HELP! Using cellphone as modem for laptop

I need some assistance setting up a dial-up connection via my cell
phone. I have a GSM phone on a Cingular GSM nation plan. I have
talked to tech support several times, and I have received various
answers, none of which have been very helpful.

I previously had a Gait phone with a Gait plan, and had no problem
connecting my laptop to my dial-up ISP using the cell phone as the
modem, albeit the connection was very slow. But it was good enough
for what I needed to do. There were no extra charges to do this. I
tried using my gait phone (Nokia 6340i) with the GSM plan, but had no
success and Cingular insisted that my using the 6340i with my GSM
plan would cause billing errors. I have poured over Howard Forums
and the Cingular newsgroups, but have not found a specific answer to
my dilemma.

I understand that the GSM phone uses GPRS for data transfer. I would
like to use CSD, but was told this was not possible. However, others
seem to have been able to have Cingular turn CSD on, so that they
could make data connections if GPRS was not available. I am not keen
on paying by the kb for data transfer. It would not be cost effective
to purchase Cingular's data plan either. I was also told that one
could not tether their laptop to their cell phone and use it as a
modem with WI or WIX.

1. What is the difference between Wireless Internet (and/or Wireless
Internet Express) and Media Works? I was told I could not purchase
WI....but could only purchase WIX, and could NOT tether my cellphone
to my laptop and use it as a modem. With WIX, I get charged by the
KB. With WI, I get charged against my minutes, but it uses TDMA only,
and that it not an option for GSM plans.

2. Would it be possible to purchase one of these options and use the
cellphone as a modem to connect my laptop to the internet? I don't
want to be charged for KB. I would like to use my minutes for data
transfer.

3. Do I need to have CSD activated in order to connect to the
internet with my cellphone tethered to my laptop in order to use
minutes instead of KB? If so, how does one do this?

4. Is there a way of doing all this without being socked for extra
charges? I never had a problem with any extra charges while I was
using my gait phone with my gait plan and connecting my laptop to the
internet. I stayed online for a couple of hours at a time.

5. I used the infrared connection with my 6340i and laptop. I now
have a 6010, and I know it does not have infrared, but was told I
could purchase a data cable. I am unable to find a data cable for
this phone. Does one exist for the 6010?

Any and all suggestions would be appreciated.

---

› See More: HELP! Using cellphone as modem for laptop

"Marty" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

..
>
> I understand that the GSM phone uses GPRS for data transfer. I would
> like to use CSD, but was told this was not possible. However, others
> seem to have been able to have Cingular turn CSD on, so that they
> could make data connections if GPRS was not available. I am not keen
> on paying by the kb for data transfer. It would not be cost effective
> to purchase Cingular's data plan either. I was also told that one
> could not tether their laptop to their cell phone and use it as a
> modem with WI or WIX.

I have the unlimited WIX plan for 19.99 and I tether my laptop
to my phone using mobile phone tools, it is not *supported* by
Cingular, but it is certainly possible.
>
> 1. What is the difference between Wireless Internet (and/or Wireless
> Internet Express) and Media Works? I was told I could not purchase
> WI....but could only purchase WIX, and could NOT tether my cellphone
> to my laptop and use it as a modem. With WIX, I get charged by the
> KB. With WI, I get charged against my minutes, but it uses TDMA only,
> and that it not an option for GSM plans.
I made the choice to pay twenty bucks a month, and never have to worry
about using too much data and getting a surprise bill.
>
> 2. Would it be possible to purchase one of these options and use the
> cellphone as a modem to connect my laptop to the internet? I don't
> want to be charged for KB. I would like to use my minutes for data
> transfer.
I don't know of a way to use your minutes, but if you get WIX you
can use GPRS

I most definitely found the best information on Howard Forums,
there seem to be alot of people doing exactly what I did.

Bernard

you can have your phone as your modem, or it is the same price to just have a data card with its own line. It is 79.99 unkimited a month, reply to me and i can get you all the info..,...

"Lunchboxx" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
|
| you can have your phone as your modem, or it is the same price to just
| have a data card with its own line. It is 79.99 unkimited a month,
| reply to me and i can get you all the info..,...
|
|

Or subscribe to the MEdia Works plan and get it for $19.99 <wink>

[POSTED TO alt.cellular.cingular - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

In <t8T8d.8750$1g5.4589@trnddc07> on Wed, 06 Oct 2004 14:18:01 GMT, "Bernard
Farquart" <[email protected]> wrote:

>"Marty" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...

>I have the unlimited WIX plan for 19.99 ...

What you actually have is MEdia Works.

--
Best regards, HELP FOR CINGULAR GSM & SONY ERICSSON PHONES:
John Navas <http://navasgrp.home.att.net/#Cingular>

"John Navas" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> [POSTED TO alt.cellular.cingular - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]
>
> In <t8T8d.8750$1g5.4589@trnddc07> on Wed, 06 Oct 2004 14:18:01 GMT,
> "Bernard
> Farquart" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>"Marty" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>news:[email protected]...
>
>>I have the unlimited WIX plan for 19.99 ...
>
> What you actually have is MEdia Works.
>
You are correct, sorry for any confusion to anyone.



Bernard

"Lunchboxx" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> you can have your phone as your modem, or it is the same price to just
> have a data card with its own line. It is 79.99 unkimited a month,
> reply to me and i can get you all the info..,...
>
Why would I want to get exactly what I have now, but pay
fifty dollars more per month?

