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Any way to do RS232 dial up networking on Android (Samsung tablet)?

I had a play with this today. It is as good as one would expect and the AMOLED screen is outstanding.

It would do all I need

  • run oziexplorer (I believe the Android version runs any map which the PC version runs)
  • display PDFs (Jepps etc)
  • the usual internet stuff
  • can be rooted so you get a full “file manager”

but there seems to be no way to connect to my old Hughes/Thuraya 7100 satphone, which uses DUN over RS232. One can probably get an RS232 port via a PL2303 or FT232 type adaptor (and we make those at work) but I don’t think the O/S can create a TCP/IP network connection over that (windows can very easily).

The other option, a Thuraya XT USB-attached phone, doesn’t come with Android drivers AFAIK.

So the only way would be the ADL120 (€2k) or the Thuraya Satsleeve with a Samsung S3 phone in it (€1k) – both connecting via wifi.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Thuraya Satsleeve with a Samsung S3 phone in it (€1k) – both connecting via wifi.

Yo do not have put a phone in the Satsleeve, it has no connection to it anyway. The Android tablet can establish the Thuraya connection directly.

If it’s rooted, you can do anything you like to it. Android is just a bunch of Java stuff sat on top of Linux.

Install PPP if it isn’t already on there and write a simple dialler script.

This is way out of date, but gives you the gist of things

Something like this might work?

Link

EHLE

Now that’s really interesting, it flies

So you can have RS232, presumably via the standard route of a virtual COM port, on Android.

There is a serial terminal app – like Teraterm I guess.

But the missing component is what I think is called PPP networking. This involves sending out ATDT*99# (for GPRS) or ATDT1722 (for Thuraya 9.6k dial-up which I use with the 7100 phone), and when you get a connection you switch the COM port over to the TCP/IP stack, use DHCP to get a local IP (via UDP) and then all the usual stuff. And create a socket within the O/S for apps to connect to.

My understanding of this is extremely limited but apparently Linux does PPP but Android doesn’t. The Linux version was proved several years ago on an EEE laptop for this project. That project was abandoned because the 7100 didn’t always hang up (~~~+++~~~ATH0 or whatever) and at $1/minute that was a problem. But one can visually watch the phone during the session as a reasonable compromise.

Under Windows all the above is trivial and takes minutes to set up. But there are few Windows tablets and even the best ones (arguably my Lenovo T2 is the best one) have a crap user interface for stuff like rapid browsing/selection/panning of PDFs (terminal chart display). Windows 8 is a pile of crap at the best of times.

The payback for getting this to work is not having to use Iridium based satphone products which all cost a fair bit of money to buy and operate (replaced by a cheap Thuraya phone on PAYG), and not having to pay the subscription for a VFR mapping app (replaced by Oziexplorer). Plus, with Thuraya, you get full email and www facilities – within reason of course (better not visit sony.com )

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

PPP widget should provide the missing link. It’s use is explained in the video below.

EHLE

That’s very good!

The Big Q is whether the software supports a Hayes compatible modem on a virtual COM port (the Thuraya 7100 is that). I don’t think the USB 3G radio is a serial device, because the PL2303 or FT232 chip types go above about 1mbit/sec, and this one claims 21 mbits/sec.

I also like the touch screen lock on that phone. Presumably it has to be rooted for that, too. That’s brilliant. Can’t do that on an Ipad.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

You’d have to test it but the App supports the plain serial PPP protocol according to the website of the App developer.

Btw, there is no need to root a tablet to customize it. Just install Nova Launcher from the Play Store and add Widget locker to put anything you want on the lock screen. I run Nova Launcher on my Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 and it works a treat. All the standard Samsung junk is hidden in a couple seconds to make it a much nicer tablet.

EHLE

I might get this tablet and see how it goes… it’s not a huge investment (in money; only in time).

The main reason I want to get away from the Lenovo win8 tablet is that while it does do absolutely everything needed, the touch interface is rubbish, but one needs a very good touch interface for rapid PDF browsing when viewing terminal charts. Goodreader is the best tool but I note there isn’t an Android version. The Adobe reader is crap (on every platform I have tried it on). On the win8 tablet I use Foxit which is slightly better but still crap.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

I might get this tablet and see how it goes… it’s not a huge investment (in money; only in time).

A Thuraya Satsleeve might be a better use of money, especially since it will work out of the box with any Android or iOS device. Once you have established the connection using the Android or iOS app, you can also access it from Windows.

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