Linux and Cell Phones? 27
Grouik asks: "Hello,
Searching here and there for information about which Cell phone modems could be usable on my Dell linux laptop I discovered that there are very few people interested about that kind of stuff. Maybe it's just as hard as with winmodems? If somebody has successfully made such a device work with linux, please share with us!"
GSM Data (i.e. CSD) ? (Score:1)
Forget the US market, there's too many "standards". And who needs snap-on modems ?
Inquiring European minds want to know, what about the GSM data capability that already lives in so many GSM phones ?
So many questions, so little time ...
Integrated PC-card phones (Score:1)
My thoughts go to a Nokia or Ericsson phone which has to be connected to the serial port of my laptop (my PCMCIA ether/modem does not have a digital connection and a dedicated card is WAY too expensive). Does anybody know how good these phones are?
GSM-based stuff (Score:1)
There are other IrDA GSM phones on the market nowadays, at least here in Europe. The Siemens S25 and Motorola TimePort spring to mind and the Nokia 7710 will be released RSN. I've tried the S25 and found that it works fine. Ericsson also has a snap-on IrDA modem (DI27, DI28) which makes most Ericsson phones talk infrared.
You can also buy PCMCIA cards with built-in GSM phones. Some manufacturers that spring to mind are Nokia, Ericsson and Option International (www.option.com). I believe PCMCIA is better supported under Linux than IrDA, so if you're mainly concerned about data connectivity this may be a better choice.
--Bud
Qualcomm Cell Phones (Score:2)
Unfortunatly, I've never been able to confirm with anyone that this works properly, or even at all. Most of Qualcomm's information says "Coming soon, check with your carrier." Anyone else know anything about this?
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Nokia phones (Score:1)
Re:Integrated PC-card phones (Score:1)
My understanding is that you are limited to about 9kBPs... nothing fancy, but enough for telnet...
CDPD is the way to go (Score:1)
To get it to run under Linux, I acquired a diff to the PCMCIA sources [sacredsoulrecords.com] to add support for the card. Patch, make, make install and then some additional futzing with minicom and the Aircard reference manual to learn how to load my IP address into the card.
I can now read and send email and surf the web from the Long Island Rail Road for $25/month.
Here's a link [picante.com] to more information on Linux and CDPD.
Re:GSM Data (i.e. CSD) ? (Score:1)
it is quite enough... it is images and plugins
which slow the Net.
Re:GSM Data (i.e. CSD) ? (Score:2)
Apart from the price it works like an ordinary modem; the IP-stack lives on the laptop so you can run any OS you like (Linux in my case). In theory you can use any cell phone; only thing is that there has to be a suitable connector and a cable.
As it works like a normal modem you'll pay per minute; "free" numbers (1-800 et al.) aren't free when you call from a cell phone though.
For incoming calls you have to have a special data line subscription from the cell net operator.
And, yeah, the major draw back: it's only 9600 bps; enough only if you're desperate...
Nokia cellulars and Linux (Score:1)
It worked with my Nokia 5110 and a colleague's 6110, can't say anyhing about other (5130, 5190 and othes sold in the US) phones.
It doesn't support data calls yet. It will soon.
Fido's Data Services (Score:1)
Send me some mail if you're interested in my findings.
A.
--
Adam Sherman
Re:Qualcomm Cell Phones (Score:1)
Re:Fido's Data Services (Score:1)
Only Windows is support since the official Nokia Data Suite only comes in Windows 3.x, 95/98, and NT flavor. I believe CE devices will be supported soon (either alone by Nokia and/or Fido/Microcell Solutions will pick it up). Any other OS, unless you can emulate the function of NDS, you're out of luck.
(Incidentally, there are other packages and drivers such as Option's Snap-On, TDK's GlobalPulse, etc. that will work since it's preforming the softmodem function.)
Tools are available for Linux (Score:1)
In Europe omputer utility software falls in two main areas - one is interfacing to the phone in order to use it as a wireless dialup, the other is for interfacing to GSM-SMS messaging systems (c.f. paging). This is one of the main uses of "GSM cellphone on a PCI card" type gadgets.
All but the basic GSM phones have a built in Hayes-compatible (ATDT) "modem" (remember, it's all digital here). So you just need cabling; older/basic ones need a data interface which you can get in the form of a PCMCIA card that looks like a generic modem to the laptop's OS.
I know of several people in the UK who run an SMSemail gateway on their home PC's; most of these run Linux.
Novatel Wireless (Score:1)
They make CDPD modems that work over regular cellular bands. I'm using the expedite developer board, which is really just the guts of their consumer products, and it works great.
The cool thing is that it works just like a regular modem, with AT commands, but you have to use PPP (it actually takes over the other side of the PPP conversation itself, transparently).
One small inconvenience is that it only works at 19,200.
They also have windows "modem drivers" for it, but it should be no problem to set it up using chat under linux. Basically you just say "AT\APPP" in place of the "ATDT0001112222" dial string, and then just start talking PPP.
Oh yeah, you also get a static IP with it, just to make life more interesting!
-Loopy
P.S. I have no relationship with this company, other than satisfied customer.
Motorola L7089 (Score:1)
Regards
G
GSM phones with built in modems (Score:1)
I have been using this with my laptop to connect to the net for the past few months - slow but usable. Thanks to Cellnet's current offer I am able to do this for free off-peak (2 landline numbers free off-peak till the end of the year).
Another phone I had considered was the Mondial ML808, I belive this also has a built in modem and is even supplied with the serial cable. I am sure the web site was www.mondial.com - but it seems to have gone now - so may be the phone is no loner avalible...
One phone to be cautious of is the Ericson SH888, although this can be connected via a serial cable it will still want to use the infared protocols!
SprintPCS (Score:1)
more or less a reality.
SprintPCS's TouchPoint phone supports data connections that were recently flipped on in almost all of Sprint (or should I say Worldcom) PCS's markets.
It's currently 14.4kbps, highly overpriced ($0.20/minute in packages, $0.39/minute a la carte), but still pretty cool.
I've not tried to configure it for Linux, but the manual includes support and directions for PalmOS, stating merely to hook it up via serial, and use the following modem preferences:
Modem - Standard
Speed - 14,400
Speaker - Off
Flow Ctl - Automatic
String - AT&FX4
Dial type - Touchtone
and program in your usual ISP's PPP settings and voila.
I'm pretty sure this would work equally well with Linux.
Re:Novatel Wireless (Score:1)