How to get my Ax on Verizon net with LG-4400

axim2k · 02-04-04, 01:57 PM

I have the proper Gomadic cable and want to browse the internet via Verizon's wireless net with my AX.
I've used the Verizon (slower) net with a cable and software from Verizon for $80. to connect my wife's Laptop and her Samsung 310 cell and it works really well.
I just don't want to shell out another $80. to Verizon if I can interface the AX with the LG...
Any Ideas??????
Thanks!:D

deftech · 02-04-04, 02:48 PM

Okay, so you have the Gomadic cable, right? Well, good news for you. Verizon now offers their Express Network (115Kbps) for "free", time spent online just comes off your monthly minutes like a regular phone call. And if you have free nights/weekends, then it's completely free during those times. If you've purchased your phone within about the past year, then it likely already has this on there for free. If you've had the phone over a year, you might possibly have to call Verizon to get them to stick it on your account. Either way, it's free.....so just try it out using the instructions below. If it doesn't work, just call Verizon and get them to add the free Express Network onto your plan.

Phone Settings
On your VX4400, Hit "Menu", then "8" (Settings), then "6" (Data Settings), then "2" (Select Port). On this screen, select "RS-232C" and hit "OK". Now hit "3" (Port Speed). On this screen, select "115200" and hit "OK".

That's all you need to do for the phone.

Now for the Axim.....

PocketPC Settings
Go to "Start", then "Settings", then "Connections" tab, then "Connections". Select "Add a new modem connection" and then enter any name for the connection. Select "Hayes Compatible on COM1:" and then hit "Next". Make sure to select "115,200" for your modem speed, and you need to enter "AT$QCMDR=3" (without quotes) under dial-string modem commands. Your user information for Verizon is:

In digital coverage (Express Network)
Phone Number: #777
Username: xxxxxxxxxx@vzw3G.com (with xxxxxxxxxx being your full 10-digit phone number)
Password: vzw

In analog coverage (no Express Network available)
Phone Number: #777
Username: qnc
Password: qnc

axim2k · 02-04-04, 03:10 PM

Yes to all the above, I have a new account with Verizon and I'll try the commands you gave me right away!
I'll get back to you as soon as I'm able to test them.
I get a great signal here at work since the Verizon tower is just right next to my building!!!!

axim2k · 02-04-04, 04:39 PM

Deftech,
All of the info is great but I was concerned that I was connecting to only the expensive ($80./Month unlimited) Expressnet all the time and after consulting Verizon tech support found out I was right! (3GX in window of phone).
The difference I found is that to connect to the 'Quick2Net' on Verizon Wireless (no additional expense, just use existing cell minutes) adjust the Hayes modem string on the AX under 'advanced' settings to:

AT$QCMDR=2

Otherwise all is 100% correct!

Thanks again for your help!

deftech · 02-04-04, 11:46 PM

That's what I was telling you about in my original post. The ExpressNet is free now. The $80/month plan is for unlimited ExpressNet service, that does not come off of your monthly minutes. The free ExpressNet plan simply rolls off of your regular minutes, just like the Quick2Net service does.

I've been using the Express Network since June 2003, and have never been charged. It shows up on my bill as Express Network - $0.00 (or something like that).

Scylla · 02-05-04, 12:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by deftech
That's what I was telling you about in my original post. The ExpressNet is free now. The $80/month plan is for unlimited ExpressNet service, that does not come off of your monthly minutes. The free ExpressNet plan simply rolls off of your regular minutes, just like the Quick2Net service does.

I've been using the Express Network since June 2003, and have never been charged. It shows up on my bill as Express Network - $0.00 (or something like that).

And now the bad news......

If you have an individual national account, you can access ExpressNet as noted. However if you have the family share plan, with more than one phone sharing the minutes, you cannot access ExpressNet without subscribing to the paid version.

