CELL PHONE INTERNET ACCESS

[DanaMc]

CELL PHONE INTERNET ACCESS

This is designed to explain the basic approach to using your cell phone with your computer to connect to the internet. It is not intended to be an in depth coverage of the topic. Rather it is intended to help folks get acquainted with what is necessary and a suggested resource or two. The first step in this process would be to check with your cell phone carrier. Make sure there is no reason you can’t use your phone like a modem. Some carriers can provide this for an additional fee.

It is the most cost effective way to keep up with your email and favorite web pages from nearly anywhere. In most cases you do not need a separate or different phone plan. You will use your plan minutes and can manage it to take advantage of the unlimited nights and weekends just as you might for conversations. Regular cell phone roaming charges may apply depending on where you are and whether your carrier has an agreement with the local service provider. This is no different than any other situation.

The key components needed are your cell phone, a special USB cord designed specifically for your cell phone. It will connect your cell phone directly to your computer via a USB port on the computer. Finally you will want software to manage the connection and compress the data being sent. There are many sources for this equipment. You can check with your local cell phone retailer. Radio Shack is a good source on this topic as well. But they will only be familiar with the phones they sell. I have been using SnapDialer. I have been very happy with the combination of Verizon and SnapDialer to connect to the internet.

Once your software is installed and configured for your internet service provider, you will only need to click on the Icon to launch your internet session. What service provider you use is not part of this topic. However there are many low cost or free email services such as Google’s Gmail, Microsoft’s Hotmail, or Yahoo.

Below is some additional reading on this topic:

HOW-TO: Use your CDMA cell phone as a USB modem

Cell Phone Internet Connections

Cellular Fills Gap Between Hotspots

Looking for a boost in your signal? There are third party systems that can enhance your cellular signal and/or facilitate the use of a cell phone in your RV or your home. One example of this is Wilson Cellular Antennas & Amplifiers. Properly installed, these systems can enhance your range of coverage.

[MrWizard]

what PDA model, HP pda is a broad description

[MrWizard]

here is a link

but the porcess for using a PDA is a bit more intensive, you have to use several specail programs to access and modify a file in the phones internal memory, in order to get the phone to work with the PDA, because the pda does not work the same as the PC.

here is the link

http://mark.cdmaforums.com/NoPapDun.htm

you might want to stick with using the PC, and then sync the pda with the pc for data exchange, instead of using the PDA to access the net

another alterantive is to pay vzw 459 a month for the data feature
in order to use the PDA, they'll even help you set it up.

[phitur]

I checked my DUN connection through my computer and verizon had assigned an IP address to it. It must have an IP to be able to connect to a network and gain access to the internet. While you are connected, open a command prompt by hitting the windows key and "r" together and type "cmd". In the command prompt, type "ipconfig /all" and you'll see the IP and DNS that have been assigned through verizon to your computer. Your computer should be on DHCP to have these automatically assigned. The PDA is on auto as well, but something is preventing it from picking up the IP.

I was able to connect with no problem through a friend's phone on another carrier, but no luck on Verizon. I also tried someone elses PDA with the same result on this phone through Verizon. I contacted HP, but they were no help. It sure would be nice to get that working, if it's possible.

[rvjer]

MrWizard wrote:
one more piece of the puzzle ?

is this a Verizon v3 or some other carrier ?

we didn't clarify and i'm assuming, because it makes a world of difference, i have NO experience with other carriers

MrWizard,
Yes this is a Verizon V3251 Motorola phone. I am traveling for the next couple of months so I may not be able to get on line really regular, please bear with me.

[MrWizard]

no IP address is needed by verizon dialup, this is somethng in the PDA setup, thers must be a default setting or a by pass, likely it is a script command.

[phitur]

I Was able to get my PDA to connect to the Verizon service, but then it was asking me for an IP address. I had the IP address set to auto and the DNS server addresses; however, it was not able to pick one up automatically. I tried to manually input some information that I obtained from my computer conenction, but it did no good. This is on Verizon. Any suggestions?

[MrWizard]

one more piece of the puzzle ?

is this a Verizon v3 or some other carrier ?

we didn't clarify and i'm assuming, because it makes a world of difference, i have NO experience with other carriers

in the menu system usually somewhere under call settings ( its varies with mfg ) is a setting for your PC connection, usb serial BT ,

it will be labled something like PC commection, data connection, or PORT map,

you need to find that on the V3 and set it to BT

on the samsung it is in the hidden service menu

on my lg enV it is accessed thru the settings menu

I don't have moto so i don't have the exact instructions, they will be on HOFO in the vzw moto sub forum, if i find them before you , i will post them
check here
v3 & v3m thread contains info and links

[phitur]

Rvjer, I was experiencing a similar problem with the built in BT on my tablet PC. The PC is still under warranty and I intend to pursue that avenue to get it fixed, if it's broken. I suspect that it may be, or that it is a software problem with the OS and an update to the driver may help. I did purchase a really cheap BT dongle from Fry's when I was out there (that place is awesome). It was about $15 and it works great on the tablet to connect to my cell. I bought it for another system, but it solves the problem on the tablet until I get it fixed.

