Is using your phone as a modem ok?

[hcker2000]

I was wondering if sprint ever said its ok to use your phone as a modem? I'm trying to decide if I should go with sprint and if it is ok to use the phone as a modem I would. Also what phone is easyest to get working as a modem (I'v read the 6225's dont work as modems :(

[mcurtiss1970]

officially, sprint does not allow you to use your phone as a modem. if you use it lightly, it'll likely travel under their radar.

[hcker2000]

Alright thanks thats all I needed to know. I'm planing on using my wireless conection for about 10 hours a day so I wont be going with sprint unless I can just use one of phones to dial my isp's number and use it that way.

[3G Cables]

Alright thanks thats all I needed to know. I'm planing on using my wireless conection for about 10 hours a day so I wont be going with sprint unless I can just use one of phones to dial my isp's number and use it that way.

You will not find a phone these days that will let you dial into a third party ISP> If you do happen to get an older phone that will do it, you will be charged to go through thier modem pool at 39 cents per minute. Gone are the days of free dialup through a cell phone.

With this kind of usage I would suggest a PC card.

[ImportsCRX]

would you use up a lot of data if you just use the AIM application? just chatting, no transferring files.

[3G Cables]

would you use up a lot of data if you just use the AIM application? just chatting, no transferring files.

If you leave it running all day it will use a significant amount of data because it queries. However if you just get on and chat then shut down the connection after done using it then it wont use too much data.

The point on using this type of connection is to get on, take care of your business, then get off. It is not to be used as a permanent connection.

[hcker2000]

wow what a monopoly they are runing. Oh well figures for this day and age.

[hcker2000]

I just was playing with the my wifes phone and my laptop and decided to give the modem over infered a try. I dialed my 56k isp and it connected and worked fine. If I do it this way it wont be agenst the rules will it? I have the unlimited nights and weekends and thats exatly when I need to use the phone as a modem. :) I'm realy hoping its ok to use it as a modem to dial into my isp because if it is ill get a usb cable and have my wireless internet.

[3G Cables]

I just was playing with the my wifes phone and my laptop and decided to give the modem over infered a try. I dialed my 56k isp and it connected and worked fine. If I do it this way it wont be agenst the rules will it? I have the unlimited nights and weekends and thats exatly when I need to use the phone as a modem. :) I'm realy hoping its ok to use it as a modem to dial into my isp because if it is ill get a usb cable and have my wireless internet.

You will be charged 39 cents per minute. What exact phone make and model do you have?

[PeterChenoweth]

Using your phone as a modem with Sprint Vision is exactly like speeding.

What if you blow by a state trooper doing 67 in a 65mph zone? Will he stop you? Maybe, but probably not. What about 70? What about 75? What about 80? See, the point is, a little bit of speeding is tolerated (usually), a lot is not. That line is completely open for debate, as anything over 65, and any data usage via "tethering" is technically a violation.

Every time you use your phone as a modem you are "speeding", in a sense. Use it for email, maybe some light surfing, and you're speeding a little bit. Use it for heavy surfing, downloading small files, you're speeding more. Use it with iTunes to download your favorite albums, stream audio, download service packs - well, you're screaming down the road at 120mph. :) Maybe you'll get away with it today, but tomorrow a trooper might be sitting in the median :eek:

That said, I occasionally use my T600 as a modem with PDAnet. By occasionally I mean the two weeks a year when I'm on vacation and occasionally want to check my email, Sprintusers.com, or Weather.com from some far-away beach. I have never been charged for data, and I've probably used 30-40mb worth of data over the past year.

And it's not just Sprint that's this way. Cingular is exactly the same. They have a $19.99 plan that's just like Vision, but you technically aren't supposed to use the phone as a modem. But it works just as SprintPCS does so there are endless debates on Cingular sites as well on this same topic.

This is the one and only reason I am seriously considering leaving Sprint for T-Mobile. Sprint has been good to us for the past five years, but $19.99 for unlimited GPRS data with no strings attached (literally, as they have several bluetooth phones) is awfully tempting. It's there and in writing, pay this much and you can use your phone as a modem. The only gotcha is that T-Mobile's network isn't nearly as comprehensive as Sprint's, nor is it anywhere near as fast. And it's possible to roam on another carrier's GPRS network that *does* charge roaming fees, so you gotta be careful.

The above discussion applies to using Sprint's #777 dial-up to Vision as your ISP for near DSL speeds. Be careful with the dialing your own ISP thing. As others have said, you *will* be charged for that and you're only going to get like a 9.6K connection, which is really slow. The connection from your laptop to phone may say something like 144K, but that's the connection from laptop to phone, not phone to network. I don't think unlimited nights/weekends applies to data calls, and that .39/minute rate that 3GCables said sounds right.

[hcker2000]

I want to know why they can charge 39c a min to claim that they run you threw the modem pool. I dialed up for a few min with it using the ir port so I will see if there are any 39c charges to the bill if not I'll dial up to my own isp and they heck with there realy expensive close to dsl speeds. If I wanted to pay alot for internet at work I would just sign up for cable access.

[john1936]

[QUOTE=PeterChenoweth]
This is the one and only reason I am seriously considering leaving Sprint for T-Mobile. Sprint has been good to us for the past five years, but $19.99 for unlimited GPRS data with no strings attached (literally, as they have several bluetooth phones) is awfully tempting. It's there and in writing, pay this much and you can use your phone as a modem. The only gotcha is that T-Mobile's network isn't nearly as comprehensive as Sprint's, nor is it anywhere near as fast. And it's possible to roam on another carrier's GPRS network that *does* charge roaming fees, so you gotta be careful.
QUOTE]
Although geographically challenged, T-Mobile internet does fill a void and is my only internet right now. I've been averaging 380 mbs + for last two billing periods @ $19.99. Think I can get away with that on Sprint Vision??

