GPRS, WAP Over Voicestream's iStream Service Using Bluetooth [updated]

19 April 2002 – updated with screen shots.

This article will serve as an instruction set for connecting a Bluetooth Mac to a BT phone using the phone as a wireless GPRS modem for fast, wireless Internet access. It is recommended that you read our Bluetooth Primer and Sony Ericsson T68i mobile phone review for more background on the technology and hardware.

Here is the equipment and services used:

1. Apple PowerBook G4 Titanium
2. Sony Ericsson T68i
3. Apple/D-Link DWB-120M Bluetooth USB Adapter
4. Voicestream iStream Service

Here are the steps involved in configuring these products to enable WAP,GPRS and allow your cell phone to act as a wireless modem to connect yourcomputer to the Internet anytime, anywhere:

1. Update your computer to Mac OS 10.1.3
2. Install Bluetooth Technology Preview 1
3. Install Scripts for Ericsson GPRS phones (scroll about half way down the page)
4. Pair your phone to your computer (see Bluetooth read me PDF)
5. Configure your phone
6. Configure a new location on your Macintosh
7. Connect

Screen shots:

• internet-connect-bt.jpg
• network-modem.jpg
• network-ppp.jpg
• network-proxies.jpg
• network-tcp.jpg
• ppp-options.jpg

That is basically all there is to it. It should be noted that Voicestreamdoesn’t currently support the T68 or the T68i, but we were able to get itworking with the help of a cool TS guy from the Wireless Data Group atVoicestream (888-STREAM-7).

The fees for iStream are US$2.99/month for WAP only which includes about 500Web pages per month. The extended iStream service: w/Bluetooth, allowingyour cell phone to act as a wireless modem, costs US$19.99/month for 5 MB permonth, plus overage at US$5/megabyte, (which includes WAP and computerconnection).

Let’s jump to Step #3 of process. Go to http://www.taniwha.org.uk/ and download the Ericsson GPRS drivers and drop them into your Hard Drive : Library : Modem Scripts. Restart your computer.

Pair your phone with your computer following the read me pdf that comes withthe Bluetooth software. Next Setup accounts on your phone. Using theT68(i) go under Connect : Data comm. : Add and add a GPRS account. Makesure to use a username that somehow indicates WAP, such as “mywap” orsomething to that effect, then leave username and password blank, then Save.Add another GPRS account, but this time, denote that it is using yourcomputer (is used “mycpu”) for the account name that will allow for computerlinkup.

More phone configurations from within the Data comm. Menu – select”mywap” (or whatever you called it), press edit and make sure these settingsare selected:

• pass req. make sure it’s off,
• advance settings: authentication should be set to none
• data compression, both off,
• header compression off also,
• quality of service: precedence should be normal,
• delay is best effort,
• reliability class 3,
• peak rate class 5,
• mean rate best effort,

Then copy all these same settings for “mycpu” (or whatever you named thesecond account).

To set up WAP, do the following:

• main menu: WAP services:
• options: WAP profile:
• enter name: say ok;
• IP address: 216.155.165.050

Then go back to the main menu and make sure triangle is blue and shadedabove signal strength bars. If it’s not, power cycle your phone.

To log on, go to WAP services: mobile internet: choose WAP : mobile internet,login or signup, press yes. You should connect at this point. To exitpress 8 or exit WAP, press no to end WAP session. Note that it drains thebattery faster if connection to WAP all the time. Play around with it ifyou can’t get connected and try everything a few times. You are very closeat this point if you can’t get WAP going.

To connect through your computer using Bluetooth, you need to setup a dial upconnection through Bluetooth. Visit the picture links to setup your SystemPreferences : Network and your Internet Connect window. Useinternet2.voicestream.com as your phone number and use “istream” as yourusername and a space (press space bar once) as your password.

Make sure your Bluetooth is turn “on” on your phone. Then click connect onyour Internet Connect window and watch the progress to make sure that youare authenticating and sending/receiving packets. Note: turn echoing “off” on your PPP Options.

Once you connect, you might have to go tohttp://getmorespeed.voicestream.com/ and turn the accelerator “off”. Your computer may not be able to register the data throughput. Don’t worry about this for now.

Finally, IR should work very similarly, the only difference is that you needto change your modem (both in Network Preferences, and in Internet Connect)to use the IR instead.

[Update 11/10/2002] Amazon.com is selling the Sony Ericsson T68i color, Bluetooth mobile phone for only US$50 for a limited time.