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Phone Phreaks: Nextel iSeries & Internet on Mac

After much trial and effort, I was recently able to connect my TiBook 667 running OS X (10.1.4) to a Nextel Motorolla i1000plus and use it successfully as a modem to dial into my ISP. Click read more for the full story.


After much trial and effort, I was recently able to connect my TiBook 667 running OS X (10.1.4) to a Nextel Motorolla i1000plus and use it successfully as a modem to dial into my ISP.

As many know, Mac support is non-existant at Nextel, so I was forced to fend for myself. Luckily, thanks to the generous script help of Ross Barkman, and a few scattered posts on the Web, I can now use my Nextel phone as a slow, but effective wireless modem, in both OS9 *and* OS X.

Connecting to Nextel requires the following:

* An internet capable phone (any of their “i” series)
* Subscription to Nextel’s online plus service (allows your phone to act as a modem)
* Motorola’s data connection cable
* The Keyspan High Speed Serial to USB converter & software (This allows you to connect Motorolla’s adapter to your USB port. OS 9 users can get away with their cheaper, slower PDA/USB adapter)
* Ross Barkman’s Motorola modem script (as of this writing his homepage is:
http://home.btconnect.com/Taniwha/index.html. The script is not posted yet so you will have to contact him. Remember to buy him a pint!)
* A dial-up account.

Configuring the hardware is easy. The software requires just basic knowledge of setting up your system for a dial-up account.

[I could go into more detail but won’t for time’s sake.]

By Jason O'Grady

Founded the PowerPage in 1995.