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With wireless hotspots becoming ever more common, getting Internet access while traveling is easier and more convenient than it's ever been. But if you're traveling or working on the go, there will always be times when you can't find a wireless hotspot, or even a place to make a dial-up connection. This is where your trusty cell phone can come in very handy. Many modern cell phones can be used for wireless Internet access when tethered to a laptop or used in conjunction with a wireless card or broadband access card-- even when you're nowhere near any conventional broadband access.
Going Wireless - Using Your Cell Phone For Broadband Access
Getting Broadband Access on Your Cell Phone - There are two basic routes to getting connected via your cell phone: tethering your cell phone directly to your PC, or using a broadband access card.
To get Internet access with your cell phone, you will need a laptop computer (of course) and a dual-mode cell phone. A dual-mode (or web-enabled) phone is equipped with a data port for syncing with personal computers, and is capable of sending both voice and data. Most modern digital cell phones are dual-mode; check with your cell phone carrier or do some research on the Web if you're not certain about yours. You will also need a USB cable or special connection kit (such as the Verizon Wireless Mobile Office Kit). If you have a Bluetooth-enabled cell phone and laptop, or a laptop with infrared capability, you may be able to do away with the cable entirely; if you have a broadband access card, you may not even need your cell phone.
Your mileage will vary, of course, according to your cell phone carrier and cell phone model, so some homework will probably be necessary. The LG Vx6100 cell phone, for example, can connect to a laptop via USB cable and VZ Manager software (this process is called "tethering") and can connect to the Internet anywhere there is a Verizon Wireless signal. Fortunately, Verizon incurs no extra charges for Internet use (beyond normal airtime), bypassing the need for any monthly ISP fees.
Playing Your Wireless Card: On the other hand, if your model of cell phone doesn't come with Internet capability,
you might be
able to use an broadband access card from your cell phone carrier to give your laptop WWAN (wireless
wide area network) capability. Sony's Vaio notebook series, for example, offers wireless cards using Cingular's
EDGE technology, such as the Sony Ericsson GC83 and the Sierra Wireless AirCard 775, which both offer Internet
access on Cingular's wireless network. The wireless card fits into the laptop's PC card slot and allows
connection to the internet via the cell phone carrier's data network. The wireless card option, unfortunately,
can be a tad more expensive; broadband access cards range in price from $192 for a GC83 to $265 for a Sierra
Wireless AirCard). The good news is, a broadband access card can often be picked up at online cell phone
retailers for a substantial discount, or even as a free perk, when subscribing to a new data service plan from
a wireless carrier.
Broadband Access That Goes Where You Go: In most cases, using your cell phone is definitely the shrewder option, as it generally requires no extra equipment, and you may be able to avoid any extra charges for Internet use, depending on which cell phone carrier you have. A wireless card, however, can be a great boon if you're a business traveler or take frequent road trips. Connection speeds are often slower than DSL (60 to 80 kbps, by most reports) but are usually significantly faster than dialup. The biggest advantage to using your cell phone for broadband access is the freedom -- no more paying outrageous fees for a hotel's dialup connection, no more driving around searching for a proper hot-spot. If your current cell phone isn't Internet-capable – or if you're in the market for a broadband access card -- this might be just the excuse you need to upgrade.
Daniel Swensen is a freelance writer who covers websites like Wirefly.
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