I have the Cingular Unlimited PDA Connect plan, $40 extra on my plan. It's insane. However, I was told by every sales rep that I could go online with my laptop through this plan, and that it would be unlimited. However, after some research and reading through fine prints and other forums, it appears that if I connect my laptop to my 8125 and try to browse, I'll get charged per kb. I wonder how they know it's a laptop and not the PDA, considering the similarity in the data traffic.
My idea is this, can the Cingular 8125 be used as a "Proxy" or "NAT" Device? The PDA will connect to Cingular, and relay the laptops traffic. My assumption is, when used as a modem, your laptop connects directly to Cingular's network, it gets the public IP and its traffic is directly pushed on their network. If the PDA can act as a proxy or nat device, then the PDA will get the IP and push the data directly onto their network. The laptop will just connect seamlessly through the PDA. This should bypass their stupid billing.
They do realize that Verizon has 1-2mbits for $60-$80 a month unlimited for laptops. T-Mobile has 112kbits for $30 unlimited for laptops. Cingular's out of their mind to charge $80 for 112kbits for unlimited for laptops.
I don't plan on using my laptop much to go online through my PDA, 112kbits is already too slow for my taste, but as a network engineer, occasionally I need to telnet into a router or ssh into a server and the little clients on my pda isn't enough, need the laptop.
This feature may also be good for wireless hot spots I pay for. When you pay, sometimes they authenticate based on wireless mac address. If I registered using the pda, then only that pda would be allowed to go on, my laptop wouldn't, I'd have to pay another charge just for the laptop. If the PDA is a Proxy/NAT device, it would push my laptop's traffic onto the wifi network as if it were coming from it, from its authenticated mac address. Of for networks that only assign you 1 IP, like at work, or... etc.
i have the same phone and same plan. i was also wondering if they charged per kb if i used my phone as a modem.
anybody with a better experience?
Sadly...
http://www.cingular.com/business/popup_data_connect_terms
"Cingular PDA Connect plan: may only be used with compatible palmOne Tungsten W, palmOne Treo, Siemens SX56/66, Motorola MPx200/220, Audiovox 4100 or similar Cingular-certified devices provided that the device is not being used as a modem with other equipment (e.g., computers or ruggedized handhelds) through use of connection kits, other phone/PDA-to-computer accessories, Bluetooth?? or other wireless technology. "
Buried deep in their disclaimer.
how will they know? damn we need to do some testing. when my bill comes this month i'll let you guys know. I have only opened a couple of pages like cnet.com and google.com
tweaker said:
how will they know?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was wondering the same thing. I really want to use this to connect to my laptop when i'm doing business on the road.
After searching and reading tons of web pages, it appears they know because the phone connects to *99# when connected to the laptop.
So they can simply pick out all the calls to data and charge you for them!!!
I explained to my GF how i could use all the unlimited data i wanted as long as it was throught the phone, and how even though it's the same speed and data, i would be charged if it was connected to the same webpage through the laptop, and she simply replied:
"thats the stupidest thing i have ever heard!"
I agreed
Hope someone comes up with a work around for this.
skeppley said:
After searching and reading tons of web pages, it appears they know because the phone connects to *99# when connected to the laptop.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Last month I was testing this conectivity and I did everything but put in the dialing string. Guess what, I was still abble to use the phone as a modem for my laptop. I've seen no difference in my bill even though I gave it a full testing, e-mail websites VPN to office etc.
As long as you use the WAP apn and not the Dataconnect apn you should be ok been using it for over 2 years with no extra charges...
thanks charrog and kyphur. Can either of you explain in a bit more detail of how you connect through the laptop. I'm not really sure of how to switch apn's, or even tell which i'm using. Excuse my ignorance, but i am very new to this. Thanks again.
I have been using the modem link in the phone,and setting up a dial up on the laptop and using *99# as the number.I made no other changes in the phone. Is this ok?
i'm confused. so do i get charged with my cingular unlimited pda plan? or no?
Hi,
I have a Cingular 8525 with the unlimited PDAConnect data plan. From what I have gathered, tethering to a laptop requires the Cingular Laptop Connect plan (which costs more). I saw a program on the Internet called PDANet (for tethering) and I am curious as to how Cingular sees this data. Do they recognize it as PDAConnect data, or do they infact know that its a Laptop being tethered and bill appropriately?
I ask because I plan on using my 8525 for both PDA browsing and tethering. Not trying to circumvent anything here.
Thanks!
I think I answered my own question:
Connecting to the Internet using the Cingular 8525 USB to Windows XP via Dial-up Networking
SUBJECT:
Connecting to the Internet using the Cingular 8525 USB to Windows XP via Dial-up Networking
FACT:
Cingular 8525
Windows Mobile 5.0
Microsoft Windows XP
USB
SYMPTOM:
Modem / Tethering
ADVISORY:
Data charges are billed based on the subscribed rate plan.
Note: Customers who wish to tether with their PDA device and have an unlimited PDA data plan will need to upgrade their rate plan to a Data Connect Plan for Laptops. Unlimited Data Connect Plans for PDA do not include tethering capabilities and may incur additional charges.
If you connect on your phone with the [email protected] settings you can use the wireless modem program found on the Tytn extended rom and the drivers for XP/2000 found in this forum to connect without incurring any additional charges.
Search this forum for the answers, there are some specific posts that helped me out awhile ago. The drivers for XP/2000 also work for vista on my laptop in compatability mode.
Here is a post I had initiated awhile ago, It may help.
Hi everyone, I am with Telus, however, I want to know if the internet sharing program on the phone the same as tethering and if telus will be able to tell if I tethering or not? I have just got the $15 unlimited data from them. But that does not include tethering only unlimited download on the phone.
thanks.
From what I have seen, there is no way for the carriers to tell if you're tethering (internet sharing) or just using your phone to surf the net. Just don't get too excessive with your data transfer, because then they can guess that you are tethering and bill you for "excessive use". Just don't download large files and you will be fine.
Hi, I got a Titan and when opening the IE, it establishes a connection through dialling #777.
The "data Connection" is activated at this point.
I do not want to use my phone as an external modem, just want to browse.
My carrier is bell canada/mobility and I know they got 2 plans: Data plans (and not sure but I think it's for phone as modem) and browsing plan at 7$ unlimited.
I managed to activate the unlimited browsing option but the #777 is dialling and therefore, it's in data plan mode.
So is there a way to browse without dialling #777?
Thank you
magickarle said:
Hi, I got a Titan and when opening the IE, it establishes a connection through dialling #777.
The "data Connection" is activated at this point.
I do not want to use my phone as an external modem, just want to browse.
My carrier is bell canada/mobility and I know they got 2 plans: Data plans (and not sure but I think it's for phone as modem) and browsing plan at 7$ unlimited.
I managed to activate the unlimited browsing option but the #777 is dialling and therefore, it's in data plan mode.
So is there a way to browse without dialling #777?
Thank you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's how the phone connects to the network, it's not using it as an external modem AFAIK. My phone does that also.
I have a verizon xv6900 (HTC vogue?) and I want to use my voice plan (*not* a data plan) to connect to the internet. There are free dial-up access numbers, and I don't care how slow it is. Is this possible?
I changed the #777 connection setting to a free dial-up account, and Verizon still charged me for "data access".
Thanks,
Bryan.