Hi,
I've been trying to change the User Agent string in Internet Explorer so I can browse Vodafone Live! and watch Mobile TV on my P3600. Vodafone Live! can only be accessed by supported phone models, so one has to trick the website into thinking your unsupported phone is one of the supported models. In newer versions of Internet Explorer mobile, this is done by modifying the hardcoded User Agent string in the \Windows\browser.dll file, and various members have kindly released such modified files with different browser identifiers.
From visiting http://www.useragentstring.com/, we can see some extra custom data (found in the registry) is appended to the hard coded user agent string. I apologise if this has been suggested before, but instead of releasing many versions of browser.dll files to spoof different phones, why not erase the hard-coded string entirely and just use the custom data to set the User Agent from the registry. Here's what I did...
I extracted the browser.dll file from mun_rus' cooked rom: mUn_1.25.TE_AKU3.5.2_WWE, but I assume this file will be compatible with all AKU 3.5.2 builds (Someone please confirm this; if you are not using the same ROM, I would advise not to use the attached files until someone has confirmed it). Initially, the hard-coded string read:
"Mozilla/4.0 %s (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile %d.%d)"
I overwrote the entire string (apart from the %s) with 0x00's (Hex), saved the file and uploaded it to my phone.
Now if I set the value of the registry key "Custom", located at:
HKLM\Security\Internet Explorer\User Agent
to:
"Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 6.8) PPC; 240x320; HTC_P3600/1.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1"
The browser performs exactly as before. However, the advantage now is that when I want to watch Mobile TV or browse Vodafone Live, I can simply set the "Custom" registry key to:
"Nokia6233/2.0 (03.46) Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 RSS Reader 1.18, Nokia6233/2.0 (03.46) Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 UNTRUSTED/1.0"
I have shared some automated installer cab files which will make these modifications without having to go through all the trouble of extracting files from roms, and hex/reg editing. They are as follows:
[*]AKU352_dlls.zip: contains 2 files to be copied to your PPC.
Run modified_AKU352_browserdll.cab to replace the original browser.dll with one that does not have a hard coded user agent string.
Run orig_AKU352_browserdll.cab to restore your browser.dll with the original one from mun_rus' rom.
IE_HTC_P3600.cab : set the User Agent string to simulate a HTC P3600
IE_Nokia6233.cab : set the User Agent string to simulate a Nokia 6233 (which gives access to Vodafone Live!)
Now you can change between HTC_P3600 and Nokia 6233 by simply running a cab file, (which only changes some registry data)!
PS, if people think this is a good idea maybe mun_rus and lvsw could include this modification in their future cooked roms? Otherwise, i'll update this thread with new dll's when new roms are released
This is a very interesting topic. Thanks for your research and detailed post.
I was wondering if you ever tried the PIEPlus v2.2 plugin for MobileIE?
http://www.reensoft.com/PIEPlus/
The site discribes a Custom field selector for User Agent. If you have tried this, was it successful?
I too would like to use some cell provider content that is unavailable to my Trinity without spoofing the User Agent string.
Thanks for your free alternative. I would enjoy any feedback.
Sorry double post.
Hi,
Since AKU 3.3 and WM6, tools which change the user agent string (such as PIEPlus) have not worked due to the hard coding of the user agent string in the browser.dll file. I did try the new version of PIEPlus myself, but visiting www.useragentstring.com reveals that nothing is changed. Someone pointed out this fact in this thread. I also tried a number of other tools, and even changing the registy values manually myself, without any luck.
For now, it seems the only way is to modify the browser.dll file. I've given full instructions how to do this since I'm not sure whether it is safe or not to copy this file across different builds of Windows Mobile. Blanking out the hard coded string seems the most generic thing to do - that way you dont have to keep overwriting the dll when you want to spoof different phone models/browsers. Once the modified dll is in place, you can go along to the specified registry key and insert your own user agent string (incase the Nokia 6233 isnt the one you were after).
Hi,
Easy link to check your user agent is also available here:
http://uap.texto.cc
regards
Richard
These browser.dll's are not working on my TyTN II (WM6).
How did you extract and modify the browser.dll.
I want to extract and modify the browser.dll from my TyTN II, however i cannot copy it from the windows directory.
What program do you use to modify the file and waht do you change???
Thanx in advance
Hi John,
You will need to find the rom you flashed your phone with, then using the ImgFS tools, extract the relevant file from the rom. HexEdit the file as described, then use WinCE Cab manager to make a cab and replace the file in the windows directory on your phone.
Hope this helps,
Let me know if I can help further...
James.
jamesbest77 said:
Hi John,
You will need to find the rom you flashed your phone with, then using the ImgFS tools, extract the relevant file from the rom. HexEdit the file as described, then use WinCE Cab manager to make a cab and replace the file in the windows directory on your phone.
Hope this helps,
Let me know if I can help further...
James.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think CustomBase must be changed isnt?
lucgas said:
I think CustomBase must be changed isnt?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, dont change "CustomBase", only erase the parts I have described. This excludes the %s but includes the %d's
AKU352_dlls.zip works on my p3600 with WM6.
Dont have vodafone, but what used to be vodafone in sweden, and it works great . Thanks!
Raiker said:
AKU352_dlls.zip works on my p3600 with WM6.
Dont have vodafone, but what used to be vodafone in sweden, and it works great . Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is very strange - but glad it worked!
