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BOOT CAMP 118
LAPTOPS AND CELLPHONES Part 2
At the current stage of development laptops and cellphones
are an unholy combination of technologies. As we pointed out last week,
connection speeds are painfully slow and actually getting a portable PC to connect
to the Internet via a mobile phone can be a difficult, costly and frustrating
business, but it can be done.
This week we’ll run through the basic procedures, however,
as you can imagine there are countless permutations of PCs and phones and
Internet and email software. Rather than generalise we’ll consider what are
almost certainly the most common combinations, namely Windows 95/98 laptops running
Internet Explorer and Outlook Express (versions 4 or 5), connected to a data
compatible GSM or PCN digital cellphone, using a PC Card or Soft Modem connected
by cable or IR-link (see last week’s Boot Camp).
Bitter experience has shown that trying to set up a mobile
link from cold can be very hard work as there are just so many variables to
contend with, and plenty of things to go wrong. You can make your life a lot easier
by first getting the laptop’s web browser and email programs set up and configured
to run on a normal modem connection. This takes a number of potential problems
out of the equation, moreover it gives you a backup (assuming you have access
to a phone socket), if you can’t get a good enough signal or your phone
batteries expire at an inopportune moment.
The simplest solution is to use an external modem connected
to the laptop’s serial port, better still, if you’re going to be spending a lot
of time on the road, emailing from your phone or hotel bedrooms, invest in a
combined analogue modem and GSM/PCN PC data card as this will give you the most
options, and the least amount of hardware to carry around with you.
Once you’re able to successfully send and receive email (and
faxes), and surf the web using a landline connection half the battle is over. Setting
up a PC data card for phone use under Windows 95/98 is normally quite painless
but always read the instructions. The usual procedure is to insert the card and
Windows starts the install new hardware Wizard or PC Card program utility, (if
you have previously used a PC card). When prompted to do so insert the supplied
driver disc and follow the on-screen instructions. If you’ve opted to use a soft
modem now is the time to install the software. The same goes for an IR link to the
phone so load the supplied software and if necessary enable Windows IR monitor by
clicking on the icon in Control Panel or the System Tray on the taskbar.
It’s a good idea to check all of the software and hardware settings,
starting with Control Panel (Start > Settings). Click on the System icon and
the Device Manager tab. Look out for conflicts, which show up as exclamation
marks in yellow circles. Click on the Modem icon in Control Panel and on the
General tab there should be a window listing all of the installed modems. Lastly
open Dial Up networking in My Computer or Windows Explorer to verify the dial
up connections for your chosen ISP; Details on the View menu shows the ISP phone
number.
A lot of set ups fail at this point because users haven’t
familiarised themselves with the data or IR facilities of their phones. Read
the manual! On some models you have to enable data mode from deep inside the
phone’s operating menus. Check to make sure whether or not you can ‘hot plug’
your phone and/or PC card, if in doubt don’t, switch everything off, make the
connections then re-boot and switch on the phone, making sure the signal
strength meter is showing the maximum number of bars. Anything less and the
connection will be impossibly slow and unreliable. Open Internet Explorer or
Outlook Express and the Dial-up Connection window appear; don’t click Connect just
yet because it will be set for your previous modem connection and that needs to
be changed.
In Internet Explorer and Outlook Express 4 click on the
Settings button and choose the General tab. Highlight the PC card or soft modem
from the list under ‘Connect Using’, you can also change the dial-up number
from here, which may be necessary if you are dialling from abroad to a local
ISP, or back to your usual ISP in the UK. The same protocols apply when dialling
from your PC, as dialling from the phones keypad. For example, if you’re
calling a UK number you usually need to add +44 to the beginning and omit the
leading zero on the area code.
If you are using Internet Explorer and Outlook Express 5
click on the Settings button but this time choose the Connections tab and select
the icon for the modem you’ll be using in the Dial Up Settings window. To
change the phone number make sure the modem icon is highlighted; click Settings
then the Properties buttons. Finish with OK to get back to the Dial Up Connection
window. If all’s well when you click on
the Connect button a message or number should appear in the phone’s display
window, showing that a data call is underway, the progress window in Dial Up Connections
should show the usual name and password verification messages, and after what
will probably seem like an age you’ll be on line. Don’t be surprised if things
take much longer to happen, that’s normal. In evolutionary terms mobile data
communications is still in the Stone Age, progress has been slow but there should
be some worthwhile developments in the next year so start saving up for your
next phone now!
Next week – Spring-cleaning your PC
JARGON FILTER
HOT PLUG/SWAP
Connecting a device or peripheral to a PC whilst one or both
are switched on
IR
Infra-red, cordless serial data communications systems used
on many laptops and peripherals and a number of cellphones. The common standard
is known as IrDA (Infra red Data Association)
WIZARD
A self-activating helper program or utility that guides you
through a simple set-up routine for a particular feature or application
TOP TIP
As you doubtless already know you can quickly see how much
free space remains on your hard disc drive by right clicking on the drive icon
in My Computer and selecting Properties, to bring up the pie chart. This works
on all of the other disc drives on your PC – hard, floppy Zip, CD-RW etc -- but
here’s a way to save yourself a few clicks, so you can quickly check free space
any drive. Open My Computer as before and this time hold down the Crtl key as
you click and highlight each drive. Release the Ctrl key, right click on the
highlighted drive and select Properties and pie charts for of your drives will
now be accessible from one tabbed window.
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