[3G Cables]

[QUOTE=PeterChenoweth]
This is the one and only reason I am seriously considering leaving Sprint for T-Mobile. Sprint has been good to us for the past five years, but $19.99 for unlimited GPRS data with no strings attached (literally, as they have several bluetooth phones) is awfully tempting. It's there and in writing, pay this much and you can use your phone as a modem. The only gotcha is that T-Mobile's network isn't nearly as comprehensive as Sprint's, nor is it anywhere near as fast. And it's possible to roam on another carrier's GPRS network that *does* charge roaming fees, so you gotta be careful.
QUOTE]
Although geographically challenged, T-Mobile internet does fill a void and is my only internet right now. I've been averaging 380 mbs + for last two billing periods @ $19.99. Think I can get away with that on Sprint Vision??

If you connect dialing into a third party ISP by using a third party ISP number you get charged 39 cents per minute and be on an extremly slow 9600 baud connection. Why do they do that? Becuase they can.

If you connect dialing #777 into the Vision network you do not get charged per minute and will be on a high speed network three times faster than dialup.

[hcker2000]

"
If you connect dialing into a third party ISP by using a third party ISP number you get charged 39 cents per minute and be on an extremly slow 9600 baud connection. Why do they do that? Becuase they can.

If you connect dialing #777 into the Vision network you do not get charged per minute and will be on a high speed network three times faster than dialup.

"

If thats how it works then I'll eather just dial up to my isp on a land line.

[3G Cables]

"
If you connect dialing into a third party ISP by using a third party ISP number you get charged 39 cents per minute and be on an extremly slow 9600 baud connection. Why do they do that? Becuase they can.

If you connect dialing #777 into the Vision network you do not get charged per minute and will be on a high speed network three times faster than dialup.

"

If thats how it works then I'll eather just dial up to my isp on a land line.

Go for it. That always works but of course it is not wireless.

[vpr_flyr]

OK, here's one...

If you have a vision-capable phone, but don't subscribe to PCS Vision, what happens then? Apparently, the #777 with a USB Cable allows me to access the internet through the phone on my computer, but am I going to get a reaming on my next bill? Anyone ever give this instance a try? Either way, I'll keep you all posted once $$$ day comes around...

[3G Cables]

OK, here's one...

If you have a vision-capable phone, but don't subscribe to PCS Vision, what happens then? Apparently, the #777 with a USB Cable allows me to access the internet through the phone on my computer, but am I going to get a reaming on my next bill? Anyone ever give this instance a try? Either way, I'll keep you all posted once $$$ day comes around...

Yes, there are a few "ream sightings" here on this board. Simply do a search and you will see.

[danmanfu]

after reading this thead i felt i should set the record straight. YOU CAN USE YOUR PHONE AS A MODEM ALL YOU WANT! however, there are a few catches. when you dial into #777 you get an ip address (just as you would from any ISP) but sprint only leases you an IP address for 5-10 minutes. this means that you can't download more than about 3-4 megs. so if you plan to do "light AIM'n" you'll be fine. but don't pretend this is a replacement for a good old fashion dial in line. The sprint averages about 8-12kb/sec depending on your signal strength, so yes it is faster, but again you can't really do much downloading. THINK I"M A QWACK? next time you dial in go to START -> RUN, then type CMD (windows xp/2k/nt) then type IPCONFIG /a and notice the "lease time". you'll notice it is only for a few minutes. this is no doubt sprints answer to preventing abuse.

IN CONCLUSION: sprint doesn't care if you use there network for internet (or at least they haven't made it clear either way) but they purposely designed it so it isn't good for much but browsing, email and other light uses.

hope this helped

Mr. ManFu

[3G Cables]

after reading this thead i felt i should set the record straight. YOU CAN USE YOUR PHONE AS A MODEM ALL YOU WANT! however, there are a few catches. when you dial into #777 you get an ip address (just as you would from any ISP) but sprint only leases you an IP address for 5-10 minutes. this means that you can't download more than about 3-4 megs. so if you plan to do "light AIM'n" you'll be fine. but don't pretend this is a replacement for a good old fashion dial in line. The sprint averages about 8-12kb/sec depending on your signal strength, so yes it is faster, but again you can't really do much downloading. THINK I"M A QWACK? next time you dial in go to START -> RUN, then type CMD (windows xp/2k/nt) then type IPCONFIG /a and notice the "lease time". you'll notice it is only for a few minutes. this is no doubt sprints answer to preventing abuse.

IN CONCLUSION: sprint doesn't care if you use there network for internet (or at least they haven't made it clear either way) but they purposely designed it so it isn't good for much but browsing, email and other light uses.

hope this helped

Mr. ManFu

How long an IP is leased does not mean this is the answer to how Sprint can tell if you are using too much data.

Let’s say for instance you are on Sprints IP with Vision on your handset. Then you browse through that domain (its sub domains) for 30 minutes. You are still under that main IP domain and were never disconnected.

Please explain more about this and why you think this is how Sprint can tell. You have an interesting point but I have seen no proof of this yet.

Please explain more.

[benjiepr]

Sprint allows you to use some phones as a modem. I recommend the Samsung A940 because it comes with it own usb cable to connect to the computer. All yo have to do is download the driver from the internet and sign up for a use as a modem plan from sprint which is 39.99 and this includes unlimited vision and phone as modem.

[rcatterall]

I have a cable but I drop offline frequently ?

Is there a way to ping a server to keep the connection open ? :1zhelp:

[3G Cables]

I have a cable but I drop offline frequently ?

Is there a way to ping a server to keep the connection open ? :1zhelp:

Yes, that is exactly what you do:

[ ping www.yahoo.com -t -l 1 ]