It is surprising what you can do when you get the components for cheap and you have a lot of time to play with
The project involved a Xircom PWE1130 Palm Wireless Module for the M500 Family (note: this module is discontinued but you can still get one for cheap on ebay). I think that this could also work with the enfora Wireless module.
Second piece is a kyocera serial cable, (even the regular cradle will work).
I used my old cable for the 6035 and my 7135 cable (TXDTA1001.
Third piece of course your 7135, (I used my spare 7135 before doing anything on my main one). The rest: DB9 connector, Cables, Magnifying Glass, Soldering Skills and patience.
This is the cable pin out that you will need
PWE1130 DB9 male Connector Palm Connector (For 7135 cable)
1 GND ----------------------------------------- 5
10 RX ----------------------------------------- 3
11 TX ----------------------------------------- 2
15 DTR ----------------------------------------- 4
14 RTS ----------------------------------------- 8
13 CTS ----------------------------------------- 7
16 Vcc --------------------------------------- Short to pin 4 (DTR) to turn the
Module ON and initialize comm.
I will be posting pictures of the end product tonight.
The Advantage of course is WIFI connectivity on your phone, No more charges for Web surfing or checking email at a hotspot, especially for me to use Verichat
The Module is not without its flaws, because the Communication is Serial the speed is comparable to what you get through 1x. However this does not matter to me as I have find out the many times the Processor on the phone is the real Bottleneck (when I connect 1x using the phone as modem with my laptop I surf four times faster too). Another one is the max, security supported is WEP 128 (Using the last software update still available on the intel site) no WAP or 802.1x support. Also you have to know the SSID of the Wireless network that you want to connect to, the module will not scan for networks.
What I do is scan using my Nintendo DS and a Wifi enabled game (I always carry both on my backpack) then I define a new profile with that info and away you go .
I am posting this here as I did several searches on this forums in the past for this kind of info with no answers, I hope could somebody else.
Note: you have to have some electronics knowledge to do this project.
Thanks!!
Total cost of the project was just the 25.00 that I payed for the module on Ebay. I had the Proto Board with the DB9 port from other projects that I've done in the past (I think that it was 5.00 at Jameco.com). I had the M500 (really an IBM C500). I did everything in just 1 week.
I forgot to mention that I needed the C500 to "extract" the software from the Module. The Module install the software automatically on the Palm the first time it is connected. From that point just transfered the drivers and software files using a File manager like Filez or in my case Zlauncher to the SD card. Also you will need the Palm if you are going to upgrade the Firmware on the Module. After Upgrading the firmware then you have to repeat the steps to get the new drivers as above. You don't need the Palm if you have the drivers (I can post them if you need them). But I recommend having one avaliable to make sure everything is working and you did not get a Bad module.
One more update, I confirmed that teh module will not work with 7135 Craddle. it only works with the serial cables for the 7135 and 6035 and with a modified 6035 Craddle. Because the PWe1130 is independent from 7135 it does not add any weight (you can have it in tour backpack or jacket pocket). Also it is less taxing on the 7135 battery as it has it own rechargeable battery. you can easily stay online for hours (I had only tested it for about 1 hour but I did not loose any bars). Also I was listening to Mp3s while chatting using Verichat
I could post them here but there are too many, (I took pictures almost at every step). The Only thing tat I regret was not taking pictures of the soldering points that I have to find on the board to get the connections above. You could take all of them from the back of the connector itself if you have access to Micro soldering tools(which I don't have). The Only two points that I took from the back of the connector were RX and TX which I could not find anywhere else.
While I want WiFi, I don't want to spend over $250 for it...
I hate eBay - I keep getting sniped. Damn losers with no lives sitting in front of their pc's until the last ticking seconds and blowing my bid out of the water, without giving me a chance to up my bid.
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Rest in many pieces, Kyocera 7135... Hello, Treo 700WX!
This is from the same seller that I bough mine, from, I bough mine through Buy now.
These modules shouldn't go that much high as they are not very popular anymore as Palm M5xx are not either. It is a shame that some dealers that still have stock try to unload these Discontinnued, Unsupported and for real purposes outdated items at their original selling price. I would not had payed 250.00 Myself (for basically an experiment).
what they are doing is like trying to sell an Original IBM PC XT for their going price back in 1986 (around 5,000.00).
Probably in 30 years down the road you could get one at that price as a collector item or museum piece, who knows
Anyway going back to the PWE 1130 they pop in and out of ebay, there has been at least 3 different Auctions for them, the Maximum that I saw them go was 54.00. They are not as abundant though.
Sweet! thanks... I snagged it with Buy it now... $25 with shipping...
Now all I need is the proto board and to get it synced up with my wireless router...
EDIT: Ok... just ordered a cheapy serial cable (only about $7).
Question: A thought occured. I use the cradle for syncing and other projects, would it be easier to cut the DB9 end and hard-wire the unit to have a 7135-cable end on it?
How does the Xircom recharge it's batteries? (i'm sure i'll figure this out when I get my unit in the mail).
You wouldn't happen to know the color-to-DB9-pin layouts, would you?? I'm sure i could figure it out with my multimeter.
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Rest in many pieces, Kyocera 7135... Hello, Treo 700WX!
Last edited by taurolyon : 11-23-2006 at 08:41 PM.
here the answer to your questions:
1) As per my earlier update you cannot use the craddle with the module, just the serial cables (either the one for the 7135 and 6035 will do).
2) you cannot cut the cable, the 7135 does not use RS232 level signals out it's connector and the connector pinouts are propietary and unknown, the DB9 connector on the serial cables it's not just a connector, it's a circuit board with a MAX232 equivalent chip in it, This chip translate the TTL signals from the 7135 to RS232 levels and also give you the known RS232 pins. A regular Palm M500 uses RS232 signal levels right of it's connector. That is why you cannot do a direct connect. In summary a) the signal levels are not compatible and b) the pins afre unknown.
