Bluetooth Dongles

[SaMc_LRFC]

Hi fellow Arrsers! just a quick question for anybody who may be able to put my mind at ease;


I've got a laptop and im getting a nokia N95 in a few days time which has internet access, now my laptop will not have internet access as im going away soon. so what my question is Can i attach a bluetooth dongle and use my nokias Wi-fi to browse the web? and if so..will it run up a bill on my contract or will it be free because it's via bluetooth?

Cheers everyone

sam.

 

[scuba_angel]

Im sure its possible with some phones, but you'll be using your phone as a router/modem so the bill will appear on your phone contract, the only 'free' part is the information transfer between phone and laptop.

 

[polar69]

easy answer is no


You can browse the web on a 3g enabled phone

Or

use your 3g phone as a modem

 

[SparkySteve]

You might be better off using the USB cable, through Nokia PCSuite and then as suggested by polar69, using the N95 as a modem.

 

[SaMc_LRFC]

some helpful replies there

thanks you lot i'll look into it!

Sam.

 

[Chap_in_black]

Most mobile phone company's now have special laptop modems so you can access the net from anywhere. They charge a fee but they are pretty handy, a few guys i knew used them, worked well.

Something like this
http://www.vodafonebusinessshop.co.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=MobileEmailAndData.dataWelcome&WT.srch=1

 

[jaybee2786]

I am not sure if its still true of today, but some bluetooth dongals will not work correctly on windows default bluetooth drivers you need the dongles manufacturers drives if that is the case just go to who ever made the dongle and down load it and you need to tell it to update driver and then manually designate the driver i.e have disk

 

[SparkySteve]

Most mobile phone company's now have special laptop modems so you can access the net from anywhere. They charge a fee but they are pretty handy, a few guys i knew used them, worked well.

Something like this
http://www.vodafonebusinessshop.co.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=MobileEmailAndData.dataWelcome&WT.srch=1

Have been looking at 3's offering:
http://www.three.co.uk/personal/products_services_/mobile_broadband_/index.omp

 

[IT_GEEK]

As has already been stated, you can use your phone as a modem using usb cable etc, but basically you are still usign your phone to access the internet and so will pay whatever tarrif comes with your phone. See if your N95 package comes with a Data allowance, if so this might be enough to just check emails etc.

However if you want more than just checking the odd mail, then a 3G data card is the way to go. I have used one for several years now. How good they are depends on where you are in terms of reception. Biggest thing to consider is how long you want it for, as most are contract based if you want the 3G Card free. It is expensive, but if you really cannot be without your internet, £50 a month will get you unlimited on most networks. I played World of Warcraft this way for almost a year. I only managed to get 2G speeds, pings of around 1200, but it was playable. I justified the cost simply by the fact that without the laptop, I would have been in the pub and spent a dam sight more than £50 a month

 

[SaMc_LRFC]

Cheers, i looked into it and they said that i can use the net on my phone for free (except from downloading files) and that it will cost around £30 a month to use my phone as a modem (on top of my £35 contract) so i may as well just stick with my phone for internet and carry on using the lappy for single player games and watching films

Thanks everyone, saved a lot of confusion

Sam.