Globalstar offers a internet PPP data connection for their GSP-1600 and later phones. You will need the data cable for the phone, and for a 9-pin serial data cable you will need a USB/serial adapter (we recommend any of the adapters using the FTDI chipset, e.g. Sabrent CB-FTDI).

Prior to using your Globalstar phone for a PPP internet connection for the first time, you need to set up a “Standard modem driver” on your computer, and then set up a dial-up networking connection for the Globalstar PPP data service. These steps are both described in detail below for Windows 7, 8 and 10.

First step: Install a Modem-Driver:
===================================

1. Close all applications (at least any that use internet).
2. Open Windows Control Panel.
3. Set “View by” to large or small icons, then double-click on “Phone and Modem Options”.
4. Select the “Modems” tab and click “Add”…
5. Check “Don’t detect my modem; I will select it from a list” and then click “Next”.
6. Select “Standard Modem Types”, then “Standard 33600 bps Modem” and then click “Next”.
7. Click the “Selected ports” button and highlight the COM Port that you will use with the Globalstar phone (e.g., COM1). Click Next, then Finish.
8. Now go back to Control Panel, open “Device Manager”, find “Modems” and expand that, and find the “Standard 33600 bps Modem” that you just created. Double-click that to open “Properties”, select the “Modem” tab and set the max port speed to 38400.
9. Click OK, then close Device manager.

(Note: You can also access the modem properties box via “Phone and Modems”, but “max port speed” is disabled. Go through Device Manager instead).

Second step: Configure a Dial-Up Networking connection
======================================================

1. Open Windows Control Panel and select “Network and Sharing Center”.
2. Click “Set up a new connection or network” and then click Next.
3. Select “Connect to the Internet” and click Next.
4. If you see “You are already connected to the internet”, click on “Set up a new connection anyway”.
5. Then select “No, Create a new connection” (unless you are checking settings of an existing connection).
6. Click on “Dial-up”, and (if prompted) select “Standard 33600 bps Modem”.
7. In the “Dial-up phone number” box enter #777. Leave user name and Password blank, and for “Connection Name” enter “Globalstar”.
8. Then click “Connect”, Windows will try to connect– click “Skip” to continue.
9. Click “Close” and return to Network Center.
10. There should be no changes to the network properties, to check click “Change Adaptor Settings” on the left, find “Globalstar” and right-click and select “Properties”. (Or, open the connection and then click the “Properties” button).
11. On the first tab verify that “Use dialing rules” is not checked.
12. Then click “Configure”, and check that only Hardware flow control is checked, then click OK.
13. On the “Networking” tab, “File and printer sharing” and “Client for Microsoft Networks” should NOT be checked.
14. Click OK to close.

To connect manually, click on the Networks icon in the system-tray (lower-right corner of the screen), select “Globalstar” and select “Connect”. Repeat to disconnect. You can also get to the connections properties from this window.

Once all that is done, open Airmail’s “Telnet” window (click the “Internet” button on the toolbar or open the Modules menu then Telnet-client). Check the “dial first” box in the Telnet window, and select the “Globalstar” connection, and make sure that the “hang up” box is also checked. In recent versions of Airmail the Telnet-window is already set up, just select station “Server1” (or WRD719). Also be sure to check the box for “Set up dedicated route”, this will block other programs from trying to “hijack” your Globalstar connection.

To check mail, click Airmail’s “Internet” button (or go to Modules menu, Telnet-client), make sure WRD719 is selected in the callsign box and click the green “connect” button. Airmail will dial the phone, contact the server, and exchange mail. Watch the connection and make sure it disconnects when finished.

Troubleshooting:
================

Remember that the Globalstar antenna must be outdoors, with a clear view of the sky. The best antenna is a proper fixed-mount marine antenna, not cheap but strongly recommended if you are serious about it working reliably. The next-best is the small “hockey-puck” car-style antenna, IF it is stuck to a piece of metal (e.g. a car, or a metal pie-tin 8″/20cm or larger). It is meant to work on a car roof, and needs the metal ground-plane. The phone’s antenna also works (as a third choice), IF it is above-decks with a clear view and oriented vertically.

If the phone doesn’t connect at all, check the signal and then check the modem and connection settings above.
If the phone connects but you cannot connect to SailMail then check the Telnet settings below. You should be using port-50.
If you do not have an Internet/Telnet window at all then go to Airmail’s Tools menu, Options window, Modules tab, and check the box to the left of “Telnet Client”. Click OK.

To check your Telnet settings first open the Telnet window (click the “Internet” button or go to Airmail’s Modules menu and select Internet or Telnet Client). Make sure “SailMail” is selected if you have also configured Airmail for ham use. Select “Server1” or “WRD719” and click “Settings”, or if not found then click “New”.
Check the following settings:
remote callsign: “Server1” or WRD719
remote host: 72.32.198.206 (see ** note)
Port: 50
TImeout: (blank)
Local callsign: (your SailMail/marine callsign)
Password: (your SailMail internet password, Case-Sensitive!).
Click OK to save settings.

** Note: For quickest access use the main server (“Server1” or WRD719), make sure the port is “50”, and enter the numeric IP-address “72.32.198.206”– this saves a few seconds. But remember that this address may change if we need to shift servers– so if you cannot connect then enter the server name “server1.sailmail.com” and note the address which is shown when you connect. (Don’t include the quotes shown here). The backup server is “backup1” or WHV382, remote-host is backup1.sailmail.com or 64.119.5.153 and port is 50.

If you want to initiate a PPP Data call manually, open the Dial-Up Networking window and open the “Globalstar” dial-up connection and click “dial”. And don’t forget to disconnect when you are finished!

Cheers, Jim
support@sailmail.com
(revised 2015-12-21)