Laptops and mobiles ???

"michael turner" <zvxr.gheare1963@ivetva.arg> wrote in message
newsan.2004.02.19.22.57.23.97000@ivetva.arg...
> On Thu, 19 Feb 2004 22:46:25 +0000, all at home wrote:
>
> > Is it possible to connect to the internet through a laptop linked to a
> > mobile phone???
> > If so any one no how and what eqiupment is needed????
> > All help welcome
>
> The simplest way is to use IrDA. Most laptops have this, and a good few
> mobile phone do to.
>

IrDA ??? any one know anything this ???


I may be thick but im willing to learn :-)

IrDA is wireless and based on the infrared spectrum and therefore are no
wires involved. I personally do not care for it because it is a pain in the
ass in terms of reliability (IrDA ports need to be aimed correctly,
propensity to drop connections, etc). Some people swear by it though. I
avoid it like the plague.

Then there is Bluetooth, which is a newer technology. It exchanges
information between the laptop and the phone via a short range digtial
radio, and therefore is more reliable - and faster - then IrDA. To use
Bluetooth, your devices must be specifically Bluetooth enabled, either as
part of its feature set or from an add-on.

Lastly, and my favorite choice, is through a USB. Yes a cable is involved,
but first of all, its most secure way of passing information between devices
and, also, you can charge your phone at the same time. For example, the
V300 can be connected to the laptop with a USB charging\data cable, so while
you are using the phone with your laptop, it will remain freshly charged.

So in terms of preference, IMO, I like USB, then Bluetooth, and IrDA a very
distant 3rd.

"all at home" <all@home.nospame> wrote in message
news:eibZb.135$Ef7.112@newsfe1-win...
>
> "michael turner" <zvxr.gheare1963@ivetva.arg> wrote in message
> newsan.2004.02.19.22.57.23.97000@ivetva.arg...
> > On Thu, 19 Feb 2004 22:46:25 +0000, all at home wrote:
> >
> > > Is it possible to connect to the internet through a laptop linked to a
> > > mobile phone???
> > > If so any one no how and what eqiupment is needed????
> > > All help welcome
> >
> > The simplest way is to use IrDA. Most laptops have this, and a good few
> > mobile phone do to.
> >
>
> IrDA ??? any one know anything this ???
>
>
> I may be thick but im willing to learn :-)
>
>

SEE MY POST ABOVE

On Thu, 19 Feb 2004 22:46:25 -0000, "all at home" <all@home.nospame>
wrote:

>Is it possible to connect to the internet through a laptop linked to a
>mobile phone???
>If so any one no how and what eqiupment is needed????
>All help welcome
>
>

"George Ojeda" <me@me.com> wrote in message
news:mp-dnWed2I1R0ajdRVn-gQ@giganews.com...
> IrDA is wireless and based on the infrared spectrum and therefore are no
> wires involved. I personally do not care for it because it is a pain in
the
> ass in terms of reliability (IrDA ports need to be aimed correctly,
> propensity to drop connections, etc). Some people swear by it though. I
> avoid it like the plague.
>
> Then there is Bluetooth, which is a newer technology. It exchanges
> information between the laptop and the phone via a short range digtial
> radio, and therefore is more reliable - and faster - then IrDA. To use
> Bluetooth, your devices must be specifically Bluetooth enabled, either as
> part of its feature set or from an add-on.
>
> Lastly, and my favorite choice, is through a USB. Yes a cable is
involved,
> but first of all, its most secure way of passing information between
devices
> and, also, you can charge your phone at the same time. For example, the
> V300 can be connected to the laptop with a USB charging\data cable, so
while
> you are using the phone with your laptop, it will remain freshly charged.
>
> So in terms of preference, IMO, I like USB, then Bluetooth, and IrDA a
very
> distant 3rd.
>
<sniped>

so it looks at the moment that bluetooth or cable is the way to go,,,,
Another question......
do the mobile phone have to have things like being WAP enabled or something
else??
Also can the cables be bought from most mobile phone outlets???

"all at home" wrote:

> Is it possible to connect to the internet through a laptop
> linked to a mobile phone???
> If so any one no how and what eqiupment is needed????
> All help welcome

You'll need a phone with an internal "modem". Most mid to high
end phones have this facility these days, as do a few cheaper
ones. The phone will need to understand the cellular "AT"
command set extensions, used to remote-control the phone from the
laptop.

Others have mentioned IrDA, Bluetooth (both wireless) and a USB
cable for connecting phone to laptop. Personally, I use an
ordinary serial cable (RS232), as that's the connection my laptop
already has.

