How to use a cell phone as a modem for internet on a laptop

[jrnoel]

I have a LG VU CU 915 phone with att with the unlimited media net data plan. I have read alot about tethering. I also have read that you need to have a tethering plan, or laptop connect plan, to make it work. I was wondering if you can do it with just the basic unlimited data plan.

The problem I am having is that I can't get my compaq laptop with Windows xp service pack 2 to see the phone as a modem. I have tried connecting it via usb cable and bluetooth. I have been able to transfer pics and muscle from the laptop to the phone, but not use it as a modem.

Any ideas?

 

[John Kotches]

Try PDANet software. It's not free ($34 per phone you're tethering) but it definitely works well. I'm assuming here that this phone is a Windows Mobile based.

Cheers,

 

[jrnoel]

It does not have windows mobile on it. Would that program work on a non windows mobile phone?

 

[John Kotches]

It does not have windows mobile on it. Would that program work on a non windows mobile phone?

You'd have to check the PDANet website; I'm not an expert on the product's supported OSs. I think it's just Palm and Windows Mobile.

 

[Jared Twomey]

some phones you may have to turn on DUN (dial up networking). I don't know about the lg specifically, but I have been doing this for years with a couple different Palm models and it always works fine, without having tethering on my plan. I just have the regular unlimited data plan.

 

[John W]

I used to do it all the time with my 8525 then my 8925 or Tilt on my unlimited data plan. A few months ago I hooked up for just a few seconds and they dinged me on my bill with a tethering plan.

 

[Ramy]

Try PDANet software. It's not free ($34 per phone you're tethering) but it definitely works well. I'm assuming here that this phone is a Windows Mobile based.

Cheers,

If you use this software, does it use minutes on your phone? Can they detect that you are tethering it on your phone.

 

[Jared Twomey]

If you use this software, does it use minutes on your phone? Can they detect that you are tethering it on your phone.

I used PDAnet with my Treo 650 and they never said anything about changing my plan to a tethering plan. Also, it uses the data network, not your minutes.

 

[VinceT3]

I used to do it all the time with my 8525 then my 8925 or Tilt on my unlimited data plan. A few months ago I hooked up for just a few seconds and they dinged me on my bill with a tethering plan.

interesting.. I don't use at&t phones on their network, so no at&t spyware to check if I'm tethering

 

[mike123abc]

I have tethered a razr v3 to my laptop when desparate (note it is like dialup on a v3). I never ran into issues with AT&T. Probably because I did not do enough to run up against suspicious data transfer limits at transfer rates of 20kbit/sec I could probably use full time and they would not even notice.. If I did a few GB a month on a 3G phone they would probably notice. They have listed various phones for tethering in thier laptop data plan in the past.

AT&T Accessories - Laptop Connect Devices | AT&T wireless services

Note they want you to have the $60/month laptop connect plan to do official tethering, not the $20 phone or $30 PDA plans.

 

[tomcrown1]

I have tethered a razr v3 to my laptop when desparate (note it is like dialup on a v3). I never ran into issues with AT&T. Probably because I did not do enough to run up against suspicious data transfer limits at transfer rates of 20kbit/sec I could probably use full time and they would not even notice.. If I did a few GB a month on a 3G phone they would probably notice. They have listed various phones for tethering in thier laptop data plan in the past.

AT&T Accessories - Laptop Connect Devices | AT&T wireless services

Note they want you to have the $60/month laptop connect plan to do official tethering, not the $20 phone or $30 PDA plans.

You are right ATT does not like anyone tethering on their service for free--so if you do this for more than 20 mins each day ATT will charge.

 

[mikew]

I've tethered my phone to watch Slingbox on the laptop for several hours at a time recently. I've never been hit with an extra charge. My account was setup with Blackberry Unlimted at $30.00/month and has been for over 3 years. I've never owned a Blackberry, and I'll continue utilizing it until something is said.

All in all, I pay nearly or just over $200 /month for phone, internet, unlimted text and 3 add'l lines. I feel pretty strongly that AT&T is getting their money's worth out of me.

 

[vodad]

I use this software on my laptop and motorola v3 razr phone all the time.

High-Speed wireless connectivity for mobile devices | AT&T wireless services


just download and install, it is sometimes a pain to install and configure but once it is setup works pretty good.

I have the $15 data plan, and have not been charged extra for using it.

 

[crunchymunchy]

I have a $5/month plan with Tmobile and I tether all the time by usin a dial-up connection through xp. It' slow, but functional.