mobile internet - gizmohead on the road

[nibot]

I set up tcp/ip access over GSM. The girls were attacking an outlet mall in a (apparently traditional?) post-thanksgiving shopping spree, and Kenny and I were left lounging in the van for an hour or two. In that time I managed to connect my Ericsson T616 to my laptop and get GPRS (General Packet Radio Service, aka packet-switched data over GSM) working. (As they say — how stereotypical.) For some reason, I couldn't get the Ericsson software to talk to the phone over the IrDA link, but with the serial cable (thanks to baseballump) it works fine. Service is available nearly everywhere in the cities and along interstates. It's a bit slow, though, (reportedly 9600 bps), and expensive (cents per kilobyte)? I'm interested in other solutions to the mobile internet problem. Can I, for example, just dial up a regular ISP using the phone as a modem? I tried calling a BBS [Digital Decay, +1(714)871-2057] but it wouldn't connect ("NO CARRIER" without ever connecting). I'm eager to play with 802.11b some more, but I'll need a better card first (and an external antenna).

I'd also like to get some mapping software for my computer too, so I can have something like mapquest-on-the-fly. Delorme Street Atlas gets surprisingly horrible reviews, and Microsoft Streets and Trips apparently has atrocious GPS support. Not sure what to get, then.

Comments

[baseballump.livejournal.com]

Yes, you can use the phone as a modem (up to 56 kbps). You can connect via cable, IR or Bluetooth.

[kari-marie.livejournal.com]

Gizmos are good. We went to Fry's yesterday on our way home to look at GPSs, but left w/o one--I still can't decide what I want.

We did, however, acquire an I-Rock--it's a radio signal gizmo so you don't have to use a cassette adapter to plug in mp3 player/laptop for music. Works quite well for $30.

We're gonna have quite the load of gadgets when we go on our trip in a few weeks--3 cell phones (4 of us total going), laptop w/ cell modem, 2 mp3 players, GPS. Whee.

There's another option.

[ucbfumbler.livejournal.com]

I have been using Sprint PCS Vision Service in place of an ISP at home for over 4 months. I subscribe to Vision as part of my phone plan: 2 phones, 2000 minutes, unlimited nights/weekend, UNLIMITED data on Vision, and bought the FutureDial SnapDialer package ($50). Yes, no charges on per kilobyte and connection is 112 Kbps (but it performs like 56Kbps in buildings). I have download insurance software 20 minutes before a presentation, it was roughly 13 megs.

Works great in the following conditions:
1) you're mostly just checking emails or downloading single files.
2) your area gets Sprint PCS
3) you're no under a lot of steel. The signal is a bit unreliable in open area and inside buildings with a lot of steel it's difficult to connect.
4) your phone is actually good. Yes, the phone matters. I'm using a Sanyo 8100. I had a LG LX5350, that thing was horrible couldn't connect 50% of the time.
5) don't abuse the service too much. Sprint will cancel your contract if you're doing too much data transfer instead of voice.

I hear the Verizon service is even better but they do charge you per kilobyte (300Kbps vs 112Kbps). I can't imagine being without Vision now. Saved my ass a few times when I was the middle of nowhere and was lost. Had to Mapquest my way out of nowhere.

I have not tried to connect to an external ISP since Vision is the ISP and gateway to the Internet. It's not WAP, it's the real thing. Occasionally, I even post on LJ through the laptop in my car connected through my phone.