Setting Up Gprs

[girlx]

sorry to keep asking similar questions over and over again, but i am trying to use GPRS for the first time and i can not get much help from thai people as my thai is limited....

i called DTAC and got the GPRS activated on my SIM card. it set up a profile automatically on my phone. i can connect to and surf the internet with the phone.

but i want to use this phone as a modem for my laptop, for when i leave bangkok (and my ADSL connection). i have an infrared port on both my phone and laptop. i just can't figure out how to connect from the phone to the laptop!

i read somewhere that to do this i set up a dial up connection using the number #99. i can do that but it asks for user id and pass- where would i get that? DTAC? and then what, i just line up the ports and dial up on both the phone and on the laptop with the new dial up settings? voila, they should connect? am i missing something?

also, i am a pre-paid customer with DTAC... meaning i buy phone minutes at 7-11. they said i can use these same minutes for GPRS, does that sound right?

thanks for any help. i am hopeless when it comes to any connectivity issues.

[croftrobin]

Here is the link to the help page at DTAC.

It shows you step by step how to set it up:

http://www.dtac.co.th/eng/ProductsServices...uplaptop_xp.htm

If you still get stuck just phone DTAC and they will assist you.

[stumonster]

does your phone have bluetooth ? you might find it easier to manage as IR needs to be lined up port to port?

and #99 - I have normally only seen *99# - dunno check the page linked above

[BaanOz]

Girlx,

I've recently setup AIS GPRS and use my notebook with it. I know you are using DTAC but this may help somehow or at least someone else.

I bought an AIS simcard (one2go) and asked the nice girl to call for me and connect it with GPRS. She did but apparently you have to wait 3hrs after purchasing a new card before the GPRS works. I didn't use it until the next day with GPRS.

On the simcard there are a number of telephone numbers and one of them is to set your model of telephone with AIS GPRS. You call the number and go through the menus to find the phone you are using, select it and a file is sent to you phone in which you install. That's it for the phone.

With the notebook you must setup the modem driver for your phone, I downloaded it from my phone companies website and installed it.

Now the tricky bit! ...next you setup the GPRS connection within your operation system and use *99***6# as the number to dial. Note that the "6" in that code is the position (or slot) that AIS is in the mobile settings. For example you may have other GPRS settings in your phone. In mine the AIS settings are on 6.

Just one other point, I use a USB cable to the phone as I had trouble with a Billion Bluetooth dongle and with the cable have no trouble at all. My notebook has 2 USB ports and when setting the modem driver up it seems that it is dedicated to ONE of the USB ports. I thought something was wrong when I first tried to use it but I simply had the phone cable plugged into the wrong USB port.

I read on a thread here that people had trouble using AIS. I have used it in the Isaan area, Chiang Mai (including Pai/Soppong area), Bangkok and Hua Hin. I would rate the experience 8 out of 10. Just don't expect anything better then dial-up speed.

The only problem I had was while running Thunderbird Mail, sometimes it took a couple of clicks on the "retrieve mail" for it to download ...no idea why.

I never had any disconnection troubles or whatever.

Good luck, BaanOz

[girlx]

thanks croftrobin... that page did help a bit (wonder why DTAC didn't tell me about it?), but there is still one problem. on my OS, it doesn't go from step 6 to step 7.... instead it asks me to select a modem from a prepoluated list of the modems installed on my computer, which do not include my phone. it won't let me add one or move forward. so i don't know if i have to install my phone separately on my system as a modem first or what? i will play with it though, thanks for the tip.

no bluetooth on my phone or laptop by the way.

Edited July 22, 2005 by girlx

[girlx]

thanks baan oz, i guess i have to get the modem driver for my phone then.

should infrared just connect automatically once that and my dial up connection is installed? i will let you know how it goes.

[BaanOz]

thanks baan oz, i guess i have to get the modem driver for my phone then.

should infrared just connect automatically once that and my dial up connection is installed? i will let you know how it goes.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Girlx,

> i guess i have to get the modem driver for my phone then.

Yes

> should infrared just connect automatically once that

> and my dial up connection is installed?

I'm not 100% sure about infrared but I guess you would have to turn it on the phone first. I know with Bluetooth I had to select on the mobile to "search" for a Bluetooth signal, maybe the same with infrared. Personally, I reckon with a wire between the mobile/notebook, there are less headaches!

Cheers BaanOz

[croftrobin]

When setting up the gprs connection -you must have the phone connected (either via cable or infra red (or bluetooth). so the PC can see the phone as a modem

So yes you must have the phones modem device driver installed.

When you are following the steps to create the GPRS connection watch your phone does not turn off the Infra red connnection (My nokia phones do) as the PC then loses the phone modem! It can be a little tricky but once its in then your up and running.

Some phone's also seem to hang the GPRS connection. I find that if I leave 8310 on for more than 24hrs then the connection sticks. If I turn the phone on and off then its fine - maybe just the phone getting tired.