Internet on the road

rbryant · 07-25-03, 01:29 AM

Greetings all, I am in the military and new to the PDA world but have found in fascinating. I am about to go on temporary duty in Alabama and would like to know what I need to get internet service using my cell phone and the gomadic cable for my Axim? Do I need a special service or software? Does anybody know if Netzero will work? I would really appreciate any help you are able to provide.

Serving proudly,
CW3 Bryant
US Army Aviation Europe
UH-60 Black Hawk

smeg36 · 07-25-03, 01:41 AM

You would have to be able to get internet access on your cell phone through your phone provider so you can connect to the net on your phone, then the gomadic cable would trasfer that to your Axim. A lot of companies do this now, but most charge a few bucks for it, and take the minuets out of your plan.

If you do it this way, you wouldn't have to have an ISP because your cell provider would be acting as the ISP connecting your phone to the web. I think there is another way to do it, which would require you to have a seperate ISP (Netzero doesn't work on PPC's as far as I know), but I don't know what it is.

deftech · 07-25-03, 01:43 AM

I am in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and use Verizon Wireless as my cell provider, with a Gomadic cable for my Axim and LG VX4400 phone. Verizon offers a 100% free Internet service, but it is only a 14.4Kbps connection. This is good enough for e-mail communications, but can make browsing the web a bit of a hassle.

Verizon also offers their ExpressNetwork (up to 144Kbps connection.....I usually average around 50Kbps though) at additional fees on top of your regular cellular voice plan. Currently (since June), Verizon has been offering their ExpressNetwork for free to all new customers, and the time you spend online is simply subtracted from your regular monthly minutes....a great deal if you get free nights & weekends.

However, it has been "rumored" that this is just a test phase, and that the free ExpressNetwork might end at any time.

By the way, NetZero will not work because you have to use their software (which is not available for Pocket PC). Also, if you use any dial-up ISP, it will be just 14.4Kbps connection through your cell phone. The ExpressNetwork (or comparable network if you are with another company besides Verizon) is the only way to get high-speed connections via your cell phone.

dbuck · 07-25-03, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by deftech
I am in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and use Verizon Wireless as my cell provider, with a Gomadic cable for my Axim and LG VX4400 phone. Verizon offers a 100% free Internet service, but it is only a 14.4Kbps connection. This is good enough for e-mail communications, but can make browsing the web a bit of a hassle.

Verizon also offers their ExpressNetwork (up to 144Kbps connection.....I usually average around 50Kbps though) at additional fees on top of your regular cellular voice plan. Currently (since June), Verizon has been offering their ExpressNetwork for free to all new customers, and the time you spend online is simply subtracted from your regular monthly minutes....a great deal if you get free nights & weekends.

However, it has been "rumored" that this is just a test phase, and that the free ExpressNetwork might end at any time.

By the way, NetZero will not work because you have to use their software (which is not available for Pocket PC). Also, if you use any dial-up ISP, it will be just 14.4Kbps connection through your cell phone. The ExpressNetwork (or comparable network if you are with another company besides Verizon) is the only way to get high-speed connections via your cell phone.

What is the free service called? How do you get it?

deftech · 07-25-03, 07:19 PM

I think it's called Quick Connect network??

Anyhow, you automatically have it if you are a Verizon Wireless customer. Simply set the PDA (or laptop or whatever) to dial the phone number "#777" (without quotes). Use the username "qnc" (without quotes) and password "qnc" (without quotes). You should be connected instantly. If not, call Verizon's tech support and they'll walk you through it to fix your problem.

rbryant · 07-26-03, 12:22 AM

Thanks for the quick replies. I 'll give it a try and let you know how it worked out. This site is a great source for info. I've purchased or not purchased many things because of the threads I've read. Thanks Again!

Serving proudly,
CW3 Bryant
US Army Aviation Europe
UH-60 Black Hawk

dbuck · 07-27-03, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by deftech
I think it's called Quick Connect network??

