Wireless access on my Macbook Pro

This weekend I set up a backup wireless connection using my Bluetooth cell phone (Motorola RAZR v3xx). Pretty painless, thanks to Ross Barkman’s scripts, and Ed Thomson’s post.

More or less standard modem configuration. I had almost forgotten about such old good times when you had to deal with modem connection strings and those type of things.

Anyway, the process was:

1. Downloaded the Motorola GPRS modem scripts from Ross Barkman’s page into /Library/Modem Scripts
2. If you are trying to follow these instructions, but have not paired the phone already, you can do it now and the Bluetooth Setup Assistant will guide you through the steps. If you had already paired the phone, then from the Bluetooth menu item, you can choose “Open Bluetooth Preferences” to open the Bluetooth Setup Assistant. Here I was able to configure the phone.
3. The specific settings I used:
   • Account Name: ISP.CINGULAR, which should allow me to use the GPRS 128k/sec service, or ISPDA@CINGULARGPRS.COM
   • Password: CINGULAR1
   • Modem type: Motorola GPRS CID1 (will only appear with Ross’ scripts

My speed test was OK: 690-860 kbps downstream, and 220 kbps upstream with delays of up to 220 ms. Not a T3, but quite acceptable for occasions where I have no other net access

I’ve had a couple of issues using ISP.CINGULAR, where after 3 or 4 times of connecting fine, it stopped connecting. Last 2-3 times I’ve used ISPDA@CINGULARGPRS.COM it seems to work better, and with the speed described above

With both of the address, there is something causing the first connection attempt to fail. Perhaps I’ll look into it later - my current workaround is not that bad, just reconnecting after it fails once.

Related posts:

1. Connecting Mac OS X to the net through a Treo 680 GPRS This is more a note to self than anything else,...