WOW! Treo 700p - MacBook Pro - USB Cable !!!!

jackrodgers · EVDO Addict Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 1131

It works.... Sprint's PAM add on for the Treo 700p is required.

Treo 700, 650, 600 and Mac OSX, Windows, Linux...

I downloaded the driver's here and then moved three files per instructions, setup the USB connection in Network and then ran over to Speedtest for a test.

Download: 1014 kbps
Upload: 52 kbps
Ping: 465 ms
Server: Atlanta, GA

These speeds are similar to what I was getting with the S620 card.

Other site tests showed about 800 kbps...

I am of course using Sprint's PAM on the Treo 700p.

My only complaint at this time is that the USB cable is 3 or four feet long and I really hate cables.

But it is working.
First lesson: don't touch the phone or you might break the connection...

chong67 · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 12 Jun 2006 Posts: 23

I use speakeasy.net for my test in Atlanta and I am getting 300kbps-600kbps d/l and 100kbps u/d with my Motorola Q on VZW network.

I like your 1014 kbps download!

jackrodgers · EVDO Addict Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 1131

jackrodgers · EVDO Addict Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 1131

I have used the Treo 700p via USB to my MacBook for a while and here is the update.

It works as well as the S620 card did but requires the extra step of turning on the USB modem on the Treo via the software I mentioned. I haven't tried leaving that on all of the time to see if that step can be eliminated.

There is a timeout after a period of time and the connection is dropped if I am not using it. I will see if I can eliminate that. I found a disconnect after 10 minutes if idle option under the ppp options button. I unchecked it. Will see what happens.

Update: unchecking the disconnect option allows the USB Modem function to stay active (forever?) until some other even occurs to cause the disconnect.

The USB modem option shows up in the Internet Connect window. I also have the little phone icon showing on the menu bar and displaying the connect time, now 13 minutes.

jackrodgers · EVDO Addict Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 1131

Disregarding my utter distaste for any cables hanging off of my MacBook (a 12 year attitude) I am rather please with the results. There are a few extra steps compared to using the broadband card, plug the usb cord into two plugs, turn on the phone, two down clicks and one enter click on the cursor dial, left left enter to turn on the software if I turned it off. Then to the menu bar to connect.

With the broadband card the steps are insert card then to the menu bar to connect. So, PAM requires about 40 seconds more activity to connect.

The connections have been very reliable with speeds between 400 and 800 kbps. I haven't tried the location where I got over 1000 kbps with the S620.

The TV stinks as the screen is too small and the pixel count of the TV images is not a multiple of two so there is often severe image degradation.

The Treo 700p recharges from either port on my MacBook Pro while I am surfing. I haven't checked to see how much battery life is reduced for the charging but the broadband cards will also draw some power.

How to compare the 700p or other phone to the forthcoming USB modems? I haven't tried one but I would expect there would be a few steps saved in the startup. Either way, I am still waiting for Sprint's express card for rev A.

I don't know if there is an antenna outlet, there are two small rubber plugs and a hole in the bottom that I think is a speaker plug.

... and of course, the most important point of all ....

I can connect to FullTiltPoker.com and play holdem while sipping coffee at the local shop... (Down with Bill Frisk!)

jackrodgers · EVDO Addict Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 1131

Just paid the $25 fee to license the software mentioned above and am now connected via the Treo 700 - USB - Mac OS 10.4.8 on my MacBook Pro.

Here's an excerpt from the read me file which will provide a bit more info on what these drivers do (I will try to install and test on Windows XP soon):

[Overview]
Mobile Stream USB Modem allows you to use Treo 600, Treo 650 and
Treo 700p smartphones as a USB modem for connecting a desktop or
notebook computer to Internet. To surf the Internet from your PC
you will need only a USB cable and a Treo with GPRS/EDGE service
or CDMA 1x/EvDO data plan.

USB Modem Features:

* Support for Treo 600, Treo 650 and Treo 700p smartphones
* Support for Windows XP, Windows 2000, Mac OS X and Linux
operating systems
* Support for USB and Bluetooth connectivity
* Support for background mode so it is possible to make outgoing
voice calls or perform other activity on the Treo without
disabling the modem mode
* Support for Fax modem operation
* Small memory footprint (30 KB)

jackrodgers · EVDO Addict Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 1131

The setup in Windows XP for the USB drivers for Palm was relatively easy for a die hard Mac user but I definitely prefered the simplicity of the install on OS X, just drag the two files into a specified folder.

I am surfing in XP now but it seems slower than in OSX, could be the virus software of something else.

My first speed test:
2177 ms
433 Kbps down
79 Kbps up

So the millisecond thing may be the cause of the slowdown and the download speed is about 2/3 of what I was getting on the Mac.

Could be my inexperience in setting up the prefs for Windows and I will investigate later.

kocoman · EVDO User Joined: 07 Jun 2007 Posts: 40

thomasz · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 16 May 2008 Posts: 11

Your direction is clear to follow, thanks guy.