Bluttooth + Cellphone + Laptop to browse...?

[Kenneth]

Howdy,

In the past, on occasion, I used my cell phone as a modem
connected by data cable to my laptop. A bit clunky, but it
worked. I could connect with one click.

I now have a new laptop, and a new cell phone, each of which
have integral Bluetooth capability.

I did not know whether to laugh or cry when I contacted my
carrier (Cingular) for technical support in making the
Bluetooth link. Their lack of knowledge was appalling.

Eventually, while waiting on hold with Cingular, I made a
successful connection myself.

I greeted the "tech" with that news, and he declared
victory. With that, I explained that having it all
configured successfully, I still did not know how to launch
the process automatically when I next needed it.

He responded by telling me that I would have to go through
the entire configuration process for each use!

I said "Would that not be equivalent to reinstalling my
printer each time I needed it?"

I hung up, and called another "tech" who provided the same
answer, as did a third.

Could this possibly be correct?

In order to log on, I had to launch my laptop's Bluetooth
software. I had to turn on my phone's Bluetooth
functionality. I had to put my phone in "Find me" mode. I
had to tell the laptop to search. After a while, it found
the phone. I then had to click so that the software knew
that the phone was to be used as a modem. I then had to
launch the Cingular Connection Management software. It had
to find the link. It eventually connected, and with that, I
could browse.

This was a five minute process all to see if I had any
email.

Does anyone actually use a cell phone as a modem through
Bluetooth, or is it currently, as I suspect, a parlor trick?

Thanks for any thoughts on this,

 

[Ted Pavlic]

I use Cingular Wireless with my Nokia 6230 and have no trouble using my
cell phone as a modem through Bluetooth. It connects and works very
reliably, and it does not require me settings things up every time.

HOWEVER, I am using OS X on my Powerbook G4, and I am guessing that you
are looking for help in Windows. I have not (yet) tried doing this with
my PC.

Note that I got this to work seemlessly in OS X without any help from
Cingular software. (I found the settings for Cingular's network on-line)
This may be because of superior Bluetooth support in OS X; however, you
might try searching for ways to do this without using Cingular's
"connetion management software."

Anyway, so you know it's possible. It might just be difficult to do on a
PC.

 

[Kenneth]

I use Cingular Wireless with my Nokia 6230 and have no trouble using my
cell phone as a modem through Bluetooth. It connects and works very
reliably, and it does not require me settings things up every time.

Hi Ted,

Thanks for the input,