I talked a customer through this today so thought it was worth a blog post. I've detailed the different methods by which a BlackBerry device can be activated in a previous post here - http://blog.brightpointuk.co.uk/bes-5-enterprise-activation
But it's probably worth re-visiting and also running through how you can test functionality using the BlackBerry Device Simulator.

As well as being able to activate BlackBerry devices against a BES via the cellular network using the Enterprise Activation feature, and also via the BlackBerry Web Desktop feature, it is also possible to activate devices via WiFi over the (W)LAN, not requiring that users have access to the mobile network or a PC to connect their device to.

This is particularly useful for companies that deploy BlackBerries for use only via WiFi within the confines of their business premises for access to email, calendaring and instant messaging services on a "local" basis only.

Configuring the BES

It's important from an administrative perspective to distinguish between "wireless" activations and "WiFi" activations: users are not to be trusted and will refer to anything not involving a cable as being "wireless", which is factually accurate but in terms of the BES software the two activation methods are worlds apart. "WiFi" activations need to be enabled and require additional configuration on the BES.

This feature is enabled and configured in the BlackBerry Server Configuration tool available under the Programs menu on the BES itself.
Launch the tool and select the OTA WIFI Activation tab:

Enable the option to permit wireless activation.

You will need to specify how the BlackBerry router service is to contact the mail server, this can either be done either via DNS by performing an MX Lookup on the domain specified in the email address entered in the Enterprise Activation wizard on the device itself, or manually by specifying the IP address of a suitable mail server or mail relay.
Authentication details will also need to be specified depending on your mail server's configuration to enable the BlackBerry Router service to successfully submit email to the mail server.

If all of this sounds wildly confusing, let me explain....

The way the BlackBerry Enterprise Activation feature works is by sending an email via SMTP to the BES directly from the device. This is why when you run through the feature on the device you are required to enter your email address as well as your enterprise activation password.
The BES, which is actively monitoring all BES user mailboxes, "sees" the activation email come in and "hoovers" it off and lo and behold your device is registered against your mailbox.
This all happens so quickly that you never see the email arrive or leave from your mailbox in your email client.

When activating over cellular the email is sent to your email address in the same way that all emails are sent to you - via DNS and MX lookups across the Internet to arrive in your mailbox for the BES to retrieve.
When activating over WiFi, the email is sent directly to the BES Router service, which confusingly then needs to be sent to email server for the BES to then retrieve again and do its thing. This is why the above configuration requires that the email server be specified and a user account be defined that has the ability to submit mail to the mail server.

Make sense?

IMPORTANT - for BlackBerry devices to be able to contact the BlackBerry Router service via WiFi, TCP port 4101 must be opened on any firewalls and routers between the wireless network and the BES.

Activate the user

As with all methods of activation, the user obviously needs to be added to the BES and assigned an activation password. This is done via either the BlackBerry Manager MMC console or the BES Administration web interface depending on what version of BES you're running:

Again, for more detailed articles on how to add users to the BES read the above articles or visit the BlackBerry section of the blog.

Configure the device

The Enterprise Activation feature of the BlackBerry device is accessed under Options --> Advanced Options --> Enterprise Activation (OS 5 or earlier) or Options --> Device --> Advanced System Settings --> Enterprise Activation (OS 6)

Unlike with cellular activations, where you simply need to enter an email address and password, with WiFi activations you also need to enter an Activation Server Address, which should be the DNS name or ideally the IP address of the server hosting the BlackBerry Router service (which will almost always be the BES itself):

On OS 6, if you don't see the option to enter an activation server address, press the menu button and select the option to Show Activation Server.

Enter in the required details and select the option to Activate. Your device will then (if all has been configured correctly), activate over the WiFi network:

Read the BlackBerry section of the blog for more information on the capabilities of the BES solution, or contact our technical support department via phone or via the email contact form for more information or assistance.