I thought (after speaking to the eleventh clueless Verizon Wireless data tech!) that perhaps Verizon was wrong, but after not being able to connect to ExpressNet, I contacted Gomadic and they confirmed this for me. So I use the Quick2Net slooowwww service.

deftech · 02-05-04, 12:22 PM

Wow, I wasn't aware of that. Does that apply to all family share plans?

I used the Quick2Net service a while back (before they began offering the free ExpressNet on national plans), and it was fast enough for e-mail communications....which is a majority of what I use it for on the go anyhow. If you disable graphics in PocketIE, websites are alright as well.

Scylla · 02-05-04, 06:41 PM

Jordan,

That's what Verizon kept telling me. Of course, they also told me I couldn't connect to Quick2Net without using the Mobile Office kit they sell, also!

But Gomadic agreed with Verizon - only on the point that ExpressNet is not available for the family share plans. However Gomadic disagreed with just about everything else Verizon has told me, and didn't seem to think very much of the expertise of Verizon's data techs.

The Gomadic rep told me exactly how to connect via Quick2Net. I still had a problem connecting however, and I pretty much knew that it had to be the baud rate setting on my Motorola T720, since everything else was set up correctly and the phone was trying to connect.

I had to call Verizon Wireless one last time for direction on how to reset the baud rate - it required pressing the menu key twice in rapid succession and then keying in a special security code within 3 or 4 seconds to get to that menu. (Wonder who dreamed that sequence up?!?!). The tech kept insisting that it wouldn't work without the Mobile Office kit, even as I was happily surfing away while listening to his explanation of why it wouldn't work! :D

So, I can only get the slower connection. But then again, I only use it if I'm somewhere with no other internet access options (like on the road; I do pull over, of course!), and then only to check my work and home email accounts.

I never could get any enjoyment out of net-surfing on a PDA screen. Too old, I guess! The eyes just don't like trying to surf at that speed on such a slow connection!! :crooked:

02-06-04, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by deftech
Okay, so you have the Gomadic cable, right? Well, good news for you. Verizon now offers their Express Network (115Kbps) for "free", time spent online just comes off your monthly minutes like a regular phone call. And if you have free nights/weekends, then it's completely free during those times. If you've purchased your phone within about the past year, then it likely already has this on there for free. If you've had the phone over a year, you might possibly have to call Verizon to get them to stick it on your account. Either way, it's free.....so just try it out using the instructions below. If it doesn't work, just call Verizon and get them to add the free Express Network onto your plan.

Phone Settings
On your VX4400, Hit "Menu", then "8" (Settings), then "6" (Data Settings), then "2" (Select Port). On this screen, select "RS-232C" and hit "OK". Now hit "3" (Port Speed). On this screen, select "115200" and hit "OK".

That's all you need to do for the phone.

Now for the Axim.....

PocketPC Settings
Go to "Start", then "Settings", then "Connections" tab, then "Connections". Select "Add a new modem connection" and then enter any name for the connection. Select "Hayes Compatible on COM1:" and then hit "Next". Make sure to select "115,200" for your modem speed, and you need to enter "AT$QCMDR=3" (without quotes) under dial-string modem commands. Your user information for Verizon is:

In digital coverage (Express Network)
Phone Number: #777
Username: xxxxxxxxxx@vzw3G.com (with xxxxxxxxxx being your full 10-digit phone number)
Password: vzw

In analog coverage (no Express Network available)
Phone Number: #777
Username: qnc
Password: qnc

That is indeed great news!!!