I wouldn't recommend that anyone else try these dll's on their phone unless they are using AKU 3.5.2. Otherwise unpredictable things may start happenning...
jamesbest77 said:
That is very strange - but glad it worked!
I wouldn't recommend that anyone else try these dll's on their phone unless they are using AKU 3.5.2. Otherwise unpredictable things may start happenning...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hi i have tytn and i installed a cab file...but...it worked under GPRS but as soon as i was in 3g zone i couldnt connect to the net, it was saying that my modem has disconested. do u have any idea what i did wrong?
UserAgent patch attempt on HTC Universal
jamesbest77 said:
Hi John,
You will need to find the rom you flashed your phone with, then using the ImgFS tools, extract the relevant file from the rom. HexEdit the file as described, then use WinCE Cab manager to make a cab and replace the file in the windows directory on your phone.
Hope this helps,
Let me know if I can help further...
James.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi James,
I'm trying to do this exact same patch for the HTC Universal with a WM6 ROM. I succeeded in extracting the browser.dll:
alpinenbfdecode.pl -d nk.nbf nk.nba
mkdir files
rdmsflsh.pl -d files nk.nba
But when I copy the browser.dll (even unpatched) to the device and start Internet Explorer I get the error: iexplore.exe is not a valid application.
I've also noticed that all DLLs I have extracted differ a bit in size compared to the sizes they have on the PocketPC itself. Anyone has tips?
browser.dll for HTC Universal
Hi all,
I installed the browser.dll from MUN200SEwm6beta_dlls.zip and it worked on my HTC Universal with WM6. However, I didn't like the feature to enter the useragent in registry, so I changed the DLL and now it contains this useragent string:
Mozilla/4.0 %s (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; Ruw. %d.%d)
The 'Ruw.' was just to fill up the string as I didn't want to change it's length to avoid unspecifed behaviour. Ruw is short for Ruwebit.net (my site).
It works perfectly with all sites. To install: just copy the browser.dll to /Windows. To uninstall: just delete it from /Windows and the original browser.dll from the ROM will re-appear.
user888 said:
It works perfectly with all sites. To install: just copy the browser.dll to /Windows. To uninstall: just delete it from /Windows and the original browser.dll from the ROM will re-appear.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Some sites don't seem to fully load with this DLL on a HTC Universal...
user888 said:
Hi all,
I installed the browser.dll from MUN200SEwm6beta_dlls.zip and it worked on my HTC Universal with WM6. However, I didn't like the feature to enter the useragent in registry, so I changed the DLL and now it contains this useragent string:
Mozilla/4.0 %s (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; Ruw. %d.%d)
The 'Ruw.' was just to fill up the string as I didn't want to change it's length to avoid unspecifed behaviour. Ruw is short for Ruwebit.net (my site).
It works perfectly with all sites. To install: just copy the browser.dll to /Windows. To uninstall: just delete it from /Windows and the original browser.dll from the ROM will re-appear.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
how do u copy it? when i try it it says acces denied
anyone tried this with an Ax3l rom?
i'm using AX3L_WM6_WWE_v3.1.2_Lite, should i give your dll a try? or it isnt going to work and i have to manually create the browser.dll for my rom? i'd like to avoid it if i can
whatever you do *dont* try these dlls on the wrong rom. you'll have to make your own for that particular rom i'm afraid - but it isnt hard at all, and you'll learn a lot
By the way, isnt there a new easier way to modify the User Agent string now? I've heard some people mention they used Schaps' Advanced Configuration tool....
hehe alright, i'll do that as soon as i get some time
i'll post my progress here
gurth4ng said:
hehe alright, i'll do that as soon as i get some time
i'll post my progress here
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
whats happeneing? i have wm6 on dopod383pro. really would like to use vodafone life especialy those foxtel chanels
Hello.
Just want to ask,why I cannot lot of cabs open in OCPSoftware WinCE Cab Mgr? Some files could be opened,some not. Or exist another similar tool?
Thanks.
I had the same issue with WinCE CAB Manager version 3. The solution was downgrading to version 2, which seems to take all CAB files just fine.
Hi..i've already search for a topic regarding to this, and most of the findings only talks about how to edit it or combine it and such that it will be installed automatically.However, my main question is that how would i make/create a cab file for applications which had been installed into the phone?as there are some application which i had updated it through the phone and it will take some time if i intended to install it back in case i've formatted my phone. So any help would be appreciated and if there's somewhere it had been discussed before please show me the way..thank you
Anyone? Need some help here. Thank you.
It's not completely impossible, but very impractical.
To "cab" (to make it a verb) something, you'd need to know every single file the program uses (sometimes, applications install dll's into the windows folder) and every registry key as well. You'd have to gather all these files and then create a new cab and import them to the proper paths.
I believe SKTools has an option to view what files a program uses.
It's next to impossible for applications that are installed through an installation DLL in the cab - it's hard to track what exactly changes when you install these apps.
Best way to do it though - find the original cab. You could try to combine cabs, but it'd get messy, best use an automatic cab installer then.
Thank you
Thank you for the reply. From ur opinion it is indeed difficult to find the changes made especially with the updates involved. Thank again.
Well it is really simple, just have to know if it has any keys in the registry, what dependencies it has like any dll or other things and then you use visual studio and make a smart device cab ant put in there the files in the folders needed, the shortcut and the key registry you compile the cab and in less then a minute you have a cab