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Wireless internet from laptop?

  • 27-01-2004 6:52pm
    #1
    TenLeftFingers
    Registered Users Posts: 683 ✭✭✭


    Just wondering how I could connect my laptop to the internet for lightweight stuff like email. I wont have a telephone line soon.

    I think the vodafone pcmcia thingy is expensive. I;ve also heard it can be done via mobile phone however.

    If anyone has info, I'd like to hear. I'm running linux by the way, not windows.


Comments

  • #2
    BigMoose
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,215 ✭✭✭BigMoose


    If you have a phone with a data cable or IR (and have an IR port on the laptop!) you can certainly use a mobile to dial ISPs either using circuit switched data calls or via GPRS (depending on the ISP and your mobile subscription). I've not done it via Linux but via windows its dead easy. For linux I guess you'd just need modem support for the phone...


  • #3
    Turner
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 3,935 Mod ✭✭✭✭Turner


    More suited to Wireless.

    Moved.


  • #4
    RicardoSmith
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,264 ✭✭✭RicardoSmith


    Well you can do it, some mobiles can act as a 14k modem. I think some of the Nokia ones have a slightly faster one, someone can correct me on that. But I'm not sure if all the mobile networks support it. The call charges are high, but if all you were doing was connecting and grabbing plain text email, that has no graphics then that might be ok. Be cheaper to find a net cafe and just login there for 15mins though. Though with a mobile you could be anywhere and do it anytime you liked. So theres that advantage.

    Someone I know used to use in an emergency to connect to his webserver and fix things if there was ever a problem with any of the website and email accounts he hosts.


  • #5
    TenLeftFingers
    Registered Users Posts: 683 ✭✭✭TenLeftFingers


    Thanks. I'll call into a mobile phone shop and see if they have whatever cables I need etc. My phone doesnt have IR, but it does have some sort of port on the bottom. 14K is pretty brutal, but its better than nothing.

    The net cafe idea is a good one. I could pop in there once a week, and use the mobile during the day to catch the odd email.

    Thanks again.

    merlin


  • #6
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 92,619 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    www.irishwan.org

    ya might find someone closer than a cafe...


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  • #7
    dub45
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 12,450 Mod ✭✭✭✭dub45


    Another way to do it would be to use bluetooth if your phone and laptop are suitably equipped its no problem but again its slow and expensive.


  • #8
    vibe666
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,016 ✭✭✭✭vibe666


    unless you have a gprs phone you'll most likely get 9600 not 14.4, but again, it's still better than nothing (just barely).


  • #9
    RicardoSmith
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,264 ✭✭✭RicardoSmith


    Originally posted by vibe666
    unless you have a gprs phone you'll most likely get 9600 not 14.4, but again, it's still better than nothing (just barely).

    Some of nokias can run at the higher speed if its enabled on the network.


  • #10
    BigMoose
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,215 ✭✭✭BigMoose


    With high speed circuit switched data you can get 28.8 without too much problems - most handsets support it these days, but yes, you do have to be enabled for it on the network. With GPRS you can get up to 57.6 down - if you are very lucky!


  • #11
    RicardoSmith
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,264 ✭✭✭RicardoSmith


    Originally posted by BigMoose
    With high speed circuit switched data you can get 28.8 without too much problems - most handsets support it these days, but yes, you do have to be enabled for it on the network. With GPRS you can get up to 57.6 down - if you are very lucky!

    Are the costs similar for each of the services though?


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  • #12
    dub45
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 12,450 Mod ✭✭✭✭dub45


    Can anyone recommend any good basic articles on GPRS - I am still baffled by it all.

    thanks in advance.


  • #13
    RicardoSmith
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,264 ✭✭✭RicardoSmith


    Originally posted by dub45
    Can anyone recommend any good basic articles on GPRS - I am still baffled by it all.

    thanks in advance.

    Just throw your wallet on the fire, its about as expensive as that anyway.


  • #14
    flywheel
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,027 ✭✭✭flywheel


    Originally posted by RicardoSmith
    Are the costs similar for each of the services though?

    no - one costs per second (HSCSD) for as long as you are connected no matter how much data is transferred, the other costs per kilobyte (GPRS) no matter the connection time

    you can get around 38 kbps on HSCSD (Vodafone only), GPRS is usually (currently) around 30ish kbps
    Originally posted by dub45
    Can anyone recommend any good basic articles on GPRS

    http://www.gsmworld.com/technology/gprs/intro.shtml

    BrianG


  • #15
    BigMoose
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,215 ✭✭✭BigMoose


    I used to get 38kbs regularly on VF using HSCSD but now use the mobile connect card over GPRS and it claims 57.6 every time. However I only ever get around 30ish when using a phone and data cable... I guess the phones dont allow for 4 slots download...

    Looking forward to trying out a 3G MCC :D


  • #16
    RicardoSmith
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,264 ✭✭✭RicardoSmith


    GPRS then would be much cheaper


  • #17
    BigMoose
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,215 ✭✭✭BigMoose


    The per kb charge makes it far from cheap plus I think you can get dialup numbers included in free minute bundles if you are postpaid... You'd have to do the homework.


  • #18
    flywheel
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,027 ✭✭✭flywheel


    Originally posted by BigMoose
    I used to get 38kbs regularly on VF using HSCSD but now use the mobile connect card over GPRS and it claims 57.6 every time. However I only ever get around 30ish when using a phone and data cable... I guess the phones dont allow for 4 slots download...

    one i'm using does (can also switch between 4R1T and 3R2T) - but still don't get near 50 kbps - it's usually just still around 30 kbps - you might push 57.6 in a lab :)

    for starters using the Coding Scheme (CS 2) in use allows for 13.4 kbps per slot with a handset that has 4 download slots available you could get 53.6 kbps... but also need to take into account things like: capacity (how many slots you actually get at a point in time)... radio conditions... jitter... and fingers crossed ;)

    (some of this was also covered inthis topic: Fastest GPRS phone)
    Originally posted by BigMoose
    The per kb charge makes it far from cheap plus I think you can get dialup numbers included in free minute bundles if you are postpaid... You'd have to do the homework.

    the post-paid Active account is handy for using with off-peak HSCSD with 300 minutes off-peak 087 - 087 calls (but only 30 minutes peak), or Performer with 200 minutes anytime - unfortunately you can't set the Vodafone Mobile ISP 087 number as your 'friend for free'

    rather than choosing one method over the other based on how it charges, looking at the task you are trying to carry out is a good way to approach it e.g. when i'm checking / polling for email i'd use GPRS (taking down the email headers and a few lines) - if there was a big attachment to take down i'd switch to HSCSD to grab it...

    however with the Vodafone Mobile Connect Card this isn't possible as it only supports GPRS, rather than one of the multi-mode radio cards available which can combine several methods such as HSCSD, GPRS and WiFi all in one card...

    BrianG


  • #19
    BigMoose
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,215 ✭✭✭BigMoose


    however with the Vodafone Mobile Connect Card this isn't possible as it only supports GPRS, rather than one of the multi-mode radio cards available which can combine several methods such as HSCSD, GPRS and WiFi all in one card...

    Yeah, that's really annoying. The MCC drivers have installed some sort of modem and I've tried very hard to get it to do CSD but it's not having any of it.

    We are currently testing a Nokia 802.11b and GPRS card, I've not played with it myself though to know if it can do CSD or not... I should be getting a 3G Voda MCC one in the next few days and that claims 384kbs down and 64 up - will have a play and see what I can get it to do.


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