I have been trying to decide on a service for awhile now... I most likely will go with the (National Plan) America's Choices 300. This will do right?? Also is there somewhere on the site that talks about the Express Network? I believe you of course...just wanna see it in writing...:D

SDNick484 · 02-06-04, 02:19 AM

First off, what Deftech is referring to when he says he's using Verizon's Express Network (EN) for air timeis often referred to as EN Minutes Only Use (MOU). EN MOU has been avaible since about June however it's legality is in question. Basically what happened was Verizon needed a way to speed up the transfer rate so camera phones could send picture messages. They achieved this by sending the pictures over the EN, but this in turn created a backdoor for people to use the EN but only consume their minues. Starting last June all America's Choice plans included EN MOU, and you could add EN MOU to any plan if you called and spoke to the right rep. It took me about 5 trys, but I got it added to my local plan by telling the rep I just purchased a camera phone and needed it. It should be noted that by using the EN in this way, you may be breaking Verizon's terms of service and penalties may be imposed.

Quick2Net (qnc) is a free service included in all plans (except perhaps prepaid) however the transfer rate is only that of a 14.4 mode,.

Finally, the code Scylla is referring to for the T720c (and perhaps other Motorola phones) is [Menu] 073887* (must be entered rapidly) and the Security Code is 000000. This code is useful for setting up you mobile web settings for the phones integrated WAP browser.

02-06-04, 01:48 PM

Wow...

Internet through a cell phone should be one package and not too... Using mintutes instead of paying seperate is much better...

So any other phone company that has a free internet with faster speeds??

deftech · 02-06-04, 04:14 PM

SDNick, you are correct in that it is the Express Network Minutes Only Use plan that I am referring to. And yes, it was around June when they began adding it to all the plans.

I've spoken with several representatives (higher than tech support) about it in the past. They said that it was originally intended to be used to speed up transfer rates for pictures messages, as you mentioned....

However, they also said that it was also fine for Laptop and PDA users to connect through the Express Network using the MOU plan. They had planned on this in advance, and said that they have not seen much of a drop in Express Network ($80/month) subscribers. From their explanation, the main subscribers to the unlimited $80/month plan are business users for whom it would be more expensive to have it rolling off of their monthly minutes because of the high volume of usage every month.

I'm in no way associated with Verizon, so I can't say that this is the absolute truth about the situation. But the people who told me this were in a high enough position to be trustworthy, unlike the lousy tech support staff they have on hand.

02-06-04, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by deftech
SDNick, you are correct in that it is the Express Network Minutes Only Use plan that I am referring to. And yes, it was around June when they began adding it to all the plans.

I've spoken with several representatives (higher than tech support) about it in the past. They said that it was originally intended to be used to speed up transfer rates for pictures messages, as you mentioned....

However, they also said that it was also fine for Laptop and PDA users to connect through the Express Network using the MOU plan. They had planned on this in advance, and said that they have not seen much of a drop in Express Network ($80/month) subscribers. From their explanation, the main subscribers to the unlimited $80/month plan are business users for whom it would be more expensive to have it rolling off of their monthly minutes because of the high volume of usage every month.

I'm in no way associated with Verizon, so I can't say that this is the absolute truth about the situation. But the people who told me this were in a high enough position to be trustworthy, unlike the lousy tech support staff they have on hand.

Nice! Feeling much better about it now... Hmm...I may get one sooner then expected!:p

02-08-04, 03:04 PM

Let me get this straight...I will automatically have this right? I do not have to add it or anything?

SDNick484 · 02-08-04, 03:21 PM

Deftech:
Although I believe the people you spoke to know what their talking about, I'm still weary about using the EN in this way. Since using EN MOU in this fashion is not enumerated in your contract, nothing stops Verizon from changing its position at any time. I dout VZW cares about the casual user, but I'd be willing to bet people who use it every night/weekend are asking for trouble. Using the EN is something that VZW can easily monitor, and they know write away that someone whose putting on megabytes of data is not just sending pictures.

SegaDC:
All America's Choice plans since June of 2003 have had this feature included (for no additional charge, you don't even have to request it on those plans). The only possible exception I can think of is the PTT plans, but since I suspect PTT uses EN for its VoIP, its probably included there too. To check and see if you have this on your plan, look for EN MOU on your bill where it lists the features.

Adios,
~Nick