Qtopia provides an Internet Settings application to allow the user to configure network connections for a device. The user can have several Internet connections at the same time with the Internet application allowing the user to change the routing table to use of the data connections efficiently. Support is provided for EDGE (Enhanced Data-Rates for GSM Evolution) which is based on existing GSM networks and improves the available data rates, by improving the modulation/coding schemes. Both Wireless IP (WLAN) and GPRS are supported using the Qtopia plug-in architecture.
WLAN is provided by a network plug-in that detects PCMCIA WLAN/LAN cards automatically and allows the configuration of a wide range of settings for network cards. IP Settings such as IP address, DNS server, and DHCP support can be configured together with proxy settings for each WLAN connection.
Features
Internet Settings
The Internet settings application allows the user to configure the following items:
start and stop existing network interfaces
add, edit and delete network configurations
add, edit and delete WAP/MMS accounts
access to network specific functionality (e.g. WLAN scanner)
Support for Routing
The user can have several Internet connections at the same time. A use case may be a user who is browsing on the Internet via GPRS and enters a public WLAN zone. The Internet application allows the user to change the routing table so that he can make maximum use (e.g. choose fastest or cheapest medium) of its data connections.
Network session management
The Qtopia network server provides a session manager. This is used to ensure that
a network interface is shutdown when there is no need for it. If an application
starts a network interface the interface will remain active for the life time of the application.
This means that network interfaces are stopped if an application crashes or quits.
If two applications were to request the same interface the interface will stay active until the
last application closes.
To cater for more flexibility the network server can extend the session life time beyond the
life time of a single application. By default every interface which has been started manually through the internet application or via the network servers autostart feature has an extended life time. Such a session will remain active until it is turned off by the user or the interface times out (e.g. timeout on pppd sessions).
