[Josh]

PPP Widget for Android

To make my own cell-less tablet work with my phone, I hammered together a little app.

The story is simple: Android with all its bells and whistles does not include a Bluetooth DUN profile; we can only assume this is to please manufacturers who offer cell access as an extra, more expensive feature.

Not prepared to accept defeat, I picked up bits of information here and there, and then decided to move forward to create a frontend to the classic PPPD, using the USB modem capability of my phone.
Later it dawned on me that usb_modeswitch is the ideal accessory to include with the package. From Android 3.1 upwards it is possible to detect USB attach and detach events, and to check for specific device IDs.

So now there is a fairly easy way of making 3G sticks and USB-connected phones work with Android tablets. Hardware detection and mode-switching is done automatically if all components are doing their job properly.

Before you hasten to install the package, let one thing be crystal clear:

You need root access on your tablet to use this app!

There is no way around it. PPPD and usb_modeswitch can't work without it.

Also, some advanced network functions are not available when connecting via PPPD. The most notorious example is downloading inside Google Play (browsing is no problem).
That said, web-surfing, mailing and FTP transfer are working smoothly.

If you are still not deterred, here is the official PPP Widget Page.

Google Play upload will follow after some testing. Reports welcome! (Please add new topics for that.)

[Josh]

Here is a pre-pre-test version of "0.9".

Changes are:

• now usable from Android 2.2 upward
• added a "manual" mode for Android < 3.1
• APN not longer mandatory if dial string is #777 (for CDMA)

If you have a previous install, make sure you delete folder
"/sdcard/pppwidget" before running the new version!

Download from the PPP Widget page ...

[Josh]

I have uploaded test version "0.95".

Changes are:

• more thorough device search in manual mode
• should now work when using a hub
• includes binary tools for ARM and X86 architecture

If you have a previous install, deleting the folder
"/sdcard/pppwidget" is recommended before running the new version!

For a download link see the PPP Widget page

[Josh]

I have uploaded test version "0.96".

Changes are:

• fixed bug in dispatcher which prevented driver binding for recent devices

For a download link see the PPP Widget page

[Josh]

I have uploaded test version "0.97".

Changes are:

• experimental full network access via "mock" WiFi interface
• some attempts to improve long-time stability

For a download link see the PPP Widget page

[civato]

I have uploaded test version "0.97".

The link still downloads 0.96

[Josh]

Corrected this morning ...

[civato]

Corrected this morning ...

Thank you , will do some testing when I got the time.

EDIT.
So far no problems, no more crashes, supurb work.

[Josh]

I have uploaded test version "0.98".

Changes are:

• full network access may work on 2.x devices now too
• latest usb_modeswitch program and data package included, providing
  several new modem configurations
• custom config files may be added in "/sdcard/pppwidget/cfg"
• improved robustness

For a download link see the PPP Widget page

[Josh]

I have uploaded test version "0.99".

Changes are:

• full network access should work properly on 4.1 devices now
• improved robustness on several custom ROMs

For a download link see the PPP Widget page, as always.

[Josh]

Version 1.00 is now available in Google Play. Hooray.

Changes include:

• No more fixed path to SD card folder
• Username and password are no longer mandatory
• Translations to German, Portuguese, Dutch and Vietnamese
  (Thanks to all language contributors!)

At the time of writing, it can't be found in Play by searching directly.

You can get it though by searching for "Solitaire NG", viewing the details and then clicking "More from this developer".

[Josh]

Version 1.10 is now available in Google Play.

Changes include:

• PIN functionality added
• New Auto-Connect option
• New Auto-Reconnect option
• New option to prevent power-suspending
• Numerous fixes
• Additional translations to Arabic, Indonesian, Spanish, Ukrainian, Slowene and Romanian.

The update should be offered very soon.

Thanks to all language contributors! See the PPP Widget page for their names.

[Josh]

Version 1.12 is out.

Changes include:

• PIN functionality disabled by default.
• Translation fixes (Slowene)

The update should be offered in Google Play very soon.

Again, thanks to all language contributors! See the PPP Widget page for their names.

[Josh]

Version 1.13 is out.

Changes include:

• Fixed bug with more than one USB device present (caused hang in "Prepare Device")
• Improved PPP options for more reliable connecting
• Updated translations (Indonesian, Dutch, Romanian)
• Translation fixes (Ukraininan)

The update should be offered by Google Play soon.

Once again, thanks to all language contributors! See the PPP Widget page for their names.

[Josh]

Version 1.14 is out.

Changes include:

• Tweaked chat script to ignore +CFUN error
• Report of "Connected!" is now more precise
• Added translation (Russian)

The update should be offered by Google Play soon.

And one more time: thanks to all language contributors! See the PPP Widget page for their names.