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.

[04admiral]

What is mok???

[jurzbill]

Well dont bother getting the LG 5200..
you cant access the internet with it using mok..
got it today.. verizon store said yes..
got home , hooked up and no good.
called tech support and they said it is not capable of accessing net via mok...
now going back and getting my LG8100 back..
guess will have to pay them..oh well.

[retiredhappy]

Great thresd.

I have Verizon America's Choice - unlimited nites and weekends.

Was told phone MUST BE a trimode to work and a lot of the newer phones are duel mode.

Used a Samsung 301 and now have a Motorola V60. Bought both phones on Ebay and they work fine.

Also bought on Ebay a Verizon mobile office kit which is specific for each phone.

Downloaded the software from the MOK, hooked up phone a used the "Quick2net" option which is free - only uses minutes. No monthly charge. Only works if you're in a digital area, not analog. Have used this system a lot when on the road. Not the speediest but does work.

Tried one time to dial into my home ISP but apparently their system didn't recognize my computer from my cell phone.

LOVE gadgets.

Karen
30' Gulfstream Ultra Supreme
Two Spoiled Labs
The Hippy VW Bug

[jurzbill]

I have the family plan now..Apparently verizon is offering only the America's choice plan.
I have the mok for the lg8100.
with the lg6000 I use to be able to use my existing minutes but now they have eliminated that choice.
you must activate your phone with verizon to access the internet.
However you dont have to contract with them..You can use it by the day, week, month and terminate at will.
Your bill will be prorated...
hope this helps..
bill

[Handbasket]

jurzbill wrote:
...
I just purchased an 8100LG phone and a new kit to hook up to my laptop.
With this I can access both standard internet and when in an area that offers broadband I will be able to access that.
It cost approximately $55 a month and there is no contract requirement.
If I dont use for the entire month the cost will be prorated..
...

What specific plan and kit, if you don't mind me asking? With Verizon?

Jim, "There are three kinds of people, those who can count, and those who can't."

[5wheeler]

Ken, Thanks for the links to the Yahoo groups. I signed up for both and have done a little reading.

My project for this week is to get internet hookup for the road-- either air card or via cell phone. I have wifi. When I went on the Yahoo groups I read the following in the Cingular tutorial.

In the past, Cingular users were able to get unlimited Internet use through the old $19.99 Media Works unlimited plan. However, this plan no longer exists and the company has changed its new user agreement. It used to say something to the effect that using Media Works to connect your laptop to the Internet was “not supported” by Cingular. New users now agree that it is forbidden and they will not do it. If you already have the old Media Works unlimited plan, you can probably—at least for now—continue to get away with unlimited Internet use, but there are no guarantees about how long this will continue. Therefore, this tutorial no longer includes instructions for connecting this way.

I was leaning toward this solution and know a guy who just did it a few days ago by tethering his phone and using free Cingular software that he downloaded from their site.

I hate to sign up for this and later get a big bill. Anyone familiar with this situation?

[savitbound]

i need cellphone access for dummies ,i have a verizon v325 motorola phone , bought a data cable it shows the modem in my computer but i have cable internet how do i access the internet
please be gentle ha/ha
thanks sal
ilove these forums

[scoutken]

Hello,
Having accesed the internet by cell for over 10 years and used both Verizon and Cingular I hope I can add something to this thread.

First two VERY helpful resources (Yahoo Groups)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/InternetByCellPhone
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/InternetByWiFi

You may have to join these groups, but they are free, and VERY helpfull.

InternetByCell tells you how to access internet by Verizon or Cingular at mininum cost. The systems operate very differently, from the customers view. All these services are changing fast, and the respective customer service reps. are not always up to date. I suggest you request to talk to Tech support.

Verizon charges by time connected and the IMC group can tell you how to use your free minutes to access the web. Currently where they have their broadband service active, Verizon is the fastest available. Slower service is available almost anywhere you get Verizon cell service. Check maps on their site often.

Cingular bills all data service seperate. They have the $19.95 month unlimited data service intended for phone use. the IBC group tells you how to access that on you PC. They also offer EDGE DATA service in many locations for $59.95 month unlimited or by amount of data transfered. My expierence is that the EDGE is much faster that the other, Edge is little faster than dial up, the other slower than dial up, but you must be in an area where EDGE is offered and pay the higher fee. However, if you have Cingular service there is no committment; it is month to month. You can purchase for a month for a trip and than quit.
Cingular is more like DSL in that you can stay connected for long times, and you CAN RECEIVE cell calls while connected. The web connection is put on hold and resumes when you hang up call.