Anyhow, you automatically have it if you are a Verizon Wireless customer. Simply set the PDA (or laptop or whatever) to dial the phone number "#777" (without quotes). Use the username "qnc" (without quotes) and password "qnc" (without quotes). You should be connected instantly. If not, call Verizon's tech support and they'll walk you through it to fix your problem.

I am assuming the free service does count towards your minutes though? How do you find out which phones/plans support it?

07-28-03, 10:23 AM

rbryant-

Thank you for your service! I have a brother in law serving in Iraq right now and we appreciate all you do!

To tell you a quick story about how amazing technology and the Axims are...my brother in law's baby was born Saturday morning.
I took the photos from our digital camera---attached them to an e-mail, plugging in my wifi card and sent the photos overseas to him so that he could see his brand new baby boy!

Just a simple way to help the time he's overseas go a bit quicker!

JJS

deftech · 07-28-03, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dbuck
I am assuming the free service does count towards your minutes though? How do you find out which phones/plans support it?

Yes, it does come off of your minutes. It works out great if you have free nights&weekends though, because you are not billed for those minutes. Any phone that supports data use will work with it. I recommend using a cable to hook up your Axim to your phone (like those at Gomadic), as Infrared connections that some phones offer are not very reliable and can be pesky to use. If Gomadic offers a cable for the phone in question, then you know 100% for sure if it is able to use the free Internet service. Other than that, you can just call Verizon's 800# or go by their store and get them to show you the phones that will work with a data plan. Most Nokia phones will not work with it. Other than that, just about every phone will work nowadays (Motorola, LG, Sony, etc.).

07-29-03, 12:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by deftech
Yes, it does come off of your minutes. It works out great if you have free nights&weekends though, because you are not billed for those minutes. Any phone that supports data use will work with it. I recommend using a cable to hook up your Axim to your phone (like those at Gomadic), as Infrared connections that some phones offer are not very reliable and can be pesky to use. If Gomadic offers a cable for the phone in question, then you know 100% for sure if it is able to use the free Internet service. Other than that, you can just call Verizon's 800# or go by their store and get them to show you the phones that will work with a data plan. Most Nokia phones will not work with it. Other than that, just about every phone will work nowadays (Motorola, LG, Sony, etc.).

Hello. I wanted to let you guys know that Sprint PCS Vision service on your cell phone connected with a Gomadic cable to the Axim appears to be better than anything I have seen in this post. I am surprised that no one seems to be aware that Sprint PCS allows you to surf without taking anything from your minutes 24/7/365. I got my Gomadic cable last month before going on vacation and surfed big time during the vacation. I have since received my bill and all is well.....no extra minutes used. You guys should drop Verizon if they are subtracting minutes for surfing. Sprint PCS is the way to go.

Michael
San Antonio, Texas

deftech · 07-29-03, 02:09 AM

jaarso....

But if I'm not mistaken, don't you have to pay an extra monthly fee of some amount to get the data service through the Vision plan?

07-29-03, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by deftech
jaarso....

But if I'm not mistaken, don't you have to pay an extra monthly fee of some amount to get the data service through the Vision plan?

You are right. You would have to do a comparison of the plans and it would depend on how much of a talker or surfer you are. For me, I share 500 minutes between 2 Sprint phones with my wife. 500 minutes are just about what we need to be comfortable. The 500 minutes are only burned for calling non-Sprint people. We have what they call unlimited PCS to PCS calling 24 hours a day. In other words, as long as the person I am calling has a Sprint phone, I can call and talk to him all year long for free all day long and minutes are not burned.

Having Vision services adds like $10 a month and it's unlimited surfing. As much as I surf away from home, I wouldn't be able to do it comfortably if I had Verizon because it would be taking away from my minutes. Sprint's leaves your minutes alone. On top of that, all phonecalls are nationwide to anywhere from anywhere with no extra charge.

You would have to look into your individual calling/surfing needs and see what's better for you.

07-29-03, 06:36 PM

could you use the verizon free internet with a bluetooth enabled phone? i'm just wondering so when i get my new phone sometime later this year. I'm still with cingular right now