iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

Those that have followed the saga so far know that I have been attempting to connect my N800 via BT to my iDEN (Nextel) handset since January of this year. >> http://www.internettablettalk.com/fo...ead.php?t=4527

Many offered possible work arounds however, there was still a problem maintaining a BT connection. Bugs were filed in Bugzilla (1095 & 1149) and although less than a handful of users voted for them, it appears the Maemo Team have corrected the root causes in OS2008’s release.

Motorola’s method for DUN on an iDEN handset is to specify “s=2” in the dial up string. This allows the GPRS connection to “piggyback” on to the phones always on connection.
Up until OS2008 the tablets would not allow the characters “s” and “=” to be entered in this string. That has changed and now any character can be entered in a new “GPRS” connection set-up!
(Only for GPRS, DATA call characters are still limited.)

The tablets options still do not include “iDEN” but there is an easy work around...


1. Go to “Control Panel” > “Phone” > select “new”.

2. While the tablet is searching, set your phone to “Find Me”

3. Pair the devices. (I use my initials to identify my phone. The default name I believe is the model number.)

4. Once the pairing is complete go to “connectivity” in the control panel.

5. Tap “connections” then “new” then next.

6. The connection name field can be anything you want. (I chose iDEN.)

7. Connection type should be “GPRS”

8. Select “next”

9. Remove the “Access point name” and change the dial up number to “s=2”

10. Remove and do not add anything in the “User name” and “Password” fields.

11. DO NOT check the “prompt password at every login” box.

12. Hit “next” then “Finish” and enjoy your new connection.


If you are using the connection Wizard select “USA” as the country and “AT&T” as the provider then follow steps 9 through 12. Your new connection will be called “AT&T” but it can be edited later.

As far as I can tell the connection is rock solid and stable. It has been connected for the past 40 minutes while I type up this post. (Yeah I know, I'm slow) :p









BTW, Bugzilla works, be patient and don't be afraid to use it. :)

>> https://bugs.maemo.org/createaccount.cgi



Recap w/images...





Peace.

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

Ok, I took the plunge and bought up all the requisite elements from ebay to make this work. I have an i605 phone (as suggested here) and followed these instructions.

But as soon as the phone says that the n800 is connected, it then says it is disconnected. And the tablet says "Internet connection Failed."

Any and all help is much appreciated (as was the idea in the first place)! I know nothing about this phone (just got it today), so maybe there are some settings I need?

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

What provider? Boost or Nextel? Can you access the web on the phone from it's (the phone's) browser?

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

If you were just pairing the phone, then this is normal.
You now have to use the N8**'s connection wizard and follow the steps outlined. :)

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

@bluesubaru: The provider is Boost, as suggested here.

I cannot access the phone's mobile Web. They told me that I had to subscribe to the 35 cents/day play to use that. (Although the operator I spoke with didn't seem to know a lot about the product she was selling.)

@YoDude: I did follow steps 4-12 just as you described in your original post. No luck.

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

I'll PM you another members name.
I don't want to post it here without giving him a heads up first. :)

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

I followed YoDude's instructions to the letter, and it worked just fine.

When you created the connection on your N8x0, did you set the correct dialing string?

Cheers

Chris

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

He's^ the dude. :)

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

Thanks All. I'm fairly certain that I too followed the instructions to a T. This might mean there is something wrong with the phone, I guess. I recall YoDude saying somewhere that the wireless technology involved in pairing the n8x0 is different from the technology that the phone's web browser uses. So I suppose that means we can't use the functionality of the phone's browser as a test for whether the data stream involved in the bluetooth pair is working correctly.

Is there some other test I can run? Should I try to "walkie talkie" someone? Or send a text message?

I'm gonna be really bummed if I can't get this working...

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

YoDude is totally right. If you want to check the connection via the in-phone browser, you'll have to pay 30 cents per day.

Just to check a few things:

1. Did you pair the N8x0 with the phone via bluetooth?
2. Once you've done this, and you setup the data connection on the Nokia, click connect. Does your Motorola phone now ring, and prompt you (yes/no) to allow the N810 to initiate a data session?
3. Did you press yes?

The service works ok, although, to be honest, it's a bit on the slow side for me. It is damn cheap though.

In the end, I decided to give up on Boost (even though it works), and have just signed up with Sprint's SERO plan. Yeah, it's $30 per month, but it's a million times faster, and includes all the calling minutes I could ever use too.

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

Thanks genome4hire.

I left the phone at my office, but I am pretty sure that I did all that earlier today when I tried.

One thing I did notice was that text messaging wasn't working either: it wasn't receiving messages, and it said "no service available" when I tried to send. Yet the voice service was working. Could that be it? Are there any settings on the phone I need to tweak before text messaging works?

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

That's exactly it... It either wasn't provisioned correctly (on their end, not yours) or if it is a recent activation (3 days or less), their data center hasn't gotten around to adding the service yet.

