[Scottish] Re: Scottish Digest, Vol 183, Issue 3

[Roland Ward]

>> Hi,
>>
>> I'm involved with organising an event at the end of the month.  I need
>> to find a way to get a list of names from an office (an hour outside
>> Glasgow) to a hall (in Glasgow).  We'll need to do this maybe up to
>> about six times, all on the one day.
>>
>>
>> I don't have a large budget, but could spend a small amount.  What I'd
>> hoped was that I'd be able to get a pcmcia card which I could put my sim
>> card in and make an old-fashioned, dial-up connection.  (I'd set up a
>> special email account for this purpose so I'd only be downloading what I
>> need so connection speed really isn't an issue but I need to avoid
>> getting in to any sort of ongoing contract!)
>>
>> My problem is that no-one seems interested anymore unless it's broadband!
>>
>> Also, I'd like to be able to do it all from Linux!  (I do have an unused
>> XP boot option on my laptop if I have to, but I'd like to stick with my
>> nice Slackware system.)  So, does anyone have any pointers?  Has anyone
>> ever got a pcmcia mobile phone based modem working on Linux?  (Does
>> anyone have an old one they've since upgraded to broadband which they'd
>> be prepared to sell on? Long shot I know, but if  you don't ask...)
>>     
>
> As long as you have a data enabled SIM and some kind of phone with a
> suitable interface, you can just use 'dial up' over the phone to connect
> then you're running TCP/IP so can use whatever software you like.
>
> I personally use a nokia ngage (company phone, not my choice) and a
> bluetooth link on my laptop when I'm out of the office and need
> connectivity urgently.
>
> It's not fast, but it works fine.
>
>   


Yes the important thing to do first of all is to contact your mobile
phone operator and get them to enable you for data use on the sim card -
this usually isn't on by default. Tell them you want to use GPRS with
you laptop or something and they'll enable this.

You shouldn't need any extra hardware - most modern mobile phones come
with a data cable - or at the very least a bluetooth option which means
you'll only need to pick up a cheap USB bluetooth adaptor. Check the
website for you're phone.

I'm afraid for a one off situation you might be best just using Windows.
It's usually a case of downloading pseudo modem drivers for the mobile
phone and setting it up as a dial up modem. There are a couple of good
UK websites out there for setting up Windows laptops with specific
providers GPRS connections (they're all slightly different).

If you find it useful (and I'm sure you will!) it's worth looking into
the Linux options. It really depends on you mobile phone - I've found
the Sony Ericsson's play ball very well with linux and I've often had to
use my mobile phone in combination with a Zaurus PDA in the middle of
nowhere to run ssh.