New Phones Allow Internet Access Anywhere

You can use your Blackberry as your internet access point when you are away from the office or home and want to check email, download something from the internet…or even just surf the web.

Many people these days can’t live without their phones or internet, and I am one of them. Over the past three years I have gone through many different phones, all with their own features. Since working at ArrowQuick, I wanted to try out these new phones with the internet built-in, to keep in touch with emails, Yammer, and all the other cool features included.

At my local US Cellular store, after lots of tinkering, testing, and playing with the new phones, I decided to go with the Blackberry Pearl. It’s small, lightweight, easy to text/type with, and best of all has internet that doesn’t need a WiFi hotspot to connect…perfect!

The reason I wanted internet on my phone was to keep in touch with people at work, and be able to hook it into my laptop for internet wherever and whenever.  Often you can just use the phone itself, because it has built-in email and a web browser. Connecting your phone to a laptop is a little tougher, but with the instructions below you will be ready to go. This method involves attaching the phone as a modem to your laptop. It is called “tethering” and works with any phone provider.

Here is a quick guide to setting up a Blackberry as a modem and surfing with you laptop anywhere, even if there is no WiFi hotspot.

Step 1: Install Software

You will need an internet connection for the first step. For this whole thing to work, you need to have the Blackberry software installed and running, so download and install the latest Blackberry desktop software.

Step 2: Attach Blackberry

Now connect your Blackberry by plugging it in to your laptop or computer with the USB cable that came with your phone.

Step 3: Add A New Internet Connection

Create a new connection with Start Menu → Connect To → Show all connections → Create a new connection.

1. Click Next.
2. Select “Connect To The Internet”, then Next.
3. Select “Set up my connection manually”, then Next.
4. Select “Connect using a dial-up modem”, then Next.
5. Check only the Standard Modem (if prompted).
6. Give the connection a name such as “BlackBerry Modem”, then click Next.
7. On the next screen, pick one of the following phone numbers, depending on your carrier:
   • GSM/Cingular/AT&T/TMobile: Enter phone number *99#
   • iDEN/Nextel/Telus: Enter phone number S=2
   • CDMA/Verizon/US CELL/Sprint/Bell Canada: Enter phone number #777
8. Click Next.
9. On the next screen, pick one of the following, depending on your carrier:
   • Cingular Blue, AT&T or Nextel:
     • Username: (blank)
     • Password: (blank)
   • Rogers Canada:
     • Username: wapuser1
     • Password: wap
   • Cingular Orange:
     • Username: ISPDA at CINGULARGPRS dot COM
     • Password: CINGULAR1
   • T-Mobile:
     • Username: (Your existing TMobile.com username)
     • Password: (Your existing TMobile.com password)
   • Verizon or US CELL (replace 8005551212 with your phone number):
     • Username: 8005551212 at vzw3g dot com
     • Password: 8005551212
   • Sprint:
     • Username: (Your existing Sprint PCS username)
     • Password: (Your existing Sprint PCS Password)
   • Bell Mobility (replace 8005551212 with your phone number):
     • Username: 8005551212 at 1x dot bell dot ca
     • Password: (Your Bell Mobility voicemail PIN)
10. Clear all checkboxes (“Use…when anyone…” and “Make this the default…”).
11. Click Finish.

Step 4: Surf On The Laptop!

Connect to the internet on the laptop by clicking the “BlackBerry Modem” icon via Start Menu → Network Connections. No username or password is needed.

This can be more useful when you are away from the office or home and want to check email on a bigger screen, download something from the internet, remote into a server or work PC, or even just to play games on your favorite website while on a long trip in a car. With this phone you will never have to worry about finding a WiFi hotspot again.

Read More

• Secure Your Wireless Signal
• “Retailing on the Internet” Summary
• WHAT? There are alternatives to Internet Explorer!
• 8 Ways to Secure Your Online Accounts
• Remote Desktop Connection Security

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Join the Discussion

1. 

   Thanks for adding to our blog posts Cody! We can use another contributor.

   #1 posted by Rob Hammann on August 3, 2009 at 11:47 am.

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