How To Use Your Mobile Device As A Modem For Your Laptop
Most modern mobile phones can connect to the Internet
. But not many know that mobile phone can be used as a modem for a laptop or a desktop PC. With this wonderful opportunity one can do full-fledged Web browsing wherever one goes - not on the small phone's display but on the laptop. One should just have an unlimited data plan (or enough inclusive megabytes) to avoid receiving high phone bills.
Let us first describe the procedure for Windows Mobile phones. If your laptop runs MS Windows, then no additional software is required. As both operating systems are Microsoft products, it is sufficient to adjust some settings to establish a connection and to use mobile device as a modem. Then we will touch upon other mobile platforms.
To begin with, you will need to establish a connection between your phone and laptop. Connection can be made using either the USB cable that came with your phone or Bluetooth. We are not going to speak about cable connection here because in that case the procedure is much more tricky. Besides, you will also need to install phone-specific drivers, so those who prefer to use this way of connection should consult their phone manufacturer.
For Bluetooth connection, not only the modem function setup is very simple, it is also more convenient as any wireless connection. (But better do not keep the phone in your pocket because you will be subjected to strong radiation as long as you surf the Web. Personally, I prefer to use a headset even for short calls, and surfing the Web may take hours, so the effect on your health can be much stronger).
So, first thing you need to do is to pair your phone with the computer (if your laptop does not have a built-in Bluetooth feature, you can buy a Bluetooth dongle). Bluetooth should be activated on you mobile device and it should be discoverable to other devices. Then on your laptop right-click the Bluetooth icon and select "Add New Connection", then just follow the prompts. On your phone you will see a popup saying that your laptop wants to connect. Allow the connection. Then enter the passkey that was displayed on the laptop. Then follow further Wizard prompts on the laptop. The only field you will need to modify is the phone number in the "Create Dialup Connection" screen. For GSM networks, enter "*99#" in that field. For CDMA networks, this number may be different, you can learn it from your carrier. All other fields should be left blank or as they are.
Now your phone has been paired with the laptop and a dialup connection has been set up. Now you just need to add some information to the modem configuration. Go to Start -> Settings -> Control panel -> Modems. Find the mobile modem you have just created and choose Properties. On the Advanced tab, you need to enter string in "Extra initialization commands". This initialization string should look as follows:
+CGDCONT =1,"IP","apn.address" - you should substitute apn.address with the name of the GPRS APN (Access Point Name) of your mobile carrier. For example for Vodafone, this is 'internet' (you can find this in your phone's wireless settings or just ask your carrier).
That's all, now you can use your phone as a modem. You can find this dial-up connection if you click on the WiFi icon in the Task Tray. Alternatively, you can right-click on the Bluetooth icon and then "Show Bluetooth Devices". Then right-click on the phone icon and you will see Dial-Up Networking.
Let us now turn to other mobile platforms. For Blackberry the procedure is quite similar but you should first install Blackberry Desktop Software on your laptop and connect the phone to laptop by USB cable at least once, so that all the necessary drivers will be installed automatically. Notice, however, that not all Blackberry models have a modem feature. You can consult your local Blackberry service or your carrier to learn if your device can be used as a modem.
For Google Android devices and iPhone this procedure will not work. This has been done because of the pressure from the mobile carriers, who do not want their customers to use the phone's Internet connection for their computers so that they can extract more money from the customers. As a solution one can use a program called pdaNET, which is very easy to use and works on many platforms, including Google Android, iPhone, Windows Mobile, Palm OS and Blackberry.
by: Leonid Sinichkin
Lenovo Thinkpad t510 laptop reviewed Hp Laserjet 1320 Duplexing, Efficient Hp Laser Printer Hp Deskjet F300 All In One Printer Hp Laserjet 2100 Pre-bluetooth Infrared Printer Work At Home Jobs And Programs - Ways to Make A Respectable Earnings From Your Home Discover That It Career Which You Have Been Seeking By Using Computer System Education Classes On Th Sleep Problems And A Memory Foam Mattress Pad Being Aware Of Computer Viruses Free laptops – this is how you can get a laptop for free When The Mouse Roared Back Part 3 Diet Delivery Programs - Which One Is Right For You? Here's What To Know Free up Disk Space to Speed up your PC Take a Pick from Many a Laptop Battery