windows mobile (wmdc) & bluetooth sync to pda

hi,

ok, just got a new laptop with vista premium 32bit. Downloaded wmdc
today & got it to sync with my axim x30 by usb and with a little
fiddling around, i managed to get it to sync by bluetooth. But a couple
things i want to iron out & verify.

The default 'drop down' connect options in wmdc is COM3 & 'bluetooth'.
When i paired my axim pda, i managed to get it assign to a bunch of COM
ports except for COM3.

It turns out, the assigned COM port WILL appear as an option in
wmdc..so I am able to sync. BUT, if i turn bluetooth off & back on, that
particular COM port option is gone until i reboot the laptop.

Is this normal?

Kind of annoying if i'd prefer to keep bluetooth off most of the time
OR it accidentally turns off. Hate to reboot just to get wmdc to sync
with my pda.

Is my pda suppose to have been assigned to COM 3? (which is always
there). If so, how do i re-assign the COM ports?

Finally, with all my fiddling, every time I removed & added the device,
the axim kept getting assigned incrementally a new number. It started as
COM 4 incoming, COM 5 outgoing. Right now it's set at COM 14 incoming,
COM 12 outgoing.

As a result, vista thinks COM 4-11 & 13 are used (aka assigned). Will
this be a problem for anything and is there a way to unassign
them..knowing that they were all assigned every time i added & removed
my axim device.

fyi, my comp knowledge it intermediate..i didn't know anything about
bluetooth & what COM ports were til today..keep that in mind when
replying.

thanks!!


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tsttm

Bluetooth is not consistently implemented by manufacturers, hence you have
two bluetooth devices, your computer and your PDA, that may implement the
bluetooth standard differently.
Pairing any two bluetooth devices involves following different and mutually
incompatible instructions. I have two cars made by different companies that
have bluetooth cellphone connections but require entirely different rituals
to connect the same phone.
I am not sure why you are removing and adding the device or why you would
turn bluetooth on and off on the computer or your PDA. Doing so obviously is
going to corrupt or erase the bluetooth relationships that were previously
established.
I connect devices to my Vista laptop via Bluetooth and once established have
never had to revise the connection (I wish my cars were as stable).
It is more secure, in any event, to connect your PDA to your computer with
the appropriate cable, but that is your choice.

Thanks for the input.

The only reason i was adding & removing the device is because it wasn't
working initially, so to troubleshoot i had to try different things
which required removing & adding the device. I have left it as is as it
seems to work..so it's staying at COM14 in COM12 out.

I just wonder if i need to do any clean up, as vista thinks COM4-11 are
assigned..even though i know they were all assigned while i was
adding/removing during my troubleshoot.

I also want to know if the method i'm using to get the pda to connect
to wmdc is the way other people do it. I've searched & it appears alot
of people had trouble..i'd like to try & find the people who had success
& hear how they've done it.

I should mention that the reason i want to pair my pda via bluetooth is
for syncing the PIM & outlook only. The thing is leaving bluetooth on
sucks the power out of my pda (perhaps halves the battery life). I
presume there is some additional power usage for using bluetooth on the
laptop as well. So, since i will probably only sync 1-2 times a day..it
seems illogical to leave bluetooth radio on all the time if i don't need
to.

i could sync by usb..but bt adds the convenience of not carrying a sync
cable/cradle. Plus i did pay extra to have bt on my laptop, might as
well use it right?


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tsttm