Setting up your PC to connect to the Internet using your cell phones (modem settings for Vodacom, CellC, and MTN)

In my previous blog "In this day and age I'm amazed by the low number of people that use their cell phones to connect to the Internet for email, www access, cheap IM etc" I referred to using my cell phone to connect to the Internet from home.

I dived into the article stating that "I connect my laptop to my phone (using BlueTooth or the cable)" but I neglected to describe the pains that I went through in setting up my PC's DialUp networking to use the phone (Nokia modem) to connect to the Internet!

So, I have decided to share this information here:

{note: for simplicity, I have only described the use of a USB cable to connect the cell phone to the PC (running MS Windows). Using BlueTooth instead of a cable is also possible, but I have found the cable more reliable. See http://handytechtips.blogspot.com/2008/03/forget-about-bluetooth-use-blooming.html for more details.}

Installing the cell phone modem:

1) Install the software that usually comes with your cell phone. For Nokia, it's called "Nokia PC Suite" and can be downloaded from the www.nokia.com web site. Ensure that the Nokia USB modem is also installed.

2) Plug in the USB cable and Windows should recognise that a phone has been plugged into a USB port and will install new drivers.

3) In the control panel: Start->Settings->Control Panel->Phone and Modem Options->Modems and select the cell phone modem, then click "Properties" then "Advanced" and enter the following in the "Extra initialisation string": (see below for your network's initialisation string) 4) In the control panel: Start->Settings->Control Panel->Network connections->Create a new connection->Next->Connect to the Internet->Next->Setup my connection manually->Next->Connect using a dialup modem->Next->Select (and tick) the new modem (untick any others)->Next->enter a name eg. "Nokia N70" ->Next->Enter the phone number: *99***1# -> Enter the username and password (see below for your network's username/password) ->Tick "Add a shortcut to my desktop"->Finish

5) A new dialup connection will now be listed in the "Network connections" list. Right click this new item (Nokia N70) and select "Properties"->Options->Untick the following 2 items: Prompt for name and password; Prompt for phone number; -> then click "OK"

6) Double clicking on the "Nokia N70" shortcut on your desktop should start the dialup process over your phone.

Here are the network dependent settings:

Vodacom:

Extra initialisation string: +CGDCONT=,,"internet"

Username: leave blank

Password: leave blank

CellC:

Extra initialisation string: +CGDCONT=,,"internet"

Username: leave blank

Password: leave blank

MTN:

Extra initialisation string: +CGDCONT=,,"myMTN"

Username: mtnwap

Password: mtnwap

Note: I am aware that the Nokia PC suite's (version 6.85.14.1 download the latest from here: http://europe.nokia.com/A4144905) "Connect to the Internet" can also be used and the setup process allows you to select the network that you're on (Vodacom, MTN or CellC).

Forget about BlueTooth - use the blooming cable!

Forgive me while I moan a bit, while I share my experiences!

I have a Nokia N70 phone and I purchased an MSI BlueTooth USB "dongle" (StarKey) for my PC to connect to the Internet (3G or GPRS)

First of all, I decided (incorrectly) to purchase a "longer range" bluetooth dongle (claimed to work up to 100m). Then I figured out that both BlueTooth [BT for short from now on] devices need to support this "long range" capability - by my results, I figured that the N70 doesn't support this "long range" feature.

Secondly, I am forever fighting with my BT setup to get connected - I either need to stop/start the BTSTAC~1.exe process OR turn BT on then off OR reboot the phone OR reboot the PC.... sometimes all of these need to be done to get BT working again.

Last night was the last straw as none of the above hacks worked and so I decided to dump the BT device and dig out the USB cable.... and what a pleasure!

Connected 1st time, faster speed (USB to phone).... so, forget BT, hello plain old, good old USB cable!

{Note: I have subsequently found that other BT dongle devices behave much better than the MSI device... so, perhaps I'll spend a few bucks on getting another brand's BT device.}