BlackBerry HTML Web Browsing FAQ
The purpose of this FAQ is to help answer web-browsing-related questions for BlackBerry. Many new models of BlackBerries have a built-in
HTML Internet Browser with
full color image graphics. Unfortunately this does not apply to each and every BlackBerry. The purpose of this FAQ is to help get a person get a web browser up and running as quickly as possible.
My Web Browser Icon Is Missing!
This can happen if you've upgraded your BlackBerryOS, or if you delete your service books. This is the most common step to fix the problem via your BlackBerry:
Options Icon -> Host Routing Tables -> Register Now
Help! My Web Browser Still Didn't Show Up!
If the above instructions failed, try stepping through these instructions one by one
- Try getting your service books retransmitted.
a. Login to your BlackBerry Web Client (BWC/BIS) site.
b. Click "Profiles" (At the top of your BWC webpage via your PC)
c. Click "Send Internet Browser Service Book"
- Try rebooting your BlackBerry by removing and reinserting battery.
- Make sure you are running BlackBerryOS 4.0 by checking:
Check Options -> About
If you are not running at least Version 4.0, you need to download and install BlackBerryOS 4.0 then repeating all the above instructions again.
- If that does not work, and you are on a BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES), try re-activating your BlackBerry on BES. This may be as simple as connecting your BlackBerry to your PC and synchronizing your BlackBerry while Outlook is in ONLINE mode.
Help! I'm stuck with BlackBerryOS 3.7!
If you are not allowed to upgrade to
BlackBerryOS 4.0, there is still hope. There's an unsupported method of doing this on BlackBerryOS 3.7. This is called the "
RBRO trick". Follow these instructions:
- Launch the WAP Browser
- Click thumbwheel, select Options
- You should now see a list containing "Browser Configuration" and "General Properties"
- Type the following letters: RBRO
- Click on "Browser Configuration" again.
- Scroll down to "Constrained Content Mode" and then change "WML Only" into "Unconstrained"
- Click scrollwheel and select "Save"
- Click on "Browser Configuration" again. (Go back out and back in)
- Scroll down to "Content Mode" and then change "WML Only" into "WML and HTML"
- Click scrollwheel and select "Save"
- Now you've got full HTML browsing on your BlackBerryOS 3.7 device!
Help! None Of The Above Works!
Unfortunately, some carriers don't want you to have a web browser yet. Try calling your carrier and asking nicely to get a full Internet Browser for your BlackBerry. There's an alternative. You can obtain third party web browsers:
Opera Mini
Minuet Browser
What is NOL? What is T-Zones?
These are custom branded browsers for Nextel and T-Mobile.
NOL is the Nextel OnLine browser for Nextel BlackBerries.
T-Zones is the T-Mobile web browser for T-Mobile BlackBerries.
This does not apply to you if you are using another carrier, such as Cingular.
Some of these custom branded browsers are simply renamed versions of the BlackBerry Internet Browser, while others are renamed versions of much-more-limited WAP browsers.
Nextel's NOL browser (as of March 2005) is still a limited-functionality browser, so many Nextel users find it necessary to purchase a third party browser, in order to gain more browsing functionality.
BlackBerry Internet Browser Is TOO SLOW!
Under BlackBerryOS4, the improved HTML web browsing can be extremely slow. There are several ways to speed up the web browsing experience. Try the following:
- Turn off images by going to:
Internet Browser -> Options -> Browser Configuration -> Show Images -> "On WML Pages Only"
You can selectively download images on demand, anyway.
- If that does not speed things up enough, turn off unnecessary options that you may not need:
Internet Browser -> Options -> Browser Configuration
Turn off "Use HTML Tables"
Turn off "Use Background Images"
Turn off "Support JavaScript"
Turn off "Support Style Sheets"
- If that does not speed things up enough, test out a trial of one of the third party browsers available. Many people say that some of the third party web browsers are faster in certain aspects. You can have this web browser installed at the same time as the BlackBerry Internet Browser.
- Try browsing through BES 4.0 which can be much faster than browsing entirely through your cell carrier. If you want the fastest RIM BlackBerry Browser without going to third party software, you may want to get BES 4.0. Individuals who cannot afford a BES server can check out the Hosted BES FAQ for services costing $10 to $25 per month. An advantage is that browsing through BES 4.0 will make more JavaScript websites work properly, including online banking websites.
Note: On BES, the browser is called "BlackBerry Browser" rather than "Internet Browser"
Help! My Web Browser Doesn't Display Any Pages, Only "Loading..."!
This is usually a configuration problem, but can be a server issue. Try the following:
- Reboot your BlackBerry by removing and reinserting the battery.
- Follow the instructions in section "Help! My Web Browser Still Didn't Come Back!" at the top.
- Follow the instructions in Configuring Internet On BlackBerry
- Test out a third party web browser.
- Your BWC or BES might be a little slow. Try again a little later.
What's The Best Web Browser For Maximum Compatibility?
The best web browser for maximum compatibility is one that supports JavaScript. You still won't be able to get a Blazer-style web browser, but you can dramatically improve the BlackBerry browsing compatibility. One way to get this is to use BlackBerryOS 4.0 on a BES 4.0 server (Either your own BES or through
Hosted BES). This will allow to access more websites, including online banking websites. To maximize compatibility, go to:
BlackBerry Browser -> Options -> Browser Configuration
Scroll down and turn on ALL checkboxes. Then Save.
Quote:
This is a "Mark Rejhon BlackBerry FAQ" article.
Copyright (C) 2005 by Mark Rejhon, All Rights Reserved. Some portions may be Copyright (C) by respective forum members.
Mark Rejhon grants permission to use this article only for private use. For all other uses, please ask Mark Rejhon at www.marky.com to ask for permission to use this article. If any content of this article also contains content by other forum members, please ask them for permission too as well. This includes commercial use, public use, reposting in full/part anywhere on the Internet, publication in magazine/book or any other media, or any other use than private use. This copyright notice may not be edited or removed in any manner. Mark Rejhon reserves exclusive right to edit, remove, or restore this article, and this article may not be edited, removed, or restored by any other individual or organizations.
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