MP800 WinCE2 Now Posting on HPCFACTOR via WRP/RasPi

Here's something I thought I'd never see... I'm posting on HPCFactor from my formerly pretty much useless WinCE 2.0 device NEC MobilePro 800! Yes, made it past the login with captcha etc. This is done by a RasberryPi 4 running a tiny program WRP as a proxy... and, as C:Amie added, once logged in and a cookie is placed on the RasPi, you can turn off the MP800 and return later without having to go through login again (which does take a few minutes). Further, I had logged in on a J720 and then swapped the pcmcia ethernet card to the MP800 and brought up the HPCFactor and I didn't have to log in again. This is a wireless connection via an IOGear ethernet2wifi adapter so is mobile, however you can just tether the vintage pcmcia ethernet card to your wifi router via an ethernet cable as an alternative to test things out. The WRP proxy program is available in many flavors... Windows, Linux (RasPi uses the wrp-arm-linux ), MacOs, etc. ... Joval .............Remember the MP800 is posting this from PIE3! which is otherwise worthless for internet use!

Edited by joval 2022-01-27 12:08 AM

Pretty cool!

Let's work on those guides and get them published in the support section so that folks who haven't a clue what we're blithering on about can join in. Still up for organising / screen shotting for them on Windows / RPi?

Yes... do you have an example to follow? OK, I'm looking over the RDP CESD...as a template, unless you suggest something better.

Although webpage refresh is slow ...15 seconds or more.... it opens the door for the J680 as well... does that have a PIE 3 Brower too?12-15 sec page refresh with RasPi4, and about 25 sec refresh page with RasPi Zero2... which I think can be improved upon. Just logged on with PIE3...did not need to redo captcha pics

Joval

Edited by joval 2022-01-26 11:54 PM

Here's a rough outline of sorts:
...................................................................................
OK, I'm beginning an outline for a CESD.

1) intro: internet security demands eroded HPC online access due to cpu intensive encryption schemes as well as evolution of html, css, and javascript far beyond hpc browser ability to parse.

2)So Software/firmware "updates" and "hardware extensions" provide the only solution because of WinCE HPC's have small fixed-size rom and low cpu power means external upgrades needed: as with Devuan-Debian Linux that runs modern software shared with RasPi-OS via wpa wifi card firmware upgrade and VNC viewer ==> gives full featured desktop functionality with dynamic webpages, video/sound/ voice text-reader/bluetooth audio/hdmi out, etc....OR/ vs...... WinCE-Native-OS with "browser- workaround" using Proxy server and software conversion of https sites into readable / parsing http-compatible web pages. So...enter WRP... small program takes snaphot photo of webpage and overlays a clickable map of links and IT WORKS. Downside is processing time at least 10 sec or more (35 sec wih RasPi zero2) via proxy server to refresh page. Also no dynamic web features such as video/sounds etc.... static web page more or less, but scrolls.

3). Improved Wifi encryption achieved with adapters or repeaters... to meet mobilty desires, 2 schemes: use vintage ethernet card attached to ethernet2 WPA2 wifi (secure) vs open vintage aironet/netgear etc (open or wep only) card wireless connected to inexpensive esp8266 wifi repeater with single connection to specific WiFi MAC address for "pseudo-secure" and only turned on when needed. May be powered from HPC itself.

4).Software tested is WRP from this site git?wrp.com, choose windows, MacOs, Linux flavors/ OS-types. Download and install example for Win10, RasPi, MacOs. How to start and stop, automate startup, correct errors on loading, blank screen etc.

5). Use: it's a browser within a browser, uses server IP address on 8080 port, example 192.168.2.1:8080. Setting geometry of webpage , entering website url into wrp text-box with cut and paste or keyboard, putting data into smaller 2nd form box for login, etc. Review wrp "browser buttons"... with snapshots. Tips and tricks.

Something like that with lots of snapshot photos? Feedback expected...

Joval
posted on a J720/Devuan/ethernet2wifi/RasPi/VNC Hybrid

Edited by joval 2022-01-27 5:14 AM

One thing I definitely thought I'd never see is an NEC MobilePro 800 running Windows CE 2.0.

I'd say to maintain a separation of concerns as you're mixing-up Deuvian, RPi and Proxy app stuff there into one mega draft.

Ideally they should be separate documents; technical guides rather than editorial opinions - so chew the fat. So from the above I can see:
How To: Install Deuvian on a Jornada 710/720/728
How To: Install and configure a RPi (2+ 4+ etc.) for use as a remote access companion to Deuvian
How To: Install the WRP HTTP proxy on Windows 7/8/8.1/10/11 and run it as a service
How To: Install the WRP HTTP proxy on Linux / RPi and run it as a service
How To: Install the WRP HTTP proxy on Mac and run it as a service
How To: Configure Windows CE to use a WRP HTTP proxy

And screenshots rather than photographs where possible are preferred please

.. .."Laugh it up, Fuzzball!" (StarWars). Perhaps you'd enjoy a little PIE3 in the face! OK WinCE core system version 2.11... Joval via MP800/WinCE/WPA2/WRP-proxy/PIE3

.... ...That's a Tall Order there, Sir. Would you like me to throw in a side orderof Onion Rings? Or Salsa? Or just another helping of Raspberry PIE3?????............. Joval via MP800/WinCE/ethernet2WPA2/WRP-proxy/PIE3

They don't have to all be done by the close of business... end of the week is fine

.... ...OK I'll start with WRP install since that is easiest and applicable to most HPC's.....Joval

It still amazes me that the MP800 and J720 can, via WRP-proxy can jump all the hurdles to log onto HPCFactor. One top reason why I became so involved with Devuan was so that I could do just that. And, WRP is so darn easy to install and set up. I looked over Jake's great notes on setting up Retro-Proxy... and perhaps it has better or more convenient features, I'd sure like to know... but installing Git, then Node.js, then Yarn... and downloading the Retro-browser files... way beyond what's needed to get WRP going... I couldn't get Git to clone the key files. I wonder how long a page refresh takes with Retro-Proxy... I know I'll eventually figure it out. In the mean time, I use ocket word to write this out and then paste it into the little WRP text box... Joval/WinCe/ Aironet-open-wifi-toEsp8266/ to RasPi-WrP /PIE4

Perhaps performance drag race is called for to see if one is faster than the other?

I was just thinking that I haven't set up WRP, but can I assume that the device must be connected to RasPi, or at least a user needs to run a proxy server on another machine?

From your notes, Retro-Proxy appears faster (maybe 3 seconds to bring up a page, YMMV), but WRP may render better, which would account for its slower surfing. I'd rather have speedy text than full-page presentation, and others will feel differently, so it's good to have both available. And WRP seems to manage WPA2, so unless an ethernet card is utilized, one would need a WEP router connection to use Retro-Proxy, an HPC, and a wifi card (with no other connected hardware, just a proxy server running on a mothership in the house).

(Joval--I've emailed you a couple of times and I fear they're not getting through)

Jake

Jake, perhaps I can temp you into penning some formal doc's in installing and configuring RP for the support section on as many platforms as can be mustered (preferably as a service)?

Certainly could crib from my how-to in the Palmtop section.

Jake