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January 15, 2007

tips

Cell-Fi: Internet from your Bluetooth phone

Posted Jan. 15, ’07, 2:13 PM PT by Scott Silverman
Category | Tips

W810Icell-FiIn my post on MacUser’s live coverage of the Keynote, I mentioned that we had used a cell phone to obtain internet within the venue. Some of you expressed interest in learning how we achieved this. Well, ask and you shall be answered, I say! The following instructions are for any GSM network in the USA (Cingular and T-Mobile) and can also be applied to other worldwide cellular providers.

  1. Begin by visiting Ross Barkman’s cell phone modem scripts page.
  2. Download the appropriate scripts for the make and model of your phone.
  3. Decompress, and drag them into Library/Modem Scripts.
  4. Use the Bluetooth Setup Assistant to pair with your mobile phone. Select the correct Modem Script which you downloaded from the drop-down menu.
  5. Under the Bluetooth tab of Internet Connect enter the correct GPRS network information (account name and password). Most of this can be found on Ross’s GPRS Info Page.
  6. From this point you should be able to click “Connect” under the Bluetooth pane of Internet Connect. You should be running on Cell-Fi now!

If you connect successfully through the above detailed instructions, Cingular will charge you $.01 per KB transferred. That can get very pricey, very fast. If you plan on using it a lot, then I would suggest one of Cingular’s MEdia Max bundles which include unlimited data transfer, starting at $20 per month.

While the above instructions are for GSM cellular networks, a while ago I posted similar instructions for Verizion customers. Hopefully these instructions help you out in your Cell-Fi endeavors. I wish you the best of luck!

Disclaimer: While I have personally tested and used both the methods detailed above, you are solely responsible for any actions or modifications you perform to your computer or cell phone. Please proceed with caution!


6 Comments

heretique said:

$1 for 100kB - that must hurt! In my pricey Orange 100kB is about $0.17. Can you tell what achievement is to get connected to internet via cell phone? I live in Europe (Poland to be specific), and it is nothing extraordinary to connect to internet via GPRS or EDGE. Non-GSM operators do not offer anything like?

January 15, 2007 3:12 PM
Joel said:

What about dialing one of the few dialup web services via a bluetooth phone? Can it be done? I would love a tutorial on how that works. free dialup is much more valuable than .01 ($ - not cents) / KB high-speed. Does anyone know of a way to do this?

January 15, 2007 4:43 PM
Percy M Carrion said:

Last month I paid 71.34 euros for 38MB downloaded in 164 sessions using Orange Spain. That hurt!
I've just switched to a new mobile operator that charges max 1.39 euros a day with for unlimited data :)

On the other hand.... How do i get my phone (Sony Ericsson K800i) to show the connection information as shown on the Walkman phone of this post? It shows no information besides the small word icon on the menubar that means connected to the network.

January 15, 2007 6:23 PM
Scott Silverman Author Profile Page said:

Unfortunately the image shown on this phone was crafted by me in Photoshop. If you notice, the image shown on the phone display above is the same one shown in Internet Connect in OS X. I too, however, would love if there was a way to get that info shown on the phone's display. I know when I used to do this on my Verizon phone it would show the transmit/receive data. My Cingular phone, however, just shows exactly what you describe yours shows.

January 15, 2007 6:27 PM
MarkyMark said:

Warning to Cingular/AT&T users: I have the $20 MEdiaMax unlimited Wireless Data service, and some months ago I configured my laptop exactly as outlined in this article to use my old Nokia 6230 as an EDGE modem via Bluetooth. I have only used this feature rarely in practice. However doing this violates the MEdiaMax TOS, and Cingular can/may suddenly whack your account for additional charges if they determine that your usage-pattern exceeds the simple data activity they expect on basic cell-phones using MEdiaMax unlimited.

From Cingular's TOS:
Furthermore, unlimited plans (except for DataConnect and Blackberry Tethered) cannot be used for any applications that tether the device (through use of, including without limitation, connection kits, other phone/PDA-to-computer accessories, Bluetooth® or any other wireless technology) to laptops, PCs, or other equipment for any purpose.

Technically Cingular wants people who are routinely using their phone as a modem to be on the $45/mo unlimited Data Connect plan (or possibly the $60/mo unlimited Laptop Connect service, the same service that covers PC-card cell-modems). Also note that the iPhone will almost certainly require at least a $20 extra MEdiaMax service to web-browse etc; however if Cingular deems the iPhone to be a PDA the charge will be more like $45.

January 15, 2007 8:32 PM
Patrick Gamble said:

This is pure genius. Thanks!! I have the same phone as pictured. Where do you find the screen you show in your pic. pls email. :-) Cheers!
Patrick

January 15, 2007 8:57 PM

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