Re: ActiveSync Protocol Documentation

Hi,
Microsoft never released the protocol for ActiveSync. I can tell you that
ActiveSync 3.x and 4.x use different protocols.


--
Chris De Herrera
http://www.pocketpcfaq.com
http://www.tabletpctalk.com
http://www.pocketpctalk.com
http://www.mobilitytalk.com

<> wrote in message
news: oups.com...
> Hi,
>
> I am looking for ActiveSync protocol documentation but so far with no
> success at all.
>
> WHAT I HAVE DONE SO FAR: is that i have searched internet for any
> possible documentation for ActiveSync protocol but the only information
> that is available (or i could find) is from the point of view of a
> programmer who wants to implement an activesync service provider. In
> order to study the protocol, i have setup Pocket PC 2003 emulator to
> sync with my desktop computer. I can capture the packets exchanged
> between the two when partnership is established and synchronization is
> done. But these packets except for some of them do not make much sense
> to me.
>
> WHAT I WANT TO DO: is to understand how Pocket PC and desktop computer
> communicate with each other using ActiveSync protocol (from connection
> establishment and synchronization to disconnection). What are the
> messages that are exchanged between the two to perform various
> synchronization tasks? In other words where can i find a detailed
> description of the protocol used by ActiveSync? May be something like
> an RFC (which i think is not available for ActiveSync) available from
> the internet and available free of cost (unlike The Windows CE
> Technology Tutorial by Chris Muench). Any help would be highly
> appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
>
> sarshah
>

Hi,
RAPI is the API that ActiveSync provides to perform functions when the
Pocket PC and PC are connected. It is not the protocol itself. The
ActiveSync 3.x protocol uses PPP to connect between the PC and the Pocket
PC. Beyond that I do not know the format of the packets themselves.

As for reverse engineering the protocol, you should be aware that there are
legal ramifications especially if you distribute it.

--
Chris De Herrera
http://www.pocketpcfaq.com
http://www.tabletpctalk.com
http://www.pocketpctalk.com
http://www.mobilitytalk.com

<> wrote in message
news: oups.com...
> Thank you for the response Chris. Does this mean that no one has ever
> tried to decipher this protocol or just refuses to come forward? On
> another forum i asked about RAPI and i think that understanding RAPI is
> good for a programmer who is developing applications for Pocket PC but
> not much use for someone like me who wants to understand the
> fundamentals of the protocol. Am i right?
>
> sarshah.
>

Port 1034 is used for Wireless Datagram Protocol (WDP) notifications. Server
ActiveSync will send a notification to this port when new mail (in
up-to-date mode) has arrived on the device. This is not used in desktop
ActiveSync.

--
Carl Wolz [MSFT]
This Posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.


<> wrote in message
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> Chris,
> I was going through the packet capture and found out that amongst
> other ports, port 1034 is also there and it is always used either as a
> source or destination on the PDA side only. On desktop side it is never
> used (opened) for either sending or receiving packets. This observation
> is based on packet capture for multiple Sync sessions. On IANAs
> website, port 1034 is registered for ActiveSync notifications.
> Microsoft does not mention this port on its website for ActiveSync. Can
> you please shed some light on port 1034 (its role) in connection with
> ActiveSync?
>
> sarshah.
>

It's Exchange ActiveSync.

--
Carl Wolz [MSFT]
This Posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.


<> wrote in message
news: oups.com...
> Carl,
> When you said "Server ActiveSync will send ......", by Server
> ActiveSync did u mean
> 1) Exchange ActiveSync
> OR
> 2) When syncing Pocket PC over the network . I mean Pocket PC remotely
> accesses a desktop computer over a network. This desktop computer is
> running (desktop) ActiveSync on it.
>
> Please elaborate on this.
>
> Thanks,
>
> sarshah.
>
> Carl Wolz [MSFT] wrote:
>> Port 1034 is used for Wireless Datagram Protocol (WDP) notifications.
>> Server
>> ActiveSync will send a notification to this port when new mail (in
>> up-to-date mode) has arrived on the device. This is not used in desktop
>> ActiveSync.
>>
>> --
>> Carl Wolz [MSFT]
>> This Posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
>> rights.
>>
>>
>> <> wrote in message
>> news: oups.com...
>> > Chris,
>> > I was going through the packet capture and found out that amongst
>> > other ports, port 1034 is also there and it is always used either as a
>> > source or destination on the PDA side only. On desktop side it is never
>> > used (opened) for either sending or receiving packets. This observation
>> > is based on packet capture for multiple Sync sessions. On IANAs
>> > website, port 1034 is registered for ActiveSync notifications.
>> > Microsoft does not mention this port on its website for ActiveSync. Can
>> > you please shed some light on port 1034 (its role) in connection with
>> > ActiveSync?
>> >
>> > sarshah.
>> >
>