How to use a cell phone as a modem for internet on a laptop

jrnoel

Active SatelliteGuys Member
Original poster
Aug 14, 2006
16
0
I have a LG VU CU 915 phone with att with the unlimited media net data plan. I have read alot about tethering. I also have read that you need to have a tethering plan, or laptop connect plan, to make it work. I was wondering if you can do it with just the basic unlimited data plan.

The problem I am having is that I can't get my compaq laptop with Windows xp service pack 2 to see the phone as a modem. I have tried connecting it via usb cable and bluetooth. I have been able to transfer pics and muscle from the laptop to the phone, but not use it as a modem.

Any ideas?
 
Try PDANet software. It's not free ($34 per phone you're tethering) but it definitely works well. I'm assuming here that this phone is a Windows Mobile based.

Cheers,
 
It does not have windows mobile on it. Would that program work on a non windows mobile phone?
 
some phones you may have to turn on DUN (dial up networking). I don't know about the lg specifically, but I have been doing this for years with a couple different Palm models and it always works fine, without having tethering on my plan. I just have the regular unlimited data plan.
 
I used to do it all the time with my 8525 then my 8925 or Tilt on my unlimited data plan. A few months ago I hooked up for just a few seconds and they dinged me on my bill with a tethering plan.
 
Try PDANet software. It's not free ($34 per phone you're tethering) but it definitely works well. I'm assuming here that this phone is a Windows Mobile based.

Cheers,

If you use this software, does it use minutes on your phone? Can they detect that you are tethering it on your phone.
 
If you use this software, does it use minutes on your phone? Can they detect that you are tethering it on your phone.

I used PDAnet with my Treo 650 and they never said anything about changing my plan to a tethering plan. Also, it uses the data network, not your minutes.
 
I used to do it all the time with my 8525 then my 8925 or Tilt on my unlimited data plan. A few months ago I hooked up for just a few seconds and they dinged me on my bill with a tethering plan.

interesting.. I don't use at&t phones on their network, so no at&t spyware to check if I'm tethering :p
 
I have tethered a razr v3 to my laptop when desparate (note it is like dialup on a v3). I never ran into issues with AT&T. Probably because I did not do enough to run up against suspicious data transfer limits at transfer rates of 20kbit/sec I could probably use full time and they would not even notice.. If I did a few GB a month on a 3G phone they would probably notice. They have listed various phones for tethering in thier laptop data plan in the past.

AT&T Accessories - Laptop Connect Devices | AT&T wireless services

Note they want you to have the $60/month laptop connect plan to do official tethering, not the $20 phone or $30 PDA plans.
 
I have tethered a razr v3 to my laptop when desparate (note it is like dialup on a v3). I never ran into issues with AT&T. Probably because I did not do enough to run up against suspicious data transfer limits at transfer rates of 20kbit/sec I could probably use full time and they would not even notice.. If I did a few GB a month on a 3G phone they would probably notice. They have listed various phones for tethering in thier laptop data plan in the past.

AT&T Accessories - Laptop Connect Devices | AT&T wireless services

Note they want you to have the $60/month laptop connect plan to do official tethering, not the $20 phone or $30 PDA plans.


You are right ATT does not like anyone tethering on their service for free--so if you do this for more than 20 mins each day ATT will charge.
 
I've tethered my phone to watch Slingbox on the laptop for several hours at a time recently. I've never been hit with an extra charge. My account was setup with Blackberry Unlimted at $30.00/month and has been for over 3 years. I've never owned a Blackberry, and I'll continue utilizing it until something is said.

All in all, I pay nearly or just over $200 /month for phone, internet, unlimted text and 3 add'l lines. I feel pretty strongly that AT&T is getting their money's worth out of me.
 
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