If I recall on the Boost handsets, if you hit menu, there should be an item for purchasing ring-tones and such. Hit that, if the phone is provisioned correctly it should take you to a site (using the phones browser) that lets you view ring-tones and wallpapers, etc.

If it does, then you should be able to connect as described. If it doesn't, call them back up and ask why you can't buy ring-tones. This should get their attention.

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

Thanks YoDude. I can now receive texts, but, as you predicted, I receive an "Error: Network not available" alert when I try choose "Downloads" from the i605's menu. I'll be able to call them later today to ask about this, and will report back. Maybe my problem was just impatience!

Thanks again.

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

SUCCESS!!

Following YoDude's advice, I called Boost and asked them why, when I select the "Downloads" menu option, I get "Error: Network Not Available." The operator said that there was a "restriction on the account" that should not be there. So she removed the restriction. I still could not access Downloads--she said it would take up to two hours--but now there was a world icon in the upper right of the phone's screen. When I tried to connect to n8x0 to the phone, it worked.

After three minutes of using this connection, I am SOOO glad I went this route. I already use skweezer.net for most of my browsing even when connected to wifi, since it is so fast. And this seems to work *almost* as fast even when connected to the Boost phone. Given this and the price--FREE!!--I'm a happy camper.

Thanks to YoDude for this innovation. Boost + Skweezer = free and truly mobile internet.

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

Yeah, the world icon means you have an IP address.

Cheap is good, free is better!

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

My N800 is not giving me a connections menu that has GPRS as an option, the screen gives a choice of packet data, Data call, or WLAN. Please help! :)

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

I got the N800 to recognize the i605 and vice versa, but when I am connected the green circle on the tablet flashes to the red slash, even though it says I am connected. Can anyone help me please?

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

It gets better! Following discussions about Boost on the howardforum.com, I managed to upload Opera Mini 4.01 to my i605. Now on my bus trip to work, I just turn the i605 on and go right to the CNN Mobile site (mind you I only have a basic account; internet access usually costs $10+ extra per month). For the 15 minute ride, I don't even bother to open my N800 any more. BTW I just came back from a two week vacation, during which I survived exclusively on the free iDEN network. I answered company emails using MS WOA, read rss feeds, surfed internet, etc., all free This has got to be the cheapest solution for a road warrier:)

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

I'm pretty sure these issues are not related. The accounts that are relevant to that blinking icon are not the same as the iDen/wifi accounts. So I'd just follow YoDude's guide and not worry about the blinking icon--at least not when your concern is the iDen connectivity.

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

Can you link to a helpful discussion of this, or post a guide to upload Opera Mini? Come to think of it, how do I determine the current browser version?

And are you saying that you surf on the i605 without any data plan at all--only the basic voice plan that happens to provide the free always on 19.9 stream we know and love?

Thanks!

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

Sure. Just read the thread "iDEN and Opera Mini" at:
http://howardforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=327
At some point you will need to register with Motorola Developer Network in order to download OpenJAL (I also had to download the driver for the usb cable I bought on ebay) that will deliver the opera mini 4.1 and other software to your i605. BTW I don't think you have opera; the default browser is Openwave. It is because you bypass the default browser that you don't get charged for data. I don't exactly surf on i605--I bookmarked a few mobile sites including cnn, bbc, etc. for quick access. For true surfing, I use my n800--at home with wifi, on the road with public wifi or iDEN.

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

With Boost I didn't know that. They must just leave it up and running like on the Nextel side. Or, Opera mini is one of the few JAVA apps that run on iDEN that will automatically select a working connection protocol. (HTTP vs. Sockets)

Regard!!
Nextel leaves this connection up also, but it monitors it and will charge its customers who do not have a data plan, a per MB fee on their monthly bills.

Boost may not have this ability...
They may in the future though, so who knows?

I posted a working JAVA version of Google Maps somewher on HoFo too. Give that a try with Boost. :)

http://www.howardforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=170

Edit: I found some JAVA for anyone interested that I modified to work on iDEN Phones a while ago.. >> http://my.opera.com/yodude/blog/?startidx=30

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

I agree, SERO is quite nice, even though my crappy phone only has bluetooth 1.1. With EVDO-A and bluetooth 2.0, you'll have a great mobile connection.

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

It's still doing that, but I guess then the important thing is that I'm not able to bring up a web page.

I've called Boost four times now, and every time they make some change and i still can't get on, on either the N800 or the phone itself. Once I was told the i605 wasn't supported, but they are still fine collecting my .35 a day.

Is there any other way to access the net through the phone? I get on the Net menu, go to Surf the Web, and am told that "Currently, Boost does not off any ringtones or wallpapers for my phone model".

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

^ right there may be your problem.

You shouldn't have to pay anything for the connection. Payment is only for using the phones browser. Don't use that.

