Gprs: Need Step-by-step Instructions Please

[Rice_King]

I am heading out to the province in a few days and cannot bear the thought of no internet for any amount of time. To connect, I would like to use my mobile phone as a GPRS modem via the Bluetooth connection to my notebook. Can anyone here provide step-by-step instructions on how to make this a reality? Will I be able to run the Bluetooth and the GPRS connections concurrently?

Here are the hardware details:

Mobile phone: Nokia model 6820b with GPRS, Bluetooth and IrDA connectivity. DTAC is my prepaid provider.

Notebook: HP laptop (XP Pro) with Bluetooth, IrDA and WI-FI capability.

Thanks for any help in advance.

--RK

[Wash]

I am heading out to the province in a few days and cannot bear the thought of no internet for any amount of time. To connect, I would like to use my mobile phone as a GPRS modem via the Bluetooth connection to my notebook. Can anyone here provide step-by-step instructions on how to make this a reality? Will I be able to run the Bluetooth and the GPRS connections concurrently?

Here are the hardware details:

Mobile phone: Nokia model 6820b with GPRS, Bluetooth and IrDA connectivity. DTAC is my prepaid provider.

Notebook: HP laptop (XP Pro) with Bluetooth, IrDA and WI-FI capability.

Thanks for any help in advance.

--RK

Suggest you call DTAC and they will send you a file with phone settings. Also ask them for the number to call to connect to GPRS.

Good luck

[Grover]

sorry, cant help you.

but id like to ask if connecting to the internet over DTAC prepaid is expensive ? it sounds convenient.

[Simmo]

Install Nokia PC Suite. It has an easy to use "Connect to Internet" wizard with pre-settings for all Thai networks.

[bangkokrick]

I am heading out to the province in a few days and cannot bear the thought of no internet for any amount of time. To connect, I would like to use my mobile phone as a GPRS modem via the Bluetooth connection to my notebook. Can anyone here provide step-by-step instructions on how to make this a reality? Will I be able to run the Bluetooth and the GPRS connections concurrently?

Here are the hardware details:

Mobile phone: Nokia model 6820b with GPRS, Bluetooth and IrDA connectivity. DTAC is my prepaid provider.

Notebook: HP laptop (XP Pro) with Bluetooth, IrDA and WI-FI capability.

Thanks for any help in advance.

--RK

You can make a start by downloading the Nokia PC suite whuch is free from the nokia web site. www.nokia.com

There is an option in the PC suite that allows you to connect to the internet using your phone as a modem and instructions for setting up are in the help files.

I hope this helps.

Cheers, Rick

[Pomthai]

Once you have phone discovered as a blue tooth modem, in dial up networking, create a new connection, using your phone as the modem. The phone number for the modem to dial is *99***1# I don't know username or password for dtac. AIS these fields are left blank. Orange (Now true) used to be orange and orange for user name & password. Hope this helps.

Oh and also sometimes you'll need a modem extra initialisation (init) string, it goes in the advanced tab of the modem properties page from control pannel.

AT+cgdcont=1,"IP","internet"

Although from my experience Nokia phones generally don't need this. This is the correct string for AIS or 12call I would assume Dtac would be the same but couldn't guarantee it.

[phazey]

No username or password required for DTAC, leave it blank.

[lomatopo]

I am pretty sure you can use your installed Bluetooth software application on your PC to establish connectivity.

Launch Bluetooth app. on your PC.

Turn on Bluetooth on your phone.

Use Bluetooth to "discover" your phone, establish a "pairing" between your PC and phone.

"Discover" any "services" offered by your phone to the Blutooth app.

"Dial-up Networking (DUN)" should be an option. Click on that.

Enter *99# for telephone number to dial, leave username and passwoord blank ( verification is done by caller ID ).

Establishing a connection should take less than 3 seconds.

You may have to subscribe to a GPRS service offering from DTAC? For 1-2-Call/AIS you can use GPRS "on-the-fly" for 1 baht per minute, or subscribe to a monthly plan.

Nokia PC Suite is OK but can be a bit tempermental. It does offer one button access to GPRS provided you have established a connection between the phone and the PC (IrDA, Bluetooth, cable) and have selected "DTAC Thailand" from the "Network Selection" drop-down box.

[Rice_King]

I connected using Pomthai, phazey, and lomatopo's methods. (No requirement or advantage to use the Nokia PC Suite as some suggested.)

Once connected, I checked my bandwidth speed via the ThaiVisa Speedtest. The speedtest reported 75 kbps down and 31 kbps up. It felt just like 1997 all over again. Oh well... whatever it takes to get my "internet fix" out in "the sticks."

As for the price: I checked the balance on the phone prior to each connection. It appears that I am being billed at 1 baht per minute. Since I will rarely use this connection, 1 baht per minute seems perfectly reasonable.

Thanks again to all for the assist!

Edited April 5, 2007 by Rice_King

[phazey]

I've found, if you set off a small ping to a nearby host (30 bytes every 3 seconds to DTAC Nameservers) and use the dtac proxy (i think it's KSC) your speed will increase somewhat.

[Gary A]

I connected using Pomthai, phazey, and lomatopo's methods. (No requirement or advantage to use the Nokia PC Suite as some suggested.)

Once connected, I checked my bandwidth speed via the ThaiVisa Speedtest. The speedtest reported 75 kbps down and 31 kbps up. It felt just like 1997 all over again. Oh well... whatever it takes to get my "internet fix" out in "the sticks."

As for the price: I checked the balance on the phone prior to each connection. It appears that I am being billed at 1 baht per minute. Since I will rarely use this connection, 1 baht per minute seems perfectly reasonable.

Thanks again to all for the assist!

I'm signed up for the monthly AIS GPRS package. It works off the pre-paid service. Every month they deduct 107 baht from my phone credit. For that 107 baht I get 1,200 minutes of online time. To sign up dial *138 and follow the options. To check your balance dial *139. Both numbers have an English option. I seldom use all the time unless Ipstar is down and then I use it for my computer through the phone. What minutes you don't use during the month are gone. I was using the 600 minute plan for 53 1/2 baht but sometimes I would run out of time and I would be charged the regular phone rate. For 107 baht a month I like knowing I can always get online even if it is slow at a reasonable rate.

[misterme]

I've found, if you set off a small ping to a nearby host (30 bytes every 3 seconds to DTAC Nameservers) and use the dtac proxy (i think it's KSC) your speed will increase somewhat.

Can you detail how to do this, please?

I'm on AIS and use it as my primary internet connection. I've gotten used to the slower speed in exchange for the flexibility it offers.

May be good to note for others' that I found 'BlueSoleil' software to be better than the original bluetooth program.

[Crushdepth]

Some instructions on setting up DTAC GPRS for Nokia.

I've never used the pre-paid version but I suggest you give the call centre a call. You might need to ask them to activate GPRS on your account. Also ask them what the rate is. Make sure it is per minute and not per kilobyte, as they charge like bastards for the latter.

[misterme]

I'm on 100 hours a month for B350+vat

1 2 Call

GPRS Setup dial *119#

or 1175 for Customer service

[Grover]

I'm on 100 hours a month for B350+vat

1 2 Call

GPRS Setup dial *119#

or 1175 for Customer service

that seems very reasonable.

is it quicker than dial up for web browsing ?