Results 1 to 9 of 9
  1. #1
    David Friedman
    Guest
    I've been trying to investigate ways of using a cell phone to connect my
    laptop to the net while travelling. One obvious possibility is to use
    the laptop's modem with the cell phone to call an AOl (or other ISP)
    access number. That way the only cost from the phone end of the
    transaction would be your normal minutes.

    According to the people I talked to at Cingular, what I have just
    described is impossible, although they were unable to explain why.
    According to an apparently well informed person at T-mobile--the only
    person I talked to in the process of investingating the alternatives who
    seemed to actually understand the subject--it is possible on their
    system, but the connection is very slow, much slower than an ordinary
    modem because the cell phone connection isn't as good as a landline.

    That leaves two other alternatives for Cingular. If I correctly
    understood the people I talked to, and if they correctly understood the
    system, a cell phone/pda such as the Treo 650 can have unlimited access
    to the net for about $40/month extra and can be used as a modem. Using
    an ordinary cell phone involves a different service, and costs about
    twice as much.

    Both companies believed I could use my Macintosh laptop with their
    systems, but it sounded as though neither really supported it--I was
    referred to third party sites.

    What I really want is the Nokia 9300, a triband pda/phone which at this
    point is available only in the European version--900/1800/1900. That
    would work on T-mobile, which is apparently all 1900. But it would work
    slowly, since they don't have an edge system. And their coverage doesn't
    seem all that good. It would work on Cingular only in areas where they
    had 1900 coverage, and there seems no way of getting a coverage map
    separated into 850 and 1900.

    So I may just keep waiting, in the hope that Nokia will eventually bring
    out the U.S. version.

    --
    Remove NOPSAM to email
    www.daviddfriedman.com



    See More: Using a modem over a cell phone




  2. #2
    Miles
    Guest

    Re: Using a modem over a cell phone

    David Friedman wrote:

    > I've been trying to investigate ways of using a cell phone to connect my
    > laptop to the net while travelling. One obvious possibility is to use
    > the laptop's modem with the cell phone to call an AOl (or other ISP)
    > access number. That way the only cost from the phone end of the
    > transaction would be your normal minutes.
    >
    > According to the people I talked to at Cingular, what I have just
    > described is impossible, although they were unable to explain why.
    > According to an apparently well informed person at T-mobile--the only
    > person I talked to in the process of investingating the alternatives who
    > seemed to actually understand the subject--it is possible on their
    > system, but the connection is very slow, much slower than an ordinary
    > modem because the cell phone connection isn't as good as a landline.
    >
    > That leaves two other alternatives for Cingular. If I correctly
    > understood the people I talked to, and if they correctly understood the
    > system, a cell phone/pda such as the Treo 650 can have unlimited access
    > to the net for about $40/month extra and can be used as a modem. Using
    > an ordinary cell phone involves a different service, and costs about
    > twice as much.
    >
    > Both companies believed I could use my Macintosh laptop with their
    > systems, but it sounded as though neither really supported it--I was
    > referred to third party sites.
    >
    > What I really want is the Nokia 9300, a triband pda/phone which at this
    > point is available only in the European version--900/1800/1900. That
    > would work on T-mobile, which is apparently all 1900. But it would work
    > slowly, since they don't have an edge system. And their coverage doesn't
    > seem all that good. It would work on Cingular only in areas where they
    > had 1900 coverage, and there seems no way of getting a coverage map
    > separated into 850 and 1900.
    >
    > So I may just keep waiting, in the hope that Nokia will eventually bring
    > out the U.S. version.
    >


    I have been using a Nokia 6260 with 900/1800/1900 with Cingular for a
    month and find the coverage excellent. Was surprised to find that it
    operated fine in remote areas where they have taken over and presumably
    upgraded AT&T antennas. In fact it even worked in a campground which was
    at least 10 miles away from an AT&T/Cingular antenna whose signal must
    have snaked through the ravines.

