Powerbook: Internet via cell phone

[Blakers]

What is the best way to connect to the Internet wirelessly with my Powerbook laptop? Can I just go through my cell phone? How fast would that be? I have Verizon Wireless.



Thanks.

 

[GaryCarter]

You can get a card that slips right in the notebook's card slot. It's a dedicated wireless modem. Speeds are similar to dial up most places. A few big cities have higher speed networks.

Depending on what cell plan and what model phone you have you can also get a cable to hook your phone to the 'puter. Cell companies are discouraging this method because they want you to go with separate modem card -and separate bill- so they can charge you for that line too.



Gary

 

[Jacobs]

I have a Motorola V265 phone with Alltell. I got the cable and software to connect the phone to the usb port from Motorola. It works good. Any place you can make a cell call you can dial up your isp. The speed is about the same as dial up.



If you don't pay attention the overage charges are a killer. I normally wait until the night and weekend rates are in effect. My plan includes long distance so I always dial the "local number" I use when at home.



Good luck.



Bruce

 

[swankmetal]

what size is it? my 12" does NOT have a pci slot. the 15" and 17" do though. you can get a card like gary said that just goes into that slot. i don't know what kind of access it gives you though.

 

[Blakers]

Thanks guys. My Powerbook is a 15". I'm gonna try to get a cable to connect to my phone and try that route. I found this discussion group that seems to have quite a bit of information on hooking Macs up to cell phones.



Blake

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

There are multiple ways of connecting over cellular with Verizon with your cell phone. Not all model phones support cellular connections so you'd have to check and see if yours does - I use a Treo 650 which does. The first and slowest is by using your cell phone as a virtual modem and dialing into a dial up ISP - that's going to connect at about 14k (REAL slow). Connecting that way uses minutes just like if you were calling someone on a voice call. After that is 1x data which is available in most areas (not all though) - you need a data plan to use this which costs about $50/month for unlimited data (lesser amounts available for specific amounts of data transfer but if you go over it costs BIG TIME). 1x data is about a 128k connection which is very usable. Last is EVDO data which is nearly broadband speeds but is available in pretty limited areas right now.



I connect using my Treo 650 and have dialup and 1x data connections available with that phone (it doesn't support EVDO). My laptop can connect to my treo via a USB cable or via bluetooth. You can also get a cellular modem as said above which goes right into a PCMCIA slot and doesn't use your cell phone at all.



Hope that helps.