All that said I am now trying to go all WIFI when RVing.
That is the reason to join the InternetByWiFi group. People on there are accessing internet from WiFi spots as far away as 10 miles, where they can get "line of sight". Having the right equipment is crital, but not always costly. Check out that site before you buy any WiFi equipment.

If I can answer any questions feel free to email me direct: scoutken_99@yahoo.com

Thanks to ALL WHO MAKE THESE FORUM GREAT
Ken

[catalina30]

magicbus wrote:

I am a bit puzzled with part of your post. When I configure my software, it is set to dial into my ISP. The cell phone is nothing more than a modem. So I have no problem reaching the SMTP outgoing email servers....I think it is mostly a problem when you dial in on say Earthlink and try to send mail on Verizon servers. They don't like that.

This is correct. Some mail servers only allow access from within their network. Others allow you to use your "home" servers even when you are outside their firewall.

When you use your cell phone to dial your ISP, you are "inside" their network. If you use Verizon #777 to access their National Access network or, as in my case, AT&T EDGE service, the carrier connection leaves you "outside your home network" which causes some people to have to make configuration changes.

Dave

I have Verizon using the PCMCIA card, I have never used verizon for my e-mail. I have a yahoo account(free mail) that I use for mail because I have had it for years and have been thru many providers and don't have the desire to learn all there is to know about a system just so I can get my mail, nor bother everyone on my list to change my address.

Kevin
The Right Lane

[2oldman]

I was in a Cingular store yesterday shopping for an upgrade (ATT-> Cingular) phone for better/faster internet than my ATT mmode. Also looking for Sierra 860 card.

The salesman who actually knew something told me C is rolling out a new UMTS (fast) internet service to an LG CU320 phone on Monday March 6. He said the monthly unlimited fee is $20 for phone use, but he nudge-nudged me that you could tether to your computer.

He gave me some printouts that looked official, so I tend to believe him.

[smyrna]

i tried cingulars wirless network access card for a laptop that plugs into a slot on laptops.
was supposed to be 100kbps, could not even get it to work, cingular had no idea how to make it work. i sent the network card back to get my money back ($160) and a year later i am still trying to get my money back.

my advice for wireless network cards would be go to a store and have them install and get it working before buying. it is to hard to deal with a company over the phone .

link goes to example product.
http://onlinestorez.cingular.com/cell-phone-service/cell-phones/cell-phones.jsp?v=1&q_categoryId=2...

[jurzbill]

I have been using my verizon cell phone along with the office software for the past few years..
I just purchased an 8100LG phone and a new kit to hook up to my laptop.
With this I can access both standard internet and when in an area that offers broadband I will be able to access that.
It cost approximately $55 a month and there is no contract requirement.
If I dont use for the entire month the cost will be prorated..
I have been very satisfied with this hook up to the internet.

[vort_max]

my experience with verizon has been "variable" at best.

I have very low signal in my area of Oregon. On sat, it
dropped off completely. So i called tech support and
reported the outage which they denied. I then drove right
to the tower and parked and still got no signal. That was
36 hours ago and still no signal. I've emailed and call
tech support again and again and they still dont believe
me. I've since driven to a large nearby city to confirm
the my aircard and system is working.

Whats next?

[kc2kj]

A few notes about my experience with Verizon cell phone access.

I just got my cdma Verizon cell phone hooked up to internet using Motorola's Mobile Phone Tools and the supplied usb cable for my V60 phone. After installation I found it worked very well, reports a connection speed of 115.2 Kbps and with the Venturi optimizer web pages are "reasonable" for viewing. I am looking forward to trying the system on the road this season, but am quite pleased. It's not DSL, but very reasonable for web access, email, and keeping track of this forum. YMMV, but I am quite pleased. The cable and software cost me $14. Its a lot cheaper for occasional web access and not near as bulky as a satellite dish.

Mike
kc2kj

[gadgetat]

1Maverick,

The signal strength boost is good helping to avoid dropped packets. I wouldn't say it would increase speed, but if you're not dropping packets due to weak reception or transmit you'll have a better experience.

Oh, and MichiganHotrod, I used to work for a group that got bought up by Cingular. My old techs often tell me they're not having a postive experience too. 🙂 Never worked for Verizon, but when I left the business I knew which network had the best coverage in my area. 🙂