Plusses

• You can send and receive e-mail and your tasks and calendar are available for updating via the wireless network while you are in wireless enabled portions of the campus. 

Minuses

• These items will not automatically update when you sync with your PC if you are outside the wireless coverage area or if you do not have your wireless transmitter enabled on the device.
• There are several steps to setting up direct active sync that are unnecessary if you sync through your PC.

This guide assumes that you have already installed and set up ActiveSync on your PC following the manufacturer's directions. 

As noted, you must have a wireless connection for ActiveSync to work so it is also assumed that your PDA has this already configured.  There is a seperate How-To guide for configuring your PDA to connect to the HSC wireless network. 

These directions should be followed on the PC to which your PDA syncs with the device in its cradle and communicating with the PC.

Overview: Download the HSC root certificate so Secure Sockets Layer encryption can be used to protect your password and information; the link is below.  Because installation of root certificates is a process Internet Explorer normally handles in direct communication with the server it does not allow direct download of these files.  For this reason the file extension has been changed from .cer to .bin.  Download the hscrootcert.bin file (see link below) and save it in My Documents on your PDA with the name to hscrootcert.cer.  To install the certificate simply tap on it on the PDA screen, you will be asked if you wish to install the certificate.  Once the certificate is installed configure ActiveSync to attach to the Exchange server at hscwebmail.hsc.usf.edu.

STEP BY STEP PROCEDURE

Make certain your PDA is in its cradle before proceeding with the following steps.

Step 1: Check ActiveSync
This procedure will require that you have ActiveSync configured to synchronize files with your PC.  When this is done a special folder is created inside your "My Documents" folder named "Pocket_PC My Documents".  (Note: Pocket_PC is the default name given to your device when you first configure ActiveSync, if you changed that name the folder will appear with whatever name you chose.)

Open ActiveSync on your PC by double-clicking the ActiveSync icon  in the system tray in the lower right corner of the screen with the clock.  Click the "Options" icon.  If ActiveSync shows that you are already synchronizing files (Image 1a) then go on to Step 2. 

Image 1a

If files are not being synchronized click on the Options icon.  This will bring up the ActiveSync Options screen as shown in image 1b.  Put a check in the box next to "Files" and then click OK.

Image 1b

Step 2: Get Root Certificate
Using ActiveSync over the wireless network it is necessary to configure the handheld to use Secure Sockets Layer to encrypt the communications with the server in order to protect your passwords and information from being intercepted by others.  This is done by downloading and installing a "root certificate" on your PDA.  Start by clicking the link below and saving it to the "Pocket_PC My Documents" folder.  (Note: The folder name "Pocket_PC My Documents" is based on the default name ActiveSync will give when you first run the program.  If you changed the default device name to "Gizmo" then the folder will be named "Gizmo My Documents")  See Images 2a, 2b and 2c below.

First, select "My Documents"

Image 2a

Then find and double-click on "Pocket_PC My Documents"

Image 2b

Change the file type: Click the down arrow on the right of "Save as type:" and select "All Files".

Change the file name: from hscrootcert.bin to hscrootcert.cer (if you do not see the ".bin" extension simply add the ".cer", don't forget the leading period) and then click the "Save" button.  

Image 2c

You will get a screen similar to image 2d.  Click Close.

Image 2d

Step 3: Install the Root Certificate

Remove your PDA from its cradle and tap "Start" and then "Programs"

Image 3a

Find "File Explorer" and tap the icon to start the File Explorer program.

Image 3b

File Explorer should start in the Pocket_PC My Documents folder on your PDA and you should see the hscrootcert.cer file.  (Note: On the handheld it just says My Documents.)  You should see the file showing as hscrootcert with a little certificate icon.  If it does not have the certificate icon you probably forgot to change the file extension when saving the file.  To fix this, place the device back into its cradle and then using ActiveSync on the PC click the "Explore" icon and choose to view "My Documents" and rename the file with the .cer extension.

Image 3c

Tap the hscrootcert file.  You should be asked if you wish to install the file.  Click Yes.

Image 3d

Step 4: Configure ActiveSync

Replace your PDA in its cradle and open ActiveSync on your PC by double-clicking the ActiveSync icon in the "system tray" near the clock.

Next click the Options icon.

Image 4a

You may configure your PC to PDA synchronization option in this window.  Note that your Inbox, Calendar and Tasks can be synchronized from either your PC or directly from the server, but not both. 

On the Options screen select the items you wish to synchronize from the PC and put a check in the "Enable synchronization with a server" box.  Then click the "Configure" button.

Image 4b

This will bring up the "Server Options" screen.  Select the items you wish to synchronize directly with the server then click the "Connection..." button.

Image 4c

On the Connection Information screen fill in the following items:

• Server name: hscwebmail1.hsc.usf.edu
• Ensure that "This server uses an SSL connection." is checked.
• User name:  Your HSCNet user ID.
• Password: Your HSCNet password.
• Domain: HSCNET
• Optional - You may choose to have the device remember your password, but if the device is lost others may have access to your mail.

Image 4d

When done, click "OK" on the Connection Information screen.  You will probably get a message like image 4e, click "OK."

Image 4e

Click "OK" on the Server Options screen, and again on the Options screen.

ActiveSync should perform a synchronization.  If the configuration was a success you should see a screen like image 4f on the PC ActiveSync screen and like 4g on the PDA screen.

Image 4f

Image 4g