Archive for the Category: ' Step-by-step '
Seen a .menc file before?
If you’ve ever seen a .menc file before, you probably saw it on an external memory card that you pulled out of your Windows Phone device.
Essentially, .menc (Mobile Encryption) files are just your personal data (the PIM.VOL file that contains all of your Contacts for example) that are encrypted. The extension of .menc lets the Operating System (OS) know which files are encrypted, and whether or not they can be opened by the user. To do so, the previously recorded key (user password) must match the key provided by the user when unlocking the device. But you won’t see those .menc files, because they are typically hidden by the OS so as not to be visible to the end-user during casual browsing. If you ever chose to encrypt the files you store on your external storage (external memory card, etc), then they may be visible if you took that card to another computer or device for viewing.
If you’re trying to recover those files, then you have to meet some rather special requirements in order to proceed. Unfortunately, if you have Hard Reset the device, or have a different device than the one that the files were originally created on, then the encryption/decryption keys are now lost or no longer the same, then sadly your files are totally inaccessible.
However, if you have access to the same device that the .menc files were originally created on, and you have NOT performed a Hard Reset on the device, then you can still salvage the files:
- Turn the storage card encryption off: Go to Start > Settings > System > Encryption (varies by your Operating System version) and uncheck the “Encrypt files when placed on a storage card” box. From this point forward, all NEW files created on that card will be unencrypted, but existing files will still be encrypted.
- Next, bring-up your favorite File Explorer, then browse to your Storage Card. Make a new folder on the storage card, and call it “OLDData”. This folder will, of course, be unencrypted.
- Now, find whatever files you want to decrypt and copy them into this folder. Those files will be decypted as they copy into the new folder. You can now read these files on any other computer or phone.
Congratulations, you’ve just saved some data. Hopefully it will turn out to be highly important data, which will make your victory taste just a little bit sweeter…
"Wi-Fi Companion" as a Troubleshooting Utility
Once you have it installed, please unplug your iPAQ’s battery for 30seconds, then replace it. This will cause a core-reset of the wireless adapter, and force a Soft Reset on the iPAQ itself. No data is lost on a Soft-Reset.
Once you have turned on your iPAQ and have re-enabled your wireless adapter, and are within "Wi-Fi Companion", please go to the Router Tower icon in the lower right-hand corner and create a profile for your home Router connection. Check the OK button and return to the main view. When your iPAQ has "associated" with the Router/AP (a period wherein the two units are negotiating your iPAQ’s IP Address assignment), you will see a lightning-bolt connecting the two units.
After this, assuming your profile is correct, you should see your iPAQ obtain a valid IP Address (which is defined as something other than an IP Address of 169.254.n.n). Please press and hold on the PDA icon in the upper left-hand corner and pick IP Addresses, and please report back to us what the various settings are:
IP Address:
Subnet Mask:
Gateway:
DNS Server:
WINS Server:
DHCP Server:
Domain Name:
Lease Obtained:
Lease Expires:
MAC Address:
Device Name:
Additionally, on the main "Wi-Fi Companion" screen, please advise of the following settings:
1.) Do you see the name of the Wireless LAN you wish to connect to? If not, click on the Router tower icon to go to the "Wi-Fi Finder" screen and build a profile specific to the Router/AP you wish to connect to. Click OK to return to the main screen.
2.) When the iPAQ is associated with the Router/AP, is there a key & lock icon on the upper half of the lightning bolt going towards the PDA icon?
3.) What is the signal strength (100%? 60%?).
4.) Does this signal strength get better the closer you get to the Router?
5.) What is the channel assignment shown to the lower right of the Tower icon (in a black circle).
6.) Go back to the "Wi-Fi Finder" screen. What is the mode that "Wi-Fi Companion" is detecting (shown on the upper-right corner of the profile)?
7.) Do you have WEP enabled on the Router? If you do, please Disable it for now.
8.) Do you have MAC Address Filtering enabled? If you do, please Disable it for now.
Anatomy of the DHCP assignment process
1.) The first (due to it being a "default" setting for most network adapters) and best way to configure your network connection is to enable a process called DHCP (for "Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol"), also referred to as a "Dynamic IP Assignment", because the DHCP server can change assignments on an "as needed" basis.
2.) The second way it to manually specify your settings, also referred to as a "Static IP Assignment", because the system will forever keep your manual assignment until you tell it otherwise.
How to setup an E-mail Account on your PDA
1.) Your username.
2.) Your provider’s server info. This will be in the form of pop.isp.com and smtp.isp.com
3.) You will need to know what connection type you are using (“work” or “the internet“). More on this setting here.
4.) Here’s a very important page: Most e-mail servers now-a-days require an outgoing mail authentication. You will need to confirm with your provider if this is required or not.
5.) Decide whether or not you want to choose “Get message headers only”, or “Get full copy of message”.
- Headers only means that the e-mail header info (to, from, and subject line) is downloaded first. You must then chose those e-mails which interest you and then manually download the body of the message as a separate step. This is a better choice if you get tons of mail and lots of spam, and only intend on reading certain messages.
- Full copy is getting the whole message in one fell swoop. This is appropriate if you are expecting to read every e-mail you receive and have very little spam.
The Different WiFi Authentication & Encryption Standards
The 40-bit and 64-bit Question:
Wired Equivalent Privacy uses a streaming cipher, which combines the use of a 40-bit WEP Key with a 24-bit random number (known as the Initialization Vector, or IV ) generated by the Router/AP to encrypt the data. You can think of the IV as simply a header for the key. So, for a 64-bit Cipher, the user actually contributes a key length is 40-bits (5 bytes or 10HEX characters), with an additional 24-bits (3 bytes) of system-generated data, for a total of 64-bits (8 bytes) total.
* If you are entering your Key in HEX format, your Key should be 10 HEX characters long.
Troubleshooting WEP Problems
1.) Determine what your cipher length is going to be. For the purposes of troubleshooting, it is suggested that you start with a 64bit encryption.
However, the Router will usually make a contribution to the actual key length, so this will impact what your contribution is. Before proceding any further, please review your Router Documentation to see if your Router contributes to the key-length. If key-length for a 64bit key is expected to be 8 characters, then your Router is NOT contributing any overhead information to the key. The remainder of this article will presume your Router inserts it’s own 3 bytes of data.
Troubleshooting WiFi issues
Things to consider when having trouble with your WiFi connection:
iPAQ RELATED FACTORS
1.) Reset the Wireless Adapter Always start your troubleshooting process by removing your iPAQ’s main battery (this only applies to iPAQs with a consumer accessible battery) for 30 seconds, then replacing the battery. This will force a core-reset of the wireless adapter, as well as a soft-reset of the iPAQ itself.
2.) Update your software: Make sure your iPAQ has the most recent BIOS, Firmware, and Drivers.
Cirond’s PocketWinC as a Troubleshooting Utility
If you are having problems with your WiFi Wireless connection on your iPAQ, and your encryption needs do not exceed the WEP specification, then please consider purchasing, downloading and installing this utility: PocketWinC from Cirond. The current release is Version 2.0 Build 986. 1.) WPA/PSK compatibility.
2.) Easier Graphic User Interface.
3.) Free 14-day Trial period.
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