3) The PWE1130 uses the AC adapter for the Palm M500 Family. it acts as a Charger for the Palm also, That is why it does not include a power supply (they assumed that you will use the one that you already have for your Palm). You will need to buy one of these on ebay too. Unless you have 5V, 1A power supply with the right connector and + in the center (My Zip drive power supply and my linksys Wireless router have a compatible Power supply).
There's no color to DB9 pinouts as you make your own (the connection from the Palm connector to the proto board/DB9 male connector). you will a volt meter to check continuity from the connector to where you actually have to solder your wire. I used the thinnest non strained cable I could find on Radio shack, in order to solder TX and RX right from the back of the connector which was the most difficult and delicate of the soldering. RTS and CTS can be tapped from underneath the board, GND practically everywhere. DTS is on a Resistor on the connector side and Vcc (pin 16)from one of LED (it is very clear as the trace comes right from the connector).
Do you have a Palm M500? I can post the drivers if you don't have one but you will need one to uograde the firmware on the module (in case is too old).
I don't have a M500 palm, so I may need the drivers for it.
I think I'll strip some Cat5 house communication wire wich should give me some AWG 24 solid wire (There's 8 wires per cable).
If you want, when I start to get things together for my project, I'll take some snapshots of the Xircom solder points...
Have you tried your Kyocera phone charger for the Xircom unit? It should be 4.5V, 1.5A, center positive. I'm not sure if this would be in tolerance for the unit.
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Rest in many pieces, Kyocera 7135... Hello, Treo 700WX!
Cat5 cable is too thick. My suggestion is go to radio shack and buy their cable, unfortunally I don't remember the exact name or par number for it. You can see one the cable rolls in the last picture laying on the table besides the phone.
Regarding the charger for the 7135, It has a very different connector than the one for the Palm M500.
I got my unit today... found an 18V old wall adapter with the right connector. I think i'll harvest an old 5V cell phone charger with the overcharge protect, rig it with the right connector, to keep the unit charged.
I'm surprised they went with such a large connector for a 5V unit... strange..
Even for 1A, that's overkill... And why do they need a 5V1A charger for a 3.7V battery?!?
Anywho... i'm off to find the adapter, the wonderful adapter of 5 volts...
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Rest in many pieces, Kyocera 7135... Hello, Treo 700WX!
You can buy a one for cheap on ebay. I had the Palm M500 (IBM C500) from before so I had the power supply and cradle. The module is designed to charge the M500 and charge itself at the same time so it uses the same power supply as the M500 (that's why they did not include any power supply with it). That is also the reason they went for that connector as that is the connector on the Palm cradle. Any 5V 1A adapter (with the proper connector of course) will work. I use a Power supply from a Zip drive to charge module at the office.
I hacked an old kyocera power supply and spliced a new end on it that would plug into the Xircom... charged it fine... just need to find a tiny-torx bit to open the case now...
What size torx bit is that? I think the smallest I have is a T7 or T10, and it's far to big for those screws...
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Rest in many pieces, Kyocera 7135... Hello, Treo 700WX!
Last edited by taurolyon : 11-30-2006 at 08:20 PM.
I hacked an old kyocera power supply and spliced a new end on it that would plug into the Xircom... charged it fine... just need to find a tiny-torx bit to open the case now...
What size torx bit is that? I think the smallest I have is a T7 or T10, and it's far to big for those screws...
Well.. got it apart... just need to find the soldering points...
Any advise?
I've uploaded the pics of the board.
My question is what is J4 supposed to be used for -- it looks like solder-points for a 14-pin connector. I did some basic checking with my multimeter, and VCC is not one of them. I don't want to check continuity, as I'm not sure how much voltage the continuity check/ohm meter outputs and it don't want to damage any of the electronics.
J4 is a Jtag connector, I assume that it is used for initial programming of the firmware. None of the signals that you will need it's on it (only GND). I check continuity no problem with a digital Multimeter, for getting the connections out of the connector there is no issues with the components, Be more concerned of Static electricity (make sure you are well grounded when Handling the board). I uploaded your pictures and marked the solder points, you will need to straigh out the connections on the back of the board (RTS and CTS) as I can't remember which one is which (just test continuity between this points and pins 14 and 13 on the Palm connector).
The most difficult connections are RX and TX (pins 10 and 11) are they have to be tapped directly from the back of the connector (there's no other points where to easily tap them on the board). You have to be extra careful when soldering this points are they are very delicate and very close together, the good news is that it is just two connections instead of taking all of the connections from the Palm connector). Do not solder directly from the connections on the board to the connector, instead solder directly to the back of the connector, this will prevent that you could damage the connections of these two points to the board. Look at picture DCP_0661.JPG, although it is out of focus it will give you an idea where did I solder those two points.
I will be posting the drivers tonite. There are two sets of drivers depending on the firmware version of your board, I suggest you use the older ones first. They will work with all Firmware versions but you will be limited to WEP 64 only).
If you have access to a Palm M500 I suggest you Upgrade the firmware to the latest released one:
There are some notes on how to manually create the connection for a Palm M125 or M515.
This connection is created automatically when the Module is plugged into the M500, but it is not when using one of the modules above. this is exactly the same procedure that you should follow to create the connection on the 7135.
Make sure you save the pictures, I am moving on Saturday. So the links will be avaliable at least until Saturday night or Sunday Morning. They will be back in a few days when I get connected at my new place. let me know if you need any help with your project.
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