I think you have several options: First, I would look for drivers online for your system to see if you can update it that way. If that doesn't work, I'd call Toshiba directly and ask for help with the solution. If it's under warranty, I'd ask them to fix it if it's more than a driver or software fix. All that doesn't pan out and I'd get a cheap dongle. Should work.

[rvjer]

MrWizard,

I guess mine isn't turned on. When I check through control panel, no BT shows at all, yet there is a BT monitor that is turned on. I went to Toshiba tools and under the BT section all it says is to turn the monitor on, it doesn't tell you how. On the recovery disks that came with the laptop the only option it gives me is to reinstall back to original configuration. I see no way to only install drivers.

If I just bought a BT adapter and plugged it into the USB port would that work?

TIA Jerry

MrWizard wrote:

your BT in the PC is either turned on and working or it isn't

check the devices in the control panel and in systems / hardware

if everything is enabled, then the bt is working

the driver for the onboard BT hardware should already be installed and running, and it should be on the DISCs that came with the PC

Moderator's edit: Corrected the quote tags

[MrWizard]

rvjer wrote:
I have a Toshiba laptop that has BT but it has to be installed. When I try to install the driver it asks me to connect the device I am using. I want to use my Motorola V325i phone but with the BT running on the phone the laptop will not recognize it nor will the phone recognize the laptop.

The question, How to install the BT driver? Do I need to have an adapter for the laptop to work

your BT in the PC is either turned on and working or it isn't

check the devices in the control panel and in systems / hardware

if everything is enabled, then the bt is working

the driver for the onboard BT hardware should already be installed and running, and it should be on the DISCs that came with the PC

for connecting the V3 via bt, you need to use the phone menus & the my bluetooth on the PC

you have to set the phone to pair and the PC to discovery,

one device will find the other, then a window will pop up asking if you want to pair, then another window asking for password

the default is usualy a series of zeros like 0000 or 00000

PHONE

menu / settings & TOOLS / bt menu / add new device

it should the n display the PC name 'could take a minute'

after that its choose the pc and click 'pair'

[MrWizard]

glad you got it going

the PDA, this problem is usually the result of the PDA , sending an encrypted PW not an open unencrypted text PW,

verizon DUN only accepts NON encrypted, thats the reason for specifing the non-encrytion in windows modem settings

you will need to find the settings on the PDA or the script file for the PDA that sets the PDA to that format when sending to a modem

try the PDA forums on Howardforums.com

I don't have 1st hand info, about any particular PDA

[phitur]

I have an LG 9900 and I am trying to use it as a DUN modem. I have followed all of the instructions in the post that you sent me the link to, but I have not had success conencting. I am in NM and I used the phonenumber@vzw3g.com and the password in all caps, VZW. I modified the security settings for the conenction and the settings on the phone for 1x only. When I dial, the phone dials three times and is disconnected within a few seconds each time. The message I get on the computer is user ID or password wrong.

Ok, scratch all that, I just redid it and changed the password to vzw, lower case, and it connected, woohoo! THank you very much for the help!

Ok, another challenge: I'm trying to connect my PDA through my cell. I did everything and get the same message as in the first paragraph. It's an HP running Pocket PC 5.

[rvjer]

I have a Toshiba laptop that has BT but it has to be installed. When I try to install the driver it asks me to connect the device I am using. I want to use my Motorola V325i phone but with the BT running on the phone the laptop will not recognize it nor will the phone recognize the laptop.

The question, How to install the BT driver? Do I need to have an adapter for the laptop to work

[MrWizard]

if you have BT on you PC, that is all you need for making the connection, NO other software is needed, you just have to turn the BT on, and choose BT for the PC connection in the phone menu, and set the phone to 1xonly in the hidden service menu

if you want to use a USB cable you will need the 'driver' for the phone, if you want to do it this way I recommend you buy the MEK from VZW because it comes with the disc that has the driver and the cable has a port for plugging in the charger, so you can charge the battery while connected to the PC and stay on as long as you want , with out worring about the phone battery going down

you do not need any special connection software, I do not trust ebay cheap cables, most of the time you get a disc that has incorrect driver software that won't work with the phone and then you have to hunt for a DL on the web

my laptop does not have built in BT, i had to buy a bt dongle, and that turned into a comdey of errors, one worked bueautiful but the bundeled software was a 'trial version' and the buy button would not work, went to website downloaded the update ver still a trial andstill the button wouldn't work

dongle number 2, was pita to set up and and crashes the PC with the BSOD without any kind of notice of a problem

if you have builtin working BT use it.. IF not, buy the mek from vzw, the factory cables are always the best ones

[phitur]

Mr. Wizard, what software do you recommend for using the enV as a modem? Any "free" software out there that will get the job done? Also, does it matter if you use Bluetooth or USB?

Thanks