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Cellular Phone Forum / Country Specific / UK Group / July 2004So this GPRS, what exactly is it?
OK, I think it's time I tried to understand this properly rather than blindly fiddling with settings. I have had a quick Google, but the only sites I found were too technical for me, or didn't answer my specific questions. Can someone please explain to me or point me at a good site that will explain in fairly simple terms, how GPRS works, or more specifically: 1) What exactly is a 'GPRS access point' and what technologies are used to connect to it (GPRS I guess?) As I understand it, a GPRS Access Point is like a gateway onto the internet, so you connect to this AP via GRPS, then your data is sent/received from your phone to your desired interent address using TCP/IP via the AP (which does any necessary address translation) 2) If this is the case, do I have to use a (the?) GPRS access point provided by my mobile phone(goto.virginmobile.uk) or can I use a different one (ie one that supports a larger range of services). If so, can anyone recommend a good one? 3) How does my phone resolve the access point name to an 'address' does the GPRS network have DNS (or its equivelent). Any answers would be greatly appreciated. ChrisM  SignaturePlease remove shoes to reply But what ... is it good for? - Engineer at the Advanced Computing Systems Division of IBM, 1968, commenting on the microchip. > 1) What exactly is a 'GPRS access point' and what technologies are used to > connect to it (GPRS I guess?) Comparing to dial-up, it is the GPRS equivalent of the telephone number you dial to connect to an ISP. > 2) If this is the case, do I have to use a (the?) GPRS access point provided > by my mobile phone(goto.virginmobile.uk) or can I use a different one (ie > one that supports a larger range of services). If so, can anyone recommend a > good one? You can only connect to access points provided by your network. > 3) How does my phone resolve the access point name to an 'address' does the > GPRS network have DNS (or its equivelent). It doesn't. The network does that for you. That's still misleading though, as the analogy isn't correct. Your phone is saying to the network "Please connect me to the GPRS network named 'foo'", and all the network has to say is "OK then", and your phone is ready to move data around. > Comparing to dial-up, it is the GPRS equivalent of the telephone number you > dial to connect to an ISP. [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > connect me to the GPRS network named 'foo'", and all the network has to say > is "OK then", and your phone is ready to move data around. Thanks for that David. It makes a little more sense to me now. ] One more thing, now I've got a tame expert helping me...was I right about the way GPRS 'links' into the internet, ie >As I understand it, a GPRS Access Point is like a gateway onto the internet, >so you connect to this AP via GRPS, then your data is sent/received from >your phone to your desired interent address using TCP/IP via the AP (which >does any necessary address translation) GPRS TCP/IP 'My Phone' <----------> 'GPRS AP' <-------------------> 'Internet' goto.virginmobile.uk pop3.ntlworld.com Converts address GPRS<->TCP Cheers, ChrisM > One more thing, now I've got a tame expert helping me...was I right about > the way GPRS 'links' into the internet, [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > pop3.ntlworld.com > Converts address GPRS<->TCP Sort of. You can't "convert" TCP to GPRS because GPRS is one level up. It's the wireless equivalent of an ethernet cable - it carries TCP/IP direct to your phone, which then uses it or passes it onto a PDA or computer. "GPRS" is simplay a way of carrying data wirelessly. > Sort of. You can't "convert" TCP to GPRS because GPRS is one level up. It's > the wireless equivalent of an ethernet cable - it carries TCP/IP direct to > your phone, which then uses it or passes it onto a PDA or computer. > > "GPRS" is simplay a way of carrying data wirelessly. Okaaayy... So are you saying my phone is a TCP/IP device (when using GPRS). With its own IP address etc. I can't keep asking you all these questions David, do you know of any good resourses (pref. online) where I can read about all this (in simple erms, - the sort of level we're talking now or maybe a little bit more technical) Cheers, ChrisM. >> Sort of. You can't "convert" TCP to GPRS because GPRS is one level up. >It's [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >So are you saying my phone is a TCP/IP device (when using GPRS). With its >own IP address etc. No, your phone is acting as a modem. Your computer/PDA will be the item with the IP address, your phone is acting as a modem, just going over GPRS wirelessly instead of over a bit of damp string. (Of course, if you're doing WAP over GPRS using the phone's own browser, then your phone will have the IP address itself.) Signature-- Michael "Soruk" McConnell Eridani MailStripper -- www.eridani.co.uk/MailStripper -- Uncovers Everything! Second Number -- http://secondnumber.matrixnetwork.co.uk/ > (Of course, if you're doing WAP over GPRS using the phone's own browser, > then your phone will have the IP address itself.) Or using the built in email browser on the phone? Yea, that's what I meant. No PC or PDA involved, just me phone... So is there a way of finding out what the phones IP address is? Does this also mean that with the right software (and assuming the phones security would allow it - which it probably won't) It is possible (at least in theory) to access (say) my phones contact list from any internet connected PC...? Obviously assuming my phone had an open GPRS connection. Thanks for your help. ChrisM. > So is there a way of finding out what the phones IP address is? Does this > also mean that with the right software (and assuming the phones security > would allow it - which it probably won't) It is possible (at least in > theory) to access (say) my phones contact list from any internet connected > PC...? Obviously assuming my phone had an open GPRS connection. As far as I can tell (for orange at least), it appears that GPRS connections are masqueraded - whenever I've connected to something that way, the other end has always reported my connection as being from future-is.orange.co.uk. If this is the case, then no no-one can access your phone as incoming connections won't work. > > So is there a way of finding out what the phones IP address is? Does this > > also mean that with the right software (and assuming the phones security [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > If this is the case, then no no-one can access your phone as incoming > connections won't work. OK, so the GPRS access point performs some kind of Firewall/Router NAT type function. Makes sense. Cheers, ChrisM. I've just got GPRS set up on my Orange T68i to my orange.net account (for sending e-mail and pics from my iPaq PDA). But can I create another connection, by GPRS, to my Wanadoo e-mail account?? I was thinking I could do this by creating a new connection on the PDA with Wanadoo's DNS number, and adding wannadoo.com to the additional string info. Or is it o.net only?? Thanks Andrew replying? delete killspam from @aol.com******** and shoot any spammers you meet ;-) ajh400@aol.comkillspam had a brainwave and did spout the following: > I've just got GPRS set up on my Orange T68i to my orange.net account (for > sending e-mail and pics from my iPaq PDA). > But can I create another connection, by GPRS, to my Wanadoo e-mail account?? Just create another email account, connect using Orange GPRS Internet (same as o.net email account) and enter your wannadoo settings, except make the smtp server smtp.orange.net Signaturewww.unlockingshop.co.uk T610 unlock/unbrand - £15 Sagem unlocking - £15 (most models) >> I've just got GPRS set up on my Orange T68i to my orange.net account (for >> sending e-mail and pics from my iPaq PDA). [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >(same as o.net email account) and enter your wannadoo settings, except >make the smtp server smtp.orange.net Thank you, I'll give that a go andrew replying? delete killspam from @aol.com******** and shoot any spammers you meet ;-) chris_mayers_blue@Suede.Yahoo.com had a brainwave and did spout the following: > OK, so the GPRS access point performs some kind of Firewall/Router NAT type > function. > Makes sense. Yes, and it's rock solid. It is possible to run VPN connections over GPRS though, but it's usually the phone reaching out for a connection rather than accepting an incoming connection. Signaturewww.unlockingshop.co.uk T610 unlock/unbrand - £15 Sagem unlocking - £15 (most models) > As far as I can tell (for orange at least), it appears that GPRS > connections are masqueraded - whenever I've connected to something that > way, the other end has always reported my connection as being from > future-is.orange.co.uk. If this is the case, then no no-one can access > your phone as incoming connections won't work. If the phone has a full TCP/IP stack, I see no reason why you couldn't tunnel the requests... you would of course need a computer with the correct configuration and with a proper address in the internet. This works quite well from where I am... I'm NATd but I can make an SSH2 connection to my web server (a mates linux box), and tunnel requests over that, so effectively people can't access me, but they can access servers on my computer using a "proxy". Never tried it with a phone, of course! Ben SignatureA7N8X FAQ: www.ben.pope.name/a7n8x_faq.html Questions by email will likely be ignored, please use the newsgroups. I'm not just a number. To many, I'm known as a String... chris_mayers_blue@Suede.Yahoo.com had a brainwave and did spout the following: > So are you saying my phone is a TCP/IP device (when using GPRS). With its > own IP address etc. Yes, and each time you connect your are assigned a different IP thanks to DHCP. Signaturewww.unlockingshop.co.uk T610 unlock/unbrand - £15 Sagem unlocking - £15 (most models) > OK, > I think it's time I tried to understand this properly rather than blindly > fiddling with settings. Quick analogy It's like NTL 150k broadband, has the advantage over V56 dial up in that it's always on, but like NTL 150k is not greatly faster. So still not fast enough to be of real use. and GPRS is billed by the kb, dial up by the minute. Steve Terry >> OK, >> I think it's time I tried to understand this properly rather than blindly [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > >Steve Terry Whilst we are on this subject... I have a T-Mobile account and can access dial-up WAP. I set up a Yahoo account long before I joined T-Mobile. However, when I want to access my mail via WAP the cheeky buggers at T-Mobiile want me to pay for each email - I really don't see what it is to do with them and I don't intend to do this. Anyone know any way round it? Remove 'no_spam_' from email address. |
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