    Miles



  3. #3
    David Friedman
    Guest

    Re: Using a modem over a cell phone

    In article <[email protected]>,
    Miles <[email protected]> wrote:

    > David Friedman wrote:
    >
    > > I've been trying to investigate ways of using a cell phone to connect my
    > > laptop to the net while travelling. One obvious possibility is to use
    > > the laptop's modem with the cell phone to call an AOl (or other ISP)
    > > access number. That way the only cost from the phone end of the
    > > transaction would be your normal minutes.
    > >
    > > According to the people I talked to at Cingular, what I have just
    > > described is impossible, although they were unable to explain why.
    > > According to an apparently well informed person at T-mobile--the only
    > > person I talked to in the process of investingating the alternatives who
    > > seemed to actually understand the subject--it is possible on their
    > > system, but the connection is very slow, much slower than an ordinary
    > > modem because the cell phone connection isn't as good as a landline.
    > >
    > > That leaves two other alternatives for Cingular. If I correctly
    > > understood the people I talked to, and if they correctly understood the
    > > system, a cell phone/pda such as the Treo 650 can have unlimited access
    > > to the net for about $40/month extra and can be used as a modem. Using
    > > an ordinary cell phone involves a different service, and costs about
    > > twice as much.
    > >
    > > Both companies believed I could use my Macintosh laptop with their
    > > systems, but it sounded as though neither really supported it--I was
    > > referred to third party sites.
    > >
    > > What I really want is the Nokia 9300, a triband pda/phone which at this
    > > point is available only in the European version--900/1800/1900. That
    > > would work on T-mobile, which is apparently all 1900. But it would work
    > > slowly, since they don't have an edge system. And their coverage doesn't
    > > seem all that good. It would work on Cingular only in areas where they
    > > had 1900 coverage, and there seems no way of getting a coverage map
    > > separated into 850 and 1900.
    > >
    > > So I may just keep waiting, in the hope that Nokia will eventually bring
    > > out the U.S. version.
    > >

    >
    > I have been using a Nokia 6260 with 900/1800/1900 with Cingular for a
    > month and find the coverage excellent. Was surprised to find that it
    > operated fine in remote areas where they have taken over and presumably
    > upgraded AT&T antennas. In fact it even worked in a campground which was
    > at least 10 miles away from an AT&T/Cingular antenna whose signal must
    > have snaked through the ravines.


    That's encouraging. What parts of the country have you used it in?

    --
    Remove NOPSAM to email
    www.daviddfriedman.com



  4. #4
    GomJabbar
    Guest

    Re: Using a modem over a cell phone

    I've been using a cell phone as a modem for about 3 years now. I used
    to be with Nextel using their PacketStream Gold, packet data service.
    I connected my phone to the laptop via a data cable that I had to
    purchase separately. My connection speed with this service was about
    1/2 dial-up speed.

    Many cell phones support data connections, but not all do. The modem
    is in the cell phone. You don't need, and don't use the modem in the
    laptop (although in the old days this may have been the case). When
    shopping for a phone, you need to look for one that is data capable.

    Currently I am using a PCMCIA pc card in my laptop, with Cingular's
    GPRS/EDGE data connection. The speed is much better than what I had
    with Nextel - about 2-3 times dial-up speed. PC card's have faster
    service than cell phones offer. The reason is that they use more
    channels simultaneously.

    The following article (although from Oct. of last year) should prove
    very enlightening:

    http://www.nwc.com/story/singlePageF...cleID=49400836




  5. #5
    John Navas
    Guest

    Re: Using a modem over a cell phone

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

    In <[email protected]> on Sat, 09 Jul 2005
    01:01:46 -0700, David Friedman <[email protected]> wrote:

    >I've been trying to investigate ways of using a cell phone to connect my
    >laptop to the net while travelling. One obvious possibility is to use
    >the laptop's modem with the cell phone to call an AOl (or other ISP)
    >access number. That way the only cost from the phone end of the
    >transaction would be your normal minutes.


    That's called CSD (Circuit Switched Data).
    <http://www.cingular.com/customer_service/keywordList?keyword=CSD+%28Circuit+Switch+Data%29>

    >According to the people I talked to at Cingular, what I have just
    >described is impossible, although they were unable to explain why.


    It is possible -- in many but not all areas, CSD comes with any data plan;
    e.g., MEdia Net 1 MB at $5/month
    <http://onlinestorez.cingular.com/cell-phone-service/features/pop-features.jsp?p_featureId=csku00517>

    >According to an apparently well informed person at T-mobile--the only
    >person I talked to in the process of investingating the alternatives who
    >seemed to actually understand the subject--it is possible on their
    >system, but the connection is very slow, much slower than an ordinary
    >modem because the cell phone connection isn't as good as a landline.


    On either T-Mobile or Cingular it's 9600 bps, which is indeed slow.

