www.travelingconnected.com



Using a mobile phone as a modem.



Blackberry
Android

Within this site you can find out how you can connect to the internet through your mobile phone's internet connection.
Detailed steps are illustrated for BlackBerry and Android phones.

BlackBerry

A BlackBerry phone is dedicated to supplying the user with a constant and secure connection to one or more e-mail accounts. BlackBerry services comes in two flavors,  BlackBerry Internet Services and BlackBerry Enterprise Solution. Additionally, phones support access to the internet or intranet and a full scope of attachment viewing.

BlackBerry Internet Services

BlackBerry Internet Services allows access to up to 10 work and personal e-mail accounts, plus an optional, new BlackBerry email address that comes with your BlackBerry phone.
You can browse websites and use instant messaging just as you would on your desktop browser.
It is possible to access to your calendar, address book, task and memo pad information and import the contacts from your existing desktop organizer software through synchronization with a PC.

BlackBerry Enterprise Solution

BlackBerry Enterprise Solution maintains a constant wireless synchronization of e-mail, contacts, calendar, tasks and other information of your account on your corporate network.
Intranet web sites and applications are accessible via the browser.

Wireless Modem

A dial-up connection can be made using a BlackBerry phone as a modem. You can tether a BlackBerry to your computer and connect to the internet through the BlackBerry.
This can be realized using the bluetooth dial-up profile if the phone supports this, or with the USB cable.


 Requirements

  • Install the latest BlackBerry Desktop Manager. If you use BlackBerry Enterprise Solution at work and want to use a different PC or laptop for the dial-up connection, then choose the BIS Installation of the Desktop Manager on that PC / laptop. The drivers that allow the BlackBerry to communicate through the USB port and virtual COM ports are installed. The Standard Modem, which is used by dial-up networking, is also installed.
  • Make sure that you can use the internet browser on the BlackBerry itself.
  • If you are using BlackBerry Enterprise Solution, do not activate the policy "Disable IPmodem" setting on the BES Server.

The following illustrates the steps in Windows XP with Service Pack II to use the BlackBerry as a tethered modem via USB. Successfully tested with the BlackBerry 9800, BlackBerry 8820, BlackBerry 9780, BlackBerry 9520, BlackBerry 8700, BlackBerry 8330, BlackBerry 9300, BlackBerry Torch, BlackBerry 9650, BlackBerry Bold, BlackBerry Storm, BlackBerry Pearl.

Start the BlackBerry Desktop Manager and connect your BlackBerry with the USB cable.

On installing the Desktop Manager, the Standard Modem will appear in the Device Manager as follows:
(If the Standard Modem does not appear, re-install the Desktop Manager.)

 

If the Standard Modem still does not appear, it is necessary to manually add the modem.
Take note of the COM port numbers of the RIM Virtual Serial Port v2 in the devices under Ports (COM & LPT).

Virtual Serial Port

 

In the Control Panel go to Phone and Modem Options.
Choose to add a New Modem.
Choose to select it from a list.

Add Hardware

 

Select the Standard 33600 bps Modem.
Select the COM ports that are used for the RIM Virtual Serial Port v2 in the Device Manager.

select ports

 

One or more Standard 33600 bps Modems will appear in the Device Manager.

standard 33600 bps modem

In the case of using bluetooth to make the dial-up connection a "Standard Modem over Bluetooth" will appear in modem devices.

 

Open the Properties dialog box by right-clicking the modem in the Device Manger.
Go to the Diagnostics tab.
Click on Query Modem. It should answer with a number of responses.

Standard Modem Propperties

 

In the Advanced tab fill in the dial-string in the Extra Initialization Commands.

initialization commands

In this case "internet" is the Access Point Name of the network provider.
Here are some other examples of dial-strings:

Rogers: +cgdcont=1,"IP","internet.com"
Cingular Blue/AT&T: +cgdcont=1,"IP","proxy"
Cingular Orange: +cgdcont=1,"IP","ISP.CINGULAR"
UK Vodafone: +cgdcont=1,"IP","internet"
SwissCom: +cgdcont=1,"IP","gprs.swisscom.ch"
T-Mobile NL: +cgdcont=1,"IP","internet","",0,0

This completes the installation of the modem.
Now the dial-up connection has to be made.

 

Dial-up Connection

In Control Panel go to Network Connections.
Choose Create a New Connection.

new connection wizard

 

Choose to Connect to the Internet.

connect to the internet

 

Choose to Set up the Connection Manually.

set up account manually

 

Choose to Connect using a dial-up modem.

connect using dial-up modem

 

If there are multiple modems to choose from, select the modem that connects to the BlackBerry.

select a modem

 

Choose an Name for the connection.

connection name

 

Type in the phone number *99#.

dial-up number

 

Only fill in a User name and a Password if required by the by the network provider.

isp account

 

A new connection is made!

connection complete

 

Choose Dial to make a connection (no user name or password entered if not necessary by the network provider).

dial up

 

The connection is being made....

verifying

 

To end the connection, right-click on the connection icon and choose Disconnect.

disconnectiong

 

   

Errors

Here are some errors that may appear when dialing the connection:

Error 734 BlackBerry

"Error 734: The PPP link control protocol was terminated."

Error 734:

Error 651 BlackBerry

"Error 651: The modem (or other connecting device) has reported an error."

Error 651

Error 692 BlackBerry

"Error 692: There was a hardware failure in the modem (or other connecting device)."

Error 692

To resolve this, check to see if the dial-string is entered correctly in the Extra Initialization Commands.
Check that the Access Point Name in the dial-string corresponds to the Access Point Name of the network provider.

 

 

Alternative to making a dial-up connection:

If the phone does not support the use as a modem it is also possible to purchase a third party application by the name of Shark Modem.
In the case of BlackBerry Solution, this also allows access to the Intranet via the Blackberrys dial-up connection!

Android

The following steps show how to set up an Android phone for use as a portable wireless hotspot.
The phone acts as a wireless access point allowing a computer to connect to the internet through the phone using WiFi.
The computer can use the internet connection from the phone.
This is called WiFi tethering. There are also other ways to tether a phone to a computer like via bluetooth or via usb-cable.





In this example a Samsung Galaxy S II (GT-I9100) was used with Android version 2.3.3. It is not necessary to root the phone or to install additional software.

Go to Applications.
Go to Applications


Go to Settings.
Go to Settings


Go to Wireless and network.
Go to Wireless and Network


Go to Tethering and portable hotspot.
Go to Tethering and Portable Hospot


Go to Portable WiFi hotspot settings.
Go to Portable WiFi Hotspot Settings


Choose Network SSID.
Choose Network SSID


Choose Security type and Password.
Choose Security type and Password


Enable Portable WiFi hotspot.
Enable Portable WiFi Hotspot


Accept the warning.
Accept the warning


All is set!
All is set!


Connect the computer to the WiFi network.
Connect the computer to the WiFi network


Try doing a speed test. For example
www.speedtest.net.
Try doing a speed test


Results of the speed test. 7 Mbps download!!
Results of the speed test
Copyright 2011