N900 tethered as *Bluetooth* modem - full solution? - maemo.org

Alan_Peery | # 1 | 2009-08-28, 15:08 | Report

Now that there is a 3G enabled device, I am hoping that I can use this 3G device as a way for my work laptop to connect to the Internet. Specifically

1) N900 connects to mobile provider
2) N900 traffic goes direct to mobile provider
3) Laptop connects to N900 via Bluetooth (I am thinking that Bluetooth will chew up less battery than WiFi)
4) Laptop gets NAT connection to Internet via 3G
5) N900 and laptop keep TCP connectivity simultaneously (so I can stream music via the N900, but still stay connected to my work email and IM system)
6) Ideally extend this to N laptops, simultaneously with other Bluetooth devices connecting to the N900
7) As a bit of fun, widget on the N900 screen showing how 3G bandwidth has been used. A stacked strip chart with a different color per using device

How much of this do we have right now as installable packages?
How much just needs a bit of packaging work?
How much would need development, and would it be worthwhile?

zerojay | # 2 | 2009-08-28, 15:09 | Report

Originally Posted by Alan_Peery View Post

Now that there is a 3G enabled device, I am hoping that I can use this 3G device as a way for my work laptop to connect to the Internet. Specifically

1) N900 connects to mobile provider
2) N900 traffic goes direct to mobile provider
3) Laptop connects to N900 via Bluetooth (I am thinking that Bluetooth will chew up less battery than WiFi)
4) Laptop gets NAT connection to Internet via 3G
5) N900 and laptop keep TCP connectivity simultaneously (so I can stream music via the N900, but still stay connected to my work email and IM system)
6) Ideally extend this to N laptops, simultaneously with other Bluetooth devices connecting to the N900
7) As a bit of fun, widget on the N900 screen showing how 3G bandwidth has been used. A stacked strip chart with a different color per using device

How much of this do we have right now as installable packages?
How much just needs a bit of packaging work?
How much would need development, and would it be worthwhile?

I'm not 100% sure, but I think the N900 already supports all of that except for maybe #7.

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sjgadsby | # 3 | 2009-08-28, 15:14 | Report

Originally Posted by Alan_Peery View Post

...I am hoping that I can use this 3G device as a way for my work laptop to connect to the Internet.

The spec sheets released thus far for the N900 show it as supporting a number of Bluetooth profiles, but not DUN or PAN. Therefore, the N900 may not support tethering out of the box. If that's the case, I'm sure someone in the community will work on adding it, but that will take an as yet unknown amount of time.

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EIPI | # 4 | 2009-08-28, 15:18 | Report

Originally Posted by zerojay View Post

I'm not 100% sure, but I think the N900 already supports all of that except for maybe #7.

Fremantle has some sort of data counter for 3G - bug 2819 shows that at least. So, there is some hope that it can be put on a widget, and perhaps customizable.

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mikkov | # 5 | 2009-08-28, 15:20 | Report

Points 1-6 is exactly what Bluetooth PAN is for.

Dr Tran | # 6 | 2009-08-29, 22:29 | Report

Is the N900 still able to tether off a phone for a connection?

racky | # 7 | 2009-08-29, 22:57 | Report

It is already a phone, why you need to tether to another phone?

daveb70 | # 8 | 2009-08-29, 23:03 | Report

Originally Posted by racky View Post

It is already a phone, why you need to tether to another phone?

I can only speculate using a phone with a 3G connection to the regional carrier where the N900 can't get one or when it has no SIM/cellular plan of its own. Seemingly redundant but considering the N900 offers more internet functionality and some buyers may not care to change carriers/can't get out of contract, this is an awkward but very real scenario.

m_sparks | # 9 | 2009-08-29, 23:38 | Report

Originally Posted by daveb70 View Post

I can only speculate using a phone with a 3G connection to the regional carrier where the N900 can't get one or when it has no SIM/cellular plan of its own. Seemingly redundant but considering the N900 offers more internet functionality and some buyers may not care to change carriers/can't get out of contract, this is an awkward but very real scenario.

Yes- this would be my exact situation. I do not plan to "jump ship" from my CDMA carrier, Verizon, due to Tmobile coverage issues.I'm also getting a vary reasonable voice and data plan with Verizon.
So I may just be tethering a phone to a "phone"

!
But in reality, i'm doing that right now with my n810 and current Verizon phone, so not a big deal.

convergence would be nice, but not at the cost of coverage.

Last edited by m_sparks; 2009-08-29 at 23:40.

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qgil | # 10 | 2009-09-02, 13:54 | Report

Originally Posted by sjgadsby View Post

The spec sheets released thus far for the N900 show it as supporting a number of Bluetooth profiles, but not DUN or PAN. Therefore, the N900 may not support tethering out of the box. If that's the case, I'm sure someone in the community will work on adding it, but that will take an as yet unknown amount of time.

Actually Johan Hedberg, our BlueZ developer, is planning to start a wiki page providing the information needed to handle the unsupported BT profiles in Maemo 5. He is busy with the final release but the info will be there in time.

For what it says it shouldn't be complicated.

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