Disable/enable WLAN with Java ME or S60/Symbian

[pete1112]

Hi

I am wondering whether it is possible to disable/enable the WLAN device on a S60/Symbian platform using Java or C++.

Until now I haven't found anything about this subject in neither the Java ME API nor for Symbian C++. Is it possible at all??

A friend of mine is complaining that his N80 doesn't provide the option to turn the device off and thus runs out of energy rather quickly.

Thanks for advice
Peter

[tote_b5]

Hi Peter,

I would like to solve the same problem, i.e. enable/disable WLAN. Nevertheless, I'm almost sure that IF there is such an API, it'll be Symbian C++ and not Java. Java needs time to catch up features implemented in device native language.

If you have any information on it, please share it with us!

Thanks,

Tote

[Sorcery-ltd]

Hi,

First, it is possible to disable WLAN on the N80 (from a power consumption point of view). In fact that is the default situation for most phones. If you think there's a problem, check that "Settings->Connection->Wireless LAN->Show availability" is set to "Never". This prevents periodic scans checking for an available network. You can see if WLAN is on in this sense from the little icon (four boxes) on the status pane. As long as that setting is correct then WLAN is only on when you are connected to an access point.

Next, given the above I don't think there is any public API to switch WLAN on and off apart from standard connecting and disconnecting from the access point.

Hope that helps,
Sorcery

[hartti]

Just to confirm what Tote wrote. Not possible through Java ME

Hartti

[tote_b5]

I have discovered something that might be useful for my needs: namely RConnectionMonitor class and some helper classes.

My idea is that if we cannot directly disable WLAN, then we might prevent others to make a WLAN connection. Well, it's a hack, I admit that, but might work. We could do this by using the aforementioned class and using its NotifyEventL method to get notified upon connection events, for example, when a new connection is being made. Upon reflection to that event (we know the UID of the connection as well), we can set a boolean attribute using SetBoolAttribute method along with the UID of the connection and KConnectionStop attribute and terminate the new connection. Again, it's not elegant, but might work.

I don't know if it works, as I haven't yet made any experiments. Maybe others will be faster?

Tote

[Sorcery-ltd]

Hi Tote,

Just out of interest, why would you want to block WLAN altogether? If you want to stop RF output then you can just switch the phone to offline mode (the user has to then explicitly allow each WLAN connection in offline mode).

If you only want to use 3G/GPRS connections in your application then you can filter the access points that the user gets to choose from. I can't really think of a use case for disabling it completely though.

If you had a valid use case you may be able to get an appropriate API to shut off the power to the WLAN from Nokia though.

Sorcery

[tote_b5]

Hi Sorcery,

Then let me tell you a use case: there is an OMA DM E2E solution, in which the system administrator wants to restrict the use(fulness) of a possibly stolen device. One of the things he/she wants to do is to not allow the thief to use the stolen device at full strength.

Tote

[Sorcery-ltd]

Thanks Tote, that's an interesting use case!

I expect that it is possible but thinking about it I'm not so sure Nokia would release an API because it would need to be protected by a suitably difficult to obtain capability, such as NetworkControl. If the API exists but isn't protected by a capability check in existing devices they may not want to partner it for security reasons.

Your connection monitoring idea sounds like a good hack/workaround to me. I hope it works.

Sorcery

[tote_b5]

I'm sure that this API is protected by either NetworkControl or perhaps NetworkServices. Or perhaps by both. And it's officially published.

Tote