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headbirth · May 9, 2003, 01:21 PM

I'm looking for a solution to being able to connect to the net anywhere. A friend suggested Bluetooth and a Cell Phone.

I don't want to be limited to wireless WiFi locations like Starbucks. I tend to move around and travel....

Anyone have any suggestions?

TAZ · May 9, 2003, 01:34 PM

A number of wireless services ala Sprint, TruMobile... offer wireless internet service. Sprint is pricy $100/month for unlimited access. They give you a PC card that is a wireless "phone" and off you go. Most phones are capable of being used as modems, so if you have dial-up service you can just dial in using either Bluetooth or wire connection between phone and computer. Sprint however does throttle back your throughput though if youre using your phone as a modem to I believe 14.4. There was also an article posted on the Macnn site re using the Sprint phone to access their Vision service with your laptop. I is not impossible, but may cost you a bit more that standard cell phone service.

BrandoTheBlue · May 9, 2003, 01:54 PM

Actually if you connect your computer through Sprint's Vision services... which can be done if you can get your hands on the connection kit... it isn't expensive at all... unless you have an older plan where sprintpcs actually gave you a MB/month on your Vision usage... anything after those gave you unlimited... which is what you would have to use the internet for... it doesn't even take from your minutes since Vision and voice is billed separately... That was one of the main reasons they stopped supplying those connection kits and suggested that customers get the modems with a vision only plan instead.

CMYKboy · May 11, 2003, 11:33 PM

yeah, the Vision service is great. DO keep in mind however that if you're planning on being a fairly heavy user, say anything above 50 megs a month, then odds are that you'll get flagged as an offender. It's a violation of your Terms of Service to use Vision in this manner but so far the only people who've been warned have been people who are using it as their primary ISP or (stupidly) using it for peer-to-peer filesharing and such. If you're planning on using it that much then yu're bette roff anyway with a PC card solution so you can be always connected and also use your phone at the same time. I Iget about 180k incoming on mine. Uploading is much slower.

Also, dont hold your breath and wait for a Bluetooth phone. Sprint has restricted the Bluetooth connectivity for the upcoming SonyEricsson to only include headset profiles. I wouldnt stake much on being able to connect to the 'Net via Bluetooth, aside from it being too slow.

Mastrap · May 12, 2003, 01:51 AM

When travelling I connect to the net using my Ericsson T68.

It talks to my 12" using bluetooth and works without flaw. Bluetooth is also faster than GPRS so there are no speed issues like CMYKboy suggested.
If I can grab a network offering GPRS (i.e in the UK and Germany) I use that, if not I just revert to GSM which is a lot slower of course and not really suitable for anything more than sending and receiving email.

More and more airports are now offering wireless access and at least in Germany there are more and more public wireless hotspots (http://www.hamburg-hotspot.net/) so connectivity is becoming less and less of a problem.

headbirth · May 12, 2003, 10:44 AM

Thanks for the replys.....can anyone recommend a cell service that offers 56K or better internet access? In the U.S.!

Thanks.

Oh....I did find out Earthlink is offering a mobile High-Speed access similar to Richocet, but it's PC only and only a handful of cities.....bummmer!

Silverlex02 · May 19, 2003, 06:42 AM

I have a powerbook and a Nokia 3650 with bluetooth. How do I configure them so I will be able to use the gprs on my phone to connect to the internet on my powerbook? TIA

Mithras · Jul 23, 2003, 10:16 AM

Reviving an old topic, because I just signed up for unlimited GPRS on T-Mobile:

Using the Internet from (almost) anywhere via Bluetooth is great! I can leave the cell phone (Nokia 3650, FREE from Amazon.com) in my pocket; I just pull out the laptop wherever I happen to be, and presto! instant internet.

I added the $20/month unlimited GPRS option to my regular T-Mobile voice plan. It's kinda pricey (as much as a regular dialup ISP!), but I think it will prove very useful for me. You can also get 3 megabytes for $3, or 10 megabytes for $10.

Configuration was dead simple:
1. I plugged the USB Bluetooth adapter in (those with built-in can skip this).
2. Pair the phone and the laptop by following the little helper assistant. I also added the laptop as 'authorized' in the phone, so that I can dial without specifically authorizing each time.
3. Enable the Bluetooth Modem Adapter in the Network prefpane.
4. In the PPP tab, set the phone number to *99#
5. In the Modem tab, select a decent description of your phone; the Nokia Infrared script works fine for me.

That's it! Using the Menu Extra or Internet Connect, click 'Connect', wait 5-10 seconds, and you're on the 'net! (I set the cellphone to connect to GPRS 'when available', rather than 'when needed', to make the connection faster; also, this way, I can just check for the little 'G' icon to see whether GPRS is available wherever I am)

Connection speeds are like old-school dialup; about 25-35kbps, i.e. files download at around 4.5 kilobytes/sec.

I'm intrigued by the Sprint service as well, but for now, this is working wonderfully for me.

JHromadka · Jul 23, 2003, 10:24 AM

Originally posted by Mithras:
Reviving an old topic, because I just signed up for unlimited GPRS on T-Mobile:

Using the Internet from (almost) anywhere via Bluetooth is great! I can leave the cell phone (Nokia 3650, FREE from Amazon.com) in my pocket; I just pull out the laptop wherever I happen to be, and presto! instant internet.

I added the $20/month unlimited GPRS option to my regular T-Mobile voice plan. It's kinda pricey (as much as a regular dialup ISP!), but I think it will prove very useful for me. You can also get 3 megabytes for $3, or 10 megabytes for $10.

$20 for unlimited? Where do you live? It's $40 here in Houston!

Mithras · Jul 23, 2003, 11:09 AM

Originally posted by JHromadka:
$20 for unlimited? Where do you live? It's $40 here in Houston!

New York, but I don't think that matters.
This page shows the plan for $30/month if you don't have a voice plan. Just call 611 to ask about it for $20/month (with voice plan).

JHromadka · Jul 23, 2003, 12:20 PM

Originally posted by Mithras:
New York, but I don't think that matters.
This page shows the plan for $30/month if you don't have a voice plan. Just call 611 to ask about it for $20/month (with voice plan).

And what is the xfer speed again? Isn't it something like 128 Kbps?

Mithras · Jul 23, 2003, 06:04 PM

Just want to say that I found a great new use for unlimited Internet access on my mobie phone:

the radio!

Okay, so it's a bit ironic for a super-sophisticated, complicated pinnacle of current technology to be used for the radio, invented in 1906, but...

My phone (the Nokia 3650) has a RealPlayer on it, which I never saw much use for. And with a 10 megabyte download plan, there's still not much use for it.

But with unlimited streaming, I can listen not just to local radio stations, but to any station I want (that streams RealAudio), wherever I am. And that's pretty nifty.