You don't use WAP for this. You will use either circuit-switched
data (CSD) or GPRS, and you will probably have the choice. CSD
gets charged by connect time (usually at 9,600 bps only). GPRS
gets charged on the basis of the amount of traffic (number of
packets passed, and a higher speed connection).

John

"George Ojeda" <me@me.com> wrote in message news:<mp-dnWed2I1R0ajdRVn-gQ@giganews.com>...
> IrDA is wireless and based on the infrared spectrum and therefore are no
> wires involved. I personally do not care for it because it is a pain in the
> ass in terms of reliability (IrDA ports need to be aimed correctly,
> propensity to drop connections, etc). Some people swear by it though. I
> avoid it like the plague.

It's light. Just like a TV remote. Usually less than 1m in range, and
very directional. You get very good at holding your phone on your lap
in just the right position...

> Then there is Bluetooth, which is a newer technology. It exchanges
> information between the laptop and the phone via a short range digtial
> radio, and therefore is more reliable - and faster - then IrDA. To use
> Bluetooth, your devices must be specifically Bluetooth enabled, either as
> part of its feature set or from an add-on.

Actually, Bluetooth is slower than IrDA. IrDA can run at 4Mbps,
bluetooth tops out at 900kbps or so. However, GPRS is generally 56kbps
max, so the speed of both of those is more than adequate.

> Lastly, and my favorite choice, is through a USB. Yes a cable is involved,
> but first of all, its most secure way of passing information between devices
> and, also, you can charge your phone at the same time. For example, the
> V300 can be connected to the laptop with a USB charging\data cable, so while
> you are using the phone with your laptop, it will remain freshly charged.

Cables that charge the phone almost universally violate the USB spec.
Unless you find one made by the manufacturer of the phone, it
basically sucks power without asking. USB devices are always supposed
to request explicitly the amount of power they need. You may get away
with it, but it may cause problems. Use at your own risk.

If you are a Verizon subscriber you can
use Mobile Office. You use your air-time
as with your phone. If you have nights and
weekends "free" for five bucks a month you
can surf all night and weekends and certain
holidays. All you need is the kit including
software and cable for the phone and you're
ready to go. Works wherever there is VZW
digital. Although "slow" 14.4 it comes with
a compression program that probably gets
about 28 kbs/sec. Works fine for me. The
althernative is high-speed access which costs
extra, about fifty bucks a month and a kbyte
charge. Luck

"gopi" <bb+graffiti.spam.gopi@andrew.cmu.edu> wrote in message
news:c060ee07.0402191836.151a61fe@posting.google.c om...
> "George Ojeda" <me@me.com> wrote in message
news:<mp-dnWed2I1R0ajdRVn-gQ@giganews.com>...
> > IrDA is wireless and based on the infrared spectrum and therefore are no
> > wires involved. I personally do not care for it because it is a pain in
the
> > ass in terms of reliability (IrDA ports need to be aimed correctly,
> > propensity to drop connections, etc). Some people swear by it though.
I
> > avoid it like the plague.
>
> It's light. Just like a TV remote. Usually less than 1m in range, and
> very directional. You get very good at holding your phone on your lap
> in just the right position...

Its a poor solution unless you are standing absolutely still because of that
directional characteristic of these IrDA ports.

> > Then there is Bluetooth, which is a newer technology. It exchanges
> > information between the laptop and the phone via a short range digtial
> > radio, and therefore is more reliable - and faster - then IrDA. To use
> > Bluetooth, your devices must be specifically Bluetooth enabled, either
as
> > part of its feature set or from an add-on.
>
> Actually, Bluetooth is slower than IrDA. IrDA can run at 4Mbps,
> bluetooth tops out at 900kbps or so. However, GPRS is generally 56kbps
> max, so the speed of both of those is more than adequate.

4 mbps is never reached in IrDA. Plus I forgot to mention that Bluetooth
has been known to cause collisions between .11b devices.

> > Lastly, and my favorite choice, is through a USB. Yes a cable is
involved,
> > but first of all, its most secure way of passing information between
devices
> > and, also, you can charge your phone at the same time. For example, the
> > V300 can be connected to the laptop with a USB charging\data cable, so
while
> > you are using the phone with your laptop, it will remain freshly
charged.
>
> Cables that charge the phone almost universally violate the USB spec.
> Unless you find one made by the manufacturer of the phone, it
> basically sucks power without asking. USB devices are always supposed
> to request explicitly the amount of power they need. You may get away
> with it, but it may cause problems. Use at your own risk.

The phone (most phones as a matter of fact) has a built in charging circuit
that regulates the juice it needs. The draw, even at its highest, is well
within the rated specs of USB 1.1 and 2.0 standard. I would agree with you
that a poor quality cable is asking for trouble.