using my laptop on the hoof

[Tootles60]

I have a laptop and also a Sony Ericsson phone with blue tooth, I want to know how to use these two in conjunction when we are in France in our caravan? I had thought about getting a centrino laptop when a friend told me I did not need to do this as I could use the phone etc, but did not tell me how to do it grrrrrrrr

I am not the worlds best at using the computer, so easy to understand please.....

[Dick Smith]

I've never done this, but I am told you simply connect the laptop to the phone and off you go (given proper settings). For this you need a cable:

http://www.gomadic.com/laptomobphon.html

I have Bluetooth on my laptop and desktop and I don't think it would be up to much more than very awkward and simple emails. Using the internet is not on unless you have proper wireless connection, hence the Centrino? Although most modern laptops are wireless-capable with the addition of a card, I believe (certainly all Macs are).

[Glenn]

I''ve done this several times. You need a bluetooth mobile and a bluetooth facility in your laptop. If your laptop hasn't got this, you can buy plug in adaptors for around £25 off the net. (TDK make one that has good reviews) The main problem is maintaining a reliable mobile connection. The smallest bit of interferance on the phone results in data being dropped and you losing your connection. The result is huge phone bills when you dial up again....and again! So yes it works, but a reliable connection is hard to get and mobiles ringing ISP numbers aren't cheap! 

[Stephenlemmon]

It's pretty simple. First you need your phone to talk to your laptop so that it can act like a modem. You can use either bluetooth, infrared or a cable connection. Most laptops have infrared ports built in, as do most phones. Fewer laptops have bluetooth compatability.

If you're using XP then activate the IR function on your telephone and hold it near your IR port on the PC. Hopefully the PC will detect it and load the drivers for the phone. You may have to download the drivers from the Ericcson site. You'll need the modem driver.

The same applies to bluetooth if you have it. Make sure it's activated on both the phone and the PC and they should detect each other.

Cable connections are generally the easiest. Just plug everything in and windows should recognise the phone. You'll need the drivers.

Once the phone and the PC are happily communicating, you can just set up an internet connection in windows and choose the phone as a modem. You'll need all your numbers and don't be surprised if when you connect you only get a connection speed of 9.6kbs.

 

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Hi

Using the mobile as the old "analogue" type modem is rather hopeless. You don't mention what model phone you have but ideally if you intend using mobile phone connectivity you need to use GPRS for your connection. GPRS is a mobile phone data technology where your connection is always on and you pay per "packet" of data sent. A lot of recent phones are GPRS capable, or for regular laptop users you can buy a GPRS card that slots into the PC.

The downside is you are more likely to have a problem seeing if the service provider allows it, particularly if you have a UK phone roaming in France and using whichever French service provider has the best signal. If, for example you're with Vodafone in the UK you'll have a good chance of being able to link up via SFR, although you'll need to make your own enquiries on this via your customer service people.

Centrino is a local area network technology, basically a built-in wireless network card, and relies on you being near a wireless network access point you can log onto or a public "hotspot", which are few and far between in France, although if you do find one it will be faster than GPRS.

For Centrino access points see http://intel.jiwire.com/hot-spot-directory-browse-by-state.htm?country_id=75 - mainly hotels.