Anyone here connect their 3G phone to their laptop for internet access?

[hstraf]

I'm trying to find out what is the best solution for me.  I need to connect my laptop to the internet, so I can do my work while travelling.

I seem to have two choices:

1) Get a "Vodafone PC Card": http://www.sfr.fr/FR/utiliser/services/services_business/vmcc/vmcc_3g_gprs/offre/

This is a pcmcia card, that I would need to plug in/out every time I want to use the internet on my laptop. 

2) Get a cell phone that can work as a modem. I'm thinking about a 3G phone that has bluetooth on it. This way, I can fire up my laptop and get a data link to the phone without wires, and use the 3G connection from the phone to surf the internet.

What do you think?  Recommendations? Advice? 

The 3G phone I'm thinking about getting is the "SAMSUNG SGH-Z140v". However, I've been unable to find any info on whether I can actually connect my laptop to it and use it (via bluetooth) as a modem for internet on my laptop. Anyone know the answer to this?

[sue-J]

I used a recent Motorola flip-phone with Bluetooth. Bluetooth on the laptop connected easily for surfing, but the cost of running it for more than a couple of minutes on Orange was ludicrous. So I sold on Ebay for ten quid more than I paid for it.

sue-j

[hstraf]

Thanks Sue.  For me, the cost isn't too bad as I can get a decent plan for either setup.  (About $50 USD for 150mb download/data, which is pretty good.)

I'm just wondering what is the best way to make the connection...  and it seems you didn't have any problem with the bluetooth/cell/laptop method, which is good to hear.  (That's the direction I'm leaning, since then I can use the phone for voice, too.)

Anyone else care to share their advice?

[Ecossais]

HSTRAF,

 

I think you would need to enter into a 12 month contract in order to get the Vodafone data card.

 

Another option you may want to consider is buying a Wi-Fi data card for your laptop (about GBP 30) which would allow you to use your laptop at a hotspot and surf the internet at broadband speed.

 

You say that you wanted to do your work while travelling.  Many hotels are now Wi-Fi hotspots.  During the summer I stayed at a couple of Ibis hotels and a Mercure hotel.  I’d never used my laptop in a hotspot before therefore, mainly out of interest to see how it worked, went and got it out the car and turned it on.

 

It immediately found the Wi-Fi network and asked if I wanted to connect to it.  Internet Explorer opened at an Accor Hotels / Orange Wi-Fi home page.  From there some sites were free, but for full internet access I had to take one of the surfing time packages.

 

For €10 I got 2 hours internet time, there were about 3 other options if I remember correctly.

 

You can get information on Orange hotspots here:  http://orange-wifi.x-prime.com/roaming.htm or in English:  http://orange-wifi.x-prime.com/uk/index_uk.htm

 

 

[hstraf]

It has to be GPRS or 3G over the cell network.  My job involves visiting places where there are no wifi networks, and the only connectivity option I would have is the cellular network. 

My laptop already has wifi built into it, and it's great.  But once I leave the city... I'm out of luck.  Thus.. it has to be GPRS or 3G.

The question is whether to use a 3G/GPRS phone (via bluetooth connection to my laptop), or one of those PC cards from vodafone (uses pcmcia slot).

I'd like to know which option is "better", if any.  ;-)