot connect if I add the /handset to the end.

And while connected to the server, all I can see is a white rectangle where all the information should be.

Since I can connect, I will try playing around with switching to Firefox, or IE rather than Blackberry and see what happens.

Sure is a funny one!

Thanks for all the help, when the next person has to do it, the path sure will be well marked!

randytsuch · « **Reply #17 on:** 16 Nov 2008, 05:21 am »

Quote from: mcgsxr on 15 Nov 2008, 11:52 pm

Thanks Randy, I am getting closer...

I have been able to select the equivalent (called HotSpot Browser on my unit), and I can connect to http://server:9000

The REALLY odd part, is that I STILL cannot connect if I add the /handset to the end.

And while connected to the server, all I can see is a white rectangle where all the information should be.

Since I can connect, I will try playing around with switching to Firefox, or IE rather than Blackberry and see what happens.

Sure is a funny one!

Thanks for all the help, when the next person has to do it, the path sure will be well marked!

Good luck. Solving things like this can be a pain, not many people do it, so it can be hard to find any advice for it.

And thank you. This thread actually motivated me, and now I can use both my Blackberry and my Nokia as a remote. A few days ago, I had to use either my laptop or the sb remote. Laptop works, but it is nice to have a smaller, more portable remote.

Randy

mcgsxr · « **Reply #18 on:** 16 Nov 2008, 11:42 pm »

Not sure why, as all I have done is cycle the WiFi on and off, and turned the unit on and off, but it works now!

Thanks to all who added to the thread, and good luck to others!

Posted ON my Bold!

randytsuch · « **Reply #19 on:** 17 Nov 2008, 02:08 am »

Cool, glad you got it fixed.

I just figured out something else.

You can call up different skins by going to http://server:9000/SKINNAME
Where SKINNAME is the skin you want, IE go to "http://server:9000/Classic", and you will get the classic skin

So, if you have a laptop, and a blackberry, nokia, itouch or similiar, it's easy to call up the skin you want, on the device you are using

In the version of slimserver I am running, the skins are
Classic
Handheld
Default
Touch
Nokia770
Light

It works for all of them except light, when I type http://server:9000/light, it says it can't find that skin.

I was going to look to see if there is a way to add other skins, and if there are other skins out there.

Randy