Silly lunchbox, why don't you read my post?

Bernard

media works will only work on phone not on laptops. It used to work for treo also but now they have updated it and it is 39.99 for treo, 79.99 for laptop, 19.99 for phones, 44.99 blackberry

"Lunchboxx" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> media works will only work on phone not on laptops. It used to work for
> treo also but now they have updated it and it is 39.99 for treo, 79.99
> for laptop, 19.99 for phones, 44.99 blackberry

As I have recently stated, that is not true, I surf on my
laptop just fine, using mobile phone tools, and my Media Works
package, tethered to my v400.

Are you going to try to convince me that I have been
halucinating all my web-surfing?

The only problem, I seem to blow out my phones battery
in about four hours of surfing.

But thanks for telling me I could spend more
to so the same thing!

Bernard

"Lunchboxx" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> media works will only work on phone not on laptops.


Go to www.howardforums.com

you will find hundreds, if not thousands who
are doing what you say is impossible.

[POSTED TO alt.cellular.cingular - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

In <[email protected]> on Thu, 7 Oct 2004 00:04:31
-0500, Lunchboxx <[email protected]> wrote:

>media works will only work on phone not on laptops. It used to work for
>treo also but now they have updated it and it is 39.99 for treo, 79.99
>for laptop, 19.99 for phones, 44.99 blackberry

I'm using MEdia Works with a laptop connected to my handset (SE Z600) over
Bluetooth -- no problem.

--
Best regards, HELP FOR CINGULAR GSM & SONY ERICSSON PHONES:
John Navas <http://navasgrp.home.att.net/#Cingular>

[POSTED TO alt.cellular.cingular - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

In <[email protected]> on Thu, 7 Oct 2004 00:04:31
-0500, Lunchboxx <[email protected]> wrote:

>media works will only work on phone not on laptops. It used to work for
>treo also but now they have updated it and it is 39.99 for treo, 79.99
>for laptop, 19.99 for phones, 44.99 blackberry

FYI, I use MEdia Works with a notebook computer tethered over Bluetooth to my
SE Z600 handset -- no problem.

--
Best regards, HELP FOR CINGULAR GSM & SONY ERICSSON PHONES:
John Navas <http://navasgrp.home.att.net/#Cingular>

Thank you all for your responses. I too, have checked Howard forums,
and several suggestions were offered, one being Media Works. It was
so much easier when I had TDMA with my gait phone. IR on phone and
laptop, setup as standard 9600 phone, and dial my ISP.

Some suggested that I could have Wireless Internet Express Pay Per
Use, and ask Cingular to activate CSD on my account. I have WIX PPU
already on the account, so I guess I just need to convince them to
turn on CSD. That way I would be able to just dial up my regular ISP,
and not cingular's ISP, correct? I know it would be pitifully slow,
but it is fine for what I use it for. I understand that with CSD, I
would use my minutes and not be charged for the kb I use. Is that
also correct?

If I buy Media Works, will I be able to download at much faster
speeds? If so, at what speed.

Last question.....is there something that I would have to set on my
phone so that is uses CSD and not GPRS? I would think that you would
have to manually set the phone, otherwise it will look for GPRS first.
The only thing I currently find on my phone is a feature to have GPRS
always on, or turn on only when needed. This is probably a stupid
question, but will CSD be "activated" in my phone and show up in the
options setting where the GPRS on/off is?

"Marty" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> If I buy Media Works, will I be able to download at much faster
> speeds? If so, at what speed.
>
have tested it at www.dslreports.com at 50kps download and
5kps upload. not exactly the same as my dsl at home's 1215/370
but better than nothing.

Bernard

[POSTED TO alt.cellular.cingular - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

In <[email protected]> on 7 Oct 2004 00:40:18
-0700, [email protected] (Marty) wrote:

>Some suggested that I could have Wireless Internet Express Pay Per
>Use, and ask Cingular to activate CSD on my account. I have WIX PPU
>already on the account, so I guess I just need to convince them to
>turn on CSD.

It should already be turned on. If your account and SIM are properly
provisioned, you should be able to use CSD. If not, call Customer Service and
ask to have provisioning "pushed" to your phone.

>That way I would be able to just dial up my regular ISP,
>and not cingular's ISP, correct?

Correct, although Cingular works well as an ISP.

>I know it would be pitifully slow,
>but it is fine for what I use it for.

9600 bps.

>I understand that with CSD, I
>would use my minutes and not be charged for the kb I use. Is that
>also correct?

Correct.

>If I buy Media Works, will I be able to download at much faster
>speeds? If so, at what speed.

Yes -- typically about 50,000 bps (given a phone with a good GPRS
implementation -- not all are good), or about 5x faster.

>Last question.....is there something that I would have to set on my
>phone so that is uses CSD and not GPRS?

Just a CSD data profile.

>I would think that you would
>have to manually set the phone, otherwise it will look for GPRS first.

It selects the protocol based on the profile.

> The only thing I currently find on my phone is a feature to have GPRS
>always on, or turn on only when needed. This is probably a stupid
>question, but will CSD be "activated" in my phone and show up in the
>options setting where the GPRS on/off is?

Unlike GPRS, CSD will not show up when activated.

--
Best regards, HELP FOR CINGULAR GSM & SONY ERICSSON PHONES:
John Navas <http://navasgrp.home.att.net/#Cingular>