The palm tx can browse the net and send/receive emails wirelessly. It can sync with kpilot via the usb cable. It can 'see' the router at 192.168.1.1 when I browse to there. After browsing various websites/forums (including palm's own), I'm still stuck.

Have set kpilot to device net:any and the slowest speed 9600, but message is 'Cannot open pilot port net:any'

Message from palm is 'connection between your device and the desktop could not be established. Please check setup and try again.'

I tried a command line which I found somewhere. The result is

don@hp-laptop:~$ pilot-xfer -p net:any -l
Unable to bind to port: net:any
Please use --help for more information

'Help' did not help me. I'm not a command line enthusiast but, like many a cook, I can follow instructions without understanding.

If I disable the firewall (System>Administration>Firewall Configuration) then the sync works. The clue came from this forum

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...-wired-631261/

As recommended there, I checked security by visiting www.grc.com and doing a ShieldsUP! test. Even with the firewall disabled, that test showed complete security for the computers on the LAN so should I bother with the firewall?

How could I discover the port(s) which need to be open for the sync to work? Then the firewall could be left enabled but with the specific port(s) left open.