    >That leaves two other alternatives for Cingular. If I correctly
    >understood the people I talked to, and if they correctly understood the
    >system, a cell phone/pda such as the Treo 650 can have unlimited access
    >to the net for about $40/month extra and can be used as a modem. Using
    >an ordinary cell phone involves a different service, and costs about
    >twice as much.


    Nope. MEdia Net Unlimited <https://www.cingular.com/media/media_net_purchase>
    is $19.99 per month and works with a laptop.

    >Both companies believed I could use my Macintosh laptop with their
    >systems, but it sounded as though neither really supported it--I was
    >referred to third party sites.


    True, but it's not hard to set up.

    >What I really want is the Nokia 9300, a triband pda/phone which at this
    >point is available only in the European version--900/1800/1900. That
    >would work on T-mobile, which is apparently all 1900. But it would work
    >slowly, since they don't have an edge system.


    T-Mobile has GPRS, which is nearly as fast as a 56K dial-up modem, about 44K.

    >And their coverage doesn't
    >seem all that good. It would work on Cingular only in areas where they
    >had 1900 coverage, and there seems no way of getting a coverage map
    >separated into 850 and 1900.


    Cingular's 1900 coverage is roughly comparable to T-Mobile's coverage.

    >So I may just keep waiting, in the hope that Nokia will eventually bring
    >out the U.S. version.


    How about the Sony Ericsson P910a?

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



  6. #6
    David Friedman
    Guest

    Re: Using a modem over a cell phone

    In article <%3bAe.3690$p%[email protected]>,
    John Navas <[email protected]> wrote:

    > [POSTED TO alt.cellular.cingular - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]
    >
    > In <[email protected]> on Sat, 09 Jul 2005
    > 01:01:46 -0700, David Friedman <[email protected]> wrote:
    >
    > >I've been trying to investigate ways of using a cell phone to connect my
    > >laptop to the net while travelling. One obvious possibility is to use
    > >the laptop's modem with the cell phone to call an AOl (or other ISP)
    > >access number. That way the only cost from the phone end of the
    > >transaction would be your normal minutes.

    >
    > That's called CSD (Circuit Switched Data).
    > <http://www.cingular.com/customer_ser...D+%28Circuit+S
    > witch+Data%29>
    >
    > >According to the people I talked to at Cingular, what I have just
    > >described is impossible, although they were unable to explain why.

    >
    > It is possible -- in many but not all areas, CSD comes with any data plan;
    > e.g., MEdia Net 1 MB at $5/month
    > <http://onlinestorez.cingular.com/cel...p-features.jsp
    > ?p_featureId=csku00517>


    Thank you. I don't suppose you would like to go to work for Cingular? It
    would greatly increase the number of well informed people there.

    > >According to an apparently well informed person at T-mobile--the only
    > >person I talked to in the process of investingating the alternatives who
    > >seemed to actually understand the subject--it is possible on their
    > >system, but the connection is very slow, much slower than an ordinary
    > >modem because the cell phone connection isn't as good as a landline.

    >
    > On either T-Mobile or Cingular it's 9600 bps, which is indeed slow.


    That's roughly what the T-Mobile person told me.

    ....

    > >That leaves two other alternatives for Cingular. If I correctly
    > >understood the people I talked to, and if they correctly understood the
    > >system, a cell phone/pda such as the Treo 650 can have unlimited access
    > >to the net for about $40/month extra and can be used as a modem. Using
    > >an ordinary cell phone involves a different service, and costs about
    > >twice as much.

    >
    > Nope. MEdia Net Unlimited <https://www.cingular.com/media/media_net_purchase>
    > is $19.99 per month and works with a laptop.


    Does that give me general web access, or only access to sites that are
    set up for the small screen of a cell phone?

    The web site says:

    ---
    Can I access every site on the Web?
    No, the microbrowser in MEdia Net-enabled phones can only access sites
    that are in WML (Wireless Markup Language) format. If you enter an HTML
    or HDML address, you will receive an error message.
    ---

    Is that still true if I were using the phone as a modem and browsing
    from my laptop?
    ....

    > >So I may just keep waiting, in the hope that Nokia will eventually bring
    > >out the U.S. version.


    > How about the Sony Ericsson P910a?