I'm not sure I understand what icon your speaking of... The only one that is relevant on the phone is a small world globe that should always be present in the upper right hand corner of the phones ready screen.

If you have that, re read and follow the instructions and you should be good to go.

BTW, what version OS are you using on the tablet?

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

Wait, it gets even better (remember the ginsu knife ad?:)). Since i605 has built-in gps support, I also downloaded the free mologogo software. I can confirm it works--it is tracking my location, but I still have no idea what I can do with gps.

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

Yes, you need to follow the instructions provided throughout this thread by YoDude. Boost told me too that the i605 wasn't officially supported, but they also said that it should work. And it does, so just make sure they make all the necessary adjustments on their end. This means asking them to enable text messaging AND downloads (as described here). I'm sure it will work then.

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

Thanks! I'm pretty sure I did follow all of the instructions (I double checked by reading all of the websites that referred to what to do). Now Boost is saying there is a network outtage. But I am able to access my Gmail through my phone.

I'm not giving up if others have done it! I am just quite curious as to what I am missing!

Connection type: packet data
Dial-up number: s=2 (the rest blank)
Advanced: Allow plain text login: checked
Use PPP compression: checked
Supplementary AT commands: atdt s=2

Is that all correct?

Thanks for the assistance!

ETA: I just called Boost again and they say that texting is enabled on my phone, however, I cannot text.

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

NO! .... A do over on your part may be easier than me destroying my good connection trying to find out how to edit it so I can explain to you how to change yours...

...What version of the Tablets OS are you using?

Connection type should be GPRS, you shouldn't have to use any Advanced settings, and no Supplementary AT commands are required.
If you can not enter "s" or the "=" sign in the Dial-up number field using the tablets pop up keyboard, then you may need to flash upgrade the Tablet to a newer version of the OS.

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

I am using OS2008. There is no option at connection type of GPRS, only Packet data, data call or WLAN.

Now since I edited the Advanced settings I don't even have it saying I am connected any more, the phone disconnects immediately.

I do have the world icon on the phone. The blinking icon is on the N800, when I have a connection there is a green dot next to the Bluetooth icon, and when there is no connection there is a red dot with white slash. It was flashing back and forth even while saying I was connected.

Should I reinstall the operating system? It came with the OS2008. If so, how do I do that?

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

Yup, it sounds like you have the first version of 2008 software on your device. It would not allow this type of connection.

Go >> here << for a comprehensive tutorial on the upgrade procedure. :)

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

Interesting! Of all the reading I did all over the web for weeks not once did I see anyone refer to there being more than one version of OS2008, thank you so much for picking up on that! And it is quite funny, I did read on the Internet Tablet School about updating the OS, and thought, "hm, should I go ahead and do it, just in case? Nah, it says I have OS2008, it should be fine". And even though I am still not getting GPRS as an option, it's actually working! Yay!

Now, did someone say that I don't need the .35 a day plan? Does anyone know if I can still get gmail on my phone if I don't have that? Well, I suppose I can call Boost soon, I sure know my way around their phone menu now. :)

Wow, I am completely stoked to have it working, even though it is slow.

Thanks for the help!

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

No, you don't need the .35 cents/day plan for the n800's connection. That's simply "always on." And, please don't mention this to Boost when you call them. Although it's clear from my dealings with them that the people at Boost aren't the most savvy bunch, still, let's keep word of this free connection just among friends. :)

You will need to pay the .35 cents to access the web from your phone, I think, unless your opera mini hack opens some other free, always on data stream. YoDude is probably the one to answer this question.

And don't forget about skweezer.com to make the best use of the 19.9 kb/sec stream.

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

I have installed Opera Mini 4.1 on my i605, which allows me to access internet thru iDEN network for free. No, I don't have any data plan.

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

Thanks. Do keep us informed about any charges/suspicion your usage might raise from Boost.

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

Ok. Well. Now my Pidgin isn't working, even after I restored all the files I backed up. When I try to download and install from the maemo.org/downloads site, it says, "Unable to download pidgin. Application package not found." Anyway, I am searching the site for how to fix it. I keep finding "create a catalog that says..." but I don't know how to create a catalog.

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

Application Manger > Tools > Application Catalog... > New

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

That's what I thought, but when I go to Application manager, I only get "show installed applications", "Browse installable applications" and "check for updates". I see a "Tools" menu on the browse installable applications, but I don't see a "new" option anywhere.

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

Click the titlebar.

Re: iDEN dial up networking with the N800 via Bluetooth... WooHoo!
 

Ah, there we go! I see now, the little icon with the lines means there's a menu there! Thanks for your patience with this tablet infant! :)

Okay, I found this on another thread to do:

Catalog name: maemo Extras chinook
Web address: http://repository.maemo.org/extras/
Distrbution: chinook
Components: free non-free

and it worked! Thank you SOOOO much!