I'd like to use it at work where I can't use WiFi. As I understand it:
* I can't network via USB
* Bluetooth may be an option with a dongle on my PC and PAN.
Correct? Is Bluetooth PAN doable? I read some active threads here, but I still wasn't sure. Sounds like you can hack it up with scripts. As with others, I'm amazed this isn't a top priority for Nokia.
Not sure where I got the idea I couldn't network via USB. I now have the N800, and have got the networking working over a USB cable to an Ubuntu server and the synthesis of:
The latest firmware comes with the g_ether module.
If I find the time and inclination, I'll do some updates to those wiki pages.
I didn't get it working with XP, as my work IT people don't allow network sharing. Thankfully, I can do what I like with my Ubuntu server... No Wifi access at work...
I also failed to get it working in a VMWare Ubuntu image running in XP. Does anyone know how that might work - perhaps I need to install the usb networking driver in the host XP before it can be used in the Ubuntu VM. Sounds likely...
I use a little travel router (with secure wi-fi) to connect to various ethernet-only sites. Then I can go wi-fi with my N800. Obviously you must check with each site if there's a policy against connecting such a router. But I have found it very useful to carry around (it's smaller than the N800..) when travelling, for example.
Unfortunately, definitely against our policies... Mind you, putting the N800 on the network, and playing with it on work time probably is too .
I just hosed my N800 - I added all the Maemo.org repositories in the maemo wiki, plus the Nokia research, Cambridge, MA, and the hackers rep. Then I went and installed a bunch of stuff, and updated everything too. After that, my N800 went into infinite-reboot mode.
I just had to reflash, walk to the nearest apt complex and borrow some WiFi to install xterm and ssh, so I can fix USB networking and start again... .