    Like the Treo, it's basically the Palm form factor, even though it runs
    Symbion. Part of what I like about the Nokia, as an old Psion
    enthusiast, is the mini-laptop form factor, which gives you something
    closer to a usable keyboard and a better screen for reading things on.

    But many thanks for your information.

    --
    Remove NOPSAM to email
    www.daviddfriedman.com



  7. #7
    John Navas
    Guest

    Re: Using a modem over a cell phone

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

    In <[email protected]> on Sun, 10 Jul 2005
    14:05:12 -0700, David Friedman <[email protected]> wrote:

    >In article <%3bAe.3690$p%[email protected]>,
    > John Navas <[email protected]> wrote:


    >> It is possible -- in many but not all areas, CSD comes with any data plan;
    >> e.g., MEdia Net 1 MB at $5/month
    >> <http://onlinestorez.cingular.com/cel...p-features.jsp
    >> ?p_featureId=csku00517>

    >
    >Thank you. I don't suppose you would like to go to work for Cingular? It
    >would greatly increase the number of well informed people there.


    The problem is that I can't afford to work for Minimum Wage.

    >> ... MEdia Net Unlimited <https://www.cingular.com/media/media_net_purchase>
    >> is $19.99 per month and works with a laptop.

    >
    >Does that give me general web access, or only access to sites that are
    >set up for the small screen of a cell phone?


    General Web access. Email. NNTP. I even do SSH.

    >The web site says:
    >
    >---
    >Can I access every site on the Web?
    >No, the microbrowser in MEdia Net-enabled phones can only access sites
    >that are in WML (Wireless Markup Language) format. If you enter an HTML
    >or HDML address, you will receive an error message.
    >---
    >
    >Is that still true if I were using the phone as a modem and browsing
    >from my laptop?
    >...


    No, that just refers to the limitations of WAP in the phone's microbrowser,
    and even those can be largely overcome if you have a Java-enabled phone with
    WebViewer by ReqWireless.

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



  8. #8
    Richard S. Logan
    Guest

    Re: Using a modem over a cell phone

    David, If you will email me at [email protected] with your phone # I will
    call u and tell you how to do this
    "David Friedman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:[email protected]...
    > I've been trying to investigate ways of using a cell phone to connect my
    > laptop to the net while travelling. One obvious possibility is to use
    > the laptop's modem with the cell phone to call an AOl (or other ISP)
    > access number. That way the only cost from the phone end of the
    > transaction would be your normal minutes.
    >
    > According to the people I talked to at Cingular, what I have just
    > described is impossible, although they were unable to explain why.
    > According to an apparently well informed person at T-mobile--the only
    > person I talked to in the process of investingating the alternatives who
    > seemed to actually understand the subject--it is possible on their
    > system, but the connection is very slow, much slower than an ordinary
    > modem because the cell phone connection isn't as good as a landline.
    >
    > That leaves two other alternatives for Cingular. If I correctly
    > understood the people I talked to, and if they correctly understood the
    > system, a cell phone/pda such as the Treo 650 can have unlimited access
    > to the net for about $40/month extra and can be used as a modem. Using
    > an ordinary cell phone involves a different service, and costs about
    > twice as much.
    >
    > Both companies believed I could use my Macintosh laptop with their
    > systems, but it sounded as though neither really supported it--I was
    > referred to third party sites.
    >
    > What I really want is the Nokia 9300, a triband pda/phone which at this
    > point is available only in the European version--900/1800/1900. That
    > would work on T-mobile, which is apparently all 1900. But it would work
    > slowly, since they don't have an edge system. And their coverage doesn't
    > seem all that good. It would work on Cingular only in areas where they
    > had 1900 coverage, and there seems no way of getting a coverage map
    > separated into 850 and 1900.
    >
    > So I may just keep waiting, in the hope that Nokia will eventually bring
    > out the U.S. version.
    >
    > --
    > Remove NOPSAM to email
    > www.daviddfriedman.com






  9. #9
    troyboy30
    troyboy30 is offline
    Phone Addict

    Posts
    469 - liked 8 times

    you can get tethering direction from cingular.com

    I just used my phone as a modem this morning since my cable was out. You are not restricted to wap pages. I use IE and firefox just fine. You can also use webviewer from requirewireless to use html instead of wap on the phone.

    search over on howardforums.com there is a whole stickie with instructions for setup as well as all of the settings you need.

    also, you dont need the expensive data plans to tether. unlimted media net access works just fine.



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