networking - Scan for available Wi-Fi networks on BlackBerry

Question

Is there any RIM API available which will help to get the list of available network service or only Wi-Fi networks for a device and set selected network access point for any network communications?

Is it possible for my application to disable the mobile networks like GPRS, WAP, etc.?

Example:
When the application is started it should scan for Wi-Fi connections, even if there are no previous Wi-Fi network access points set on the device, and list the available Wi-Fi connections. Then the user will select the appropriate Wi-Fi connection to connect for any network communication. Outside the application any Internet communication, like the browser or any other application, should be done through the same selected Wi-Fi connection. The scanning for Wi-Fi and setting the connection is almost similar to BlackBerry Wi-Fi Setup.

I am looking to do this for BlackBerry OS 4.5, 4.7 and 5.0.

Update

The thing is I'm looking for Wi-Fi scanning through application. It's like through the application I am able to scan available Wi-Fi access points or hotspots and set one of access point by selecting it to device, then connect to it for communication.

Basically it's like, how do we set the Wi-Fi connection in "Manage connetion" of BlackBerry? I have to do a similar thing through the applicaiton.

From some BlackBerry forums I got to know there is package in OS v5.0, that is, a net.rim.device.api.wlan.hotspot package to get the Wi-Fi hotspots. But after a long search I didn't find any sample example or much explanation on it. As I am trying to implement by looking into its API documentation, but I did not succeded.

If you have any idea related to this or any sample code it will be very helpful.

Answer 1

Well, to scan for all available networks for the application you can use the NetworkDiagnostic tool from RIM.

Anther piece of code to scan for your phone connectivity and get the best connection string can be found in How to reliably establish a network connection on any BlackBerry device,

/**
 * Determines what connection type to use and returns the necessary string to use it.
 * @return A string with the connection info
 */
private static String getConnectionString()
{
    // This code is based on the connection code developed by Mike Nelson of AccelGolf.
    // http://blog.accelgolf.com/2009/05/22/blackberry-cross-carrier-and-cross-network-http-connection
    String connectionString = null;

    // Simulator behavior is controlled by the USE_MDS_IN_SIMULATOR variable.
    if (DeviceInfo.isSimulator())
    {
            if (UploaderThread.USE_MDS_IN_SIMULATOR)
            {
                    logMessage("Device is a simulator and USE_MDS_IN_SIMULATOR is true");
                    connectionString = ";deviceside=false";
            }
            else
            {
                    logMessage("Device is a simulator and USE_MDS_IN_SIMULATOR is false");
                    connectionString = ";deviceside=true";
            }
    }

    // Wi-Fi is the preferred transmission method.
    else if (WLANInfo.getWLANState() == WLANInfo.WLAN_STATE_CONNECTED)
    {
        logMessage("Device is connected via Wifi.");
        connectionString = ";interface=wifi";
    }

    // Is the carrier network the only way to connect?
    else if ((CoverageInfo.getCoverageStatus() & CoverageInfo.COVERAGE_DIRECT) == CoverageInfo.COVERAGE_DIRECT)
    {
        logMessage("Carrier coverage.");

        String carrierUid = getCarrierBIBSUid();
        if (carrierUid == null)
        {
            // Has carrier coverage, but not BIBS.  So use the carrier's TCP network
            logMessage("No Uid");
            connectionString = ";deviceside=true";
        }
        else
        {
            // otherwise, use the Uid to construct a valid carrier BIBS request
            logMessage("uid is: " + carrierUid);
            connectionString = ";deviceside=false;connectionUID="+carrierUid + ";ConnectionType=mds-public";
        }
    }

    // Check for an MDS connection instead (BlackBerry Enterprise Server).
    else if ((CoverageInfo.getCoverageStatus() & CoverageInfo.COVERAGE_MDS) == CoverageInfo.COVERAGE_MDS)
    {
        logMessage("MDS coverage found");
        connectionString = ";deviceside=false";
    }

    // If there is no connection available abort to avoid bugging the user unnecssarily.
    else if (CoverageInfo.getCoverageStatus() == CoverageInfo.COVERAGE_NONE)
    {
        logMessage("There is no available connection.");
    }

    // In theory, all bases are covered so this shouldn't be reachable.
    else
    {
        logMessage("no other options found, assuming device.");
        connectionString = ";deviceside=true";
    }

    return connectionString;
}

/**
 * Looks through the phone's service book for a carrier provided BIBS network
 * @return The uid used to connect to that network.
 */
private static String getCarrierBIBSUid()
{
    ServiceRecord[] records = ServiceBook.getSB().getRecords();
    int currentRecord;

    for (currentRecord = 0; currentRecord < records.length; currentRecord++)
    {
        if (records[currentRecord].getCid().toLowerCase().equals("ippp"))
        {
            if (records[currentRecord].getName().toLowerCase().indexOf("bibs") >= 0)
            {
                return records[currentRecord].getUid();
            }
        }
    }
    return null;
}