How to Hook Up a Cell to a Laptop & the Internet
Some cell-phone companies now offer you the option to connect to the Internet on your laptop using your cell phone. The cell phone acts like a high-speed modem. So you can travel anywhere with your laptop and have online access without having to look for a wireless signal, as long as you have your phone and a few additional tools. This option is most commonly associated with CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) cell-phone services.
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Instructions
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Purchase a phone that is compatible for use as a cell phone. PDA devices, such as Blackberrys, commonly have this capability.
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Call your provider and ask to add the cell phone modem data plan to your service. Expect to pay about $20 to $30 per month for this feature.
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Purchase a USB cable that fits your chosen phone. (One may come in the box if you purchased the phone new.) You may also be able to use a wireless Bluetooth USB adapter to link your cell phone to the laptop if your phone is Bluetooth-compatible.
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Download the software that is associated with the cable modem feature from your cell phone provider's website to your laptop. For example, Verizon Wireless' software is called the "VZAccess Manager." For some PDA phones, like the Blackberry, you must also have the phone's basic desktop software installed in order to use the phone as a modem on the laptop.
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Plug your cell phone into your laptop using the USB cable (or plug in your Bluetooth USB adapter and enable Bluetooth on your phone). You may be prompted for a password if you have one associated with your phone (such as a password to unlock the device).
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Load up the cell phone modem software. Wait for it to recognize your cell phone as a modem---it will appear on the list of connections either as the name of the service or the name of the cell phone.
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Double-click the cell-phone connection icon and wait for it to dial in to the service. Once it does, your laptop will be instantly connected to the Internet.
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Tips & Warnings
If you are having trouble connecting to your service, it may be because you're in a bad service area. So move around a bit and try to log on in different areas. Sometimes there are even certain areas of your home that don't get good service.
When you are connected to the Internet using your cell-phone modem, you may not receive certain messages like emails if you have a PDA-style phone. The phone assumes that you are receiving these messages via your laptop's Internet connection for the time being. As soon as you disconnect the phone, you should receive your emails on the phone again.
Be careful not to accidentally disconnect the cell phone from the cable cord, or you will lose the connection.
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Comments
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This is great, what will they think of next.
