Using Motorola E815 with 17" PowerBook 4 e-mail via All

ProfBob · EVDO Newbie Joined: 19 Sep 2006 Posts: 2

I have an Apple Mac 17" PowerBook (NOT Intel powered) with Bluetooth and a Motorola E815 Bluetooth cell phone on the AllTel network.

I'd like to be able to connect the laptop to the cell phone (hard-wire is fine--I have the Motorola cable) so that I can use the cell phone to connect to my Earthlink Web account and check e-mail or do Web research from time to time.

I'm told by a tech fellow at Smith Micro that QuickLink Mobile can do this (I gather without my having to pay for a special data account with AllTel -- I'd be happy just to be able to use the phone like one might use any land-line phone to dial in to Earthlink to make a connection, and don't want to read e-mails on my phone [my eyes aren't that good with small type]), but the tech guy said basically I have to figure out how to make it work on my own, as it is not a supported option. I'm writing here on the theory that someone else has probably solved this problem before, and I hate to have to reinvent the wheel if I can learn from others.

I'm not wedded to the E815 phone (although I like it) or even AllTel (I can change phones or providers in a few months without penalty), but bought my first Mac in 1984 so I would not have to become a computer expert -- and it understates the case to say I haven't.

Is there an easy way to do this (with QuickLink or any other software), or do I (as some have told me over the years) have to abandon Apple to get cell phone web access with a laptop computer?

1WirelessGuy · EVDO Newbie Joined: 08 Aug 2006 Posts: 7

You won't have to give up your Mac, but you will probably want to go ahead and get a data plan. If you use a cell phone to dial into a land-line modem you're making a "circuit switched" (or QNC) connection rather than a "packet switched" connection. A circuit switched connection's maximum speed will be about 14.4K, typical speed around 10K. That's true for any vendor. With a data plan, you connect to the Internet through a packet switched connection (at 1xRTT or EVDO speed) by dialing #777 instead of dialing a land-line modem.

ProfBob · EVDO Newbie Joined: 19 Sep 2006 Posts: 2

Many thanks for the information. I know it will be slow, but I view this as primarily a convenient option for rare setting when I can't get wireless (or wired) web access in a hotel or while visiting other universities. I can't justify spending $59 a month for what may amount to 1-2 hours of web access, yet there are times when even slow access would be very helpful.

If I can get it working just using the cell phone as a one might use any phone for dial-up access -- even if it is slow -- I ought to be able to check e-mail and check a few web sites.

But my guess is in the end I'll find you are right and either wind up giving up the idea or purchasing a data plan. ($10 extra a month would make sense -- $60 a month seems excessive to me.)

-Bob

1WirelessGuy · EVDO Newbie Joined: 08 Aug 2006 Posts: 7

I see that the tools Motorola provides are only for the PC platform, not Mac. Did you get a copy of the SmithMicro dialer from your Alltel rep? Should just be a matter of installing the dialer, inserting the card, and entering the phone number you want to dial. If you can find DRVERS for the card separate from the dialer software (from the manufacturer, perhaps?) then under Windows you can just make a dial-up networking connection & skip the SmithMicro dialer altogether. I assume there may be a similar feature under MacOS, but I'm a macIdiot.

CharlieBatutis · EVDO Newbie Joined: 13 Nov 2006 Posts: 1

Chuong · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 11 Aug 2006 Posts: 25

I notice EVDO on my Alltel cell phone in rural Western Kansas. Anybody knows Sprint have the roaming in this area or when Alltel will have Exprtess card or USB card. Please help.Thanks

1WirelessGuy · EVDO Newbie Joined: 08 Aug 2006 Posts: 7

Alltel's not looking at a USB solution, but should have an Express slot solution sometime in 1st Q '07.