laptop/mobile/email

[david_e]

The problem with being careful and caring about your gear is that you can get left behind in the techy world.

Whilst my colleagues lose, have stolen or trash their laptops and get new ones I'm still running a Tecra 2000 on Windows 95. It was only last month when we got a free upgrade to this Nokia 6310 that I finally relinquished my old mobile to be sent on to some distant village in middle Africa. Not saying it was old and big but it was one of those car phones where the car was inside the phone.

So for the odd sunny day when I need to be on board but 'available' (so to speak) what do I need to do to dial in via mobile and up/download from Outlook?

 

[vyv_cox]

How do you get your old computers to a worthy cause? I have a Toshiba Windows 95 machine, less than 1Mb hard disk. I'm reluctant to scrap it but it is worthless to me.

 

[Cutter]

Try your local education college or University. We have a regular collection scheme for old but workable gear which is refurbished and sent abroard.

 

[byron]

Assuming there is a modem in your Laptop you will need a mobile phone with the facility to connect. Best place for advice is somewhere like PHONE WAREHOUSE or similar.
As a matter of interest my on board Laptop is a P133 running W95 but I don't have email.
Bear in mind that mobiles work at about 9600 at best so downloads are extraordinarly slow in this day and age.

http://www.alexander-advertising.co.uk

 

[colin_jones]

When we tried, the company mentioned above was entirely useless. We knew more than the employees.

Getting in touch by mobfone and pc from the boat is excellent once you have it working. The problem is finding compatibility between PC, fone, ISP and network provider. It becomes even worse abroad where - France for example - are inclined to change the rules without telling you, so your email system suddenly does not work on payg cards.

When it works, it is brilliant and easy. The best short term solution is a total clone of somebody else's sytem known to work well with that combo of parts in that location. This could be expensive if you have to replace equipment.

If you are a bit more patient, I can tell you that at least two of the mainstream boat magazines currently have a big research program running on this and that there will be accurate and informative articles and photographs published in mid-summer.

We have had lots of success and not a little failure in this. If I can be of any help send me a private message and I'll give you a contact number for a chat.

 

[gtmoore]

6310 has a built in modem so if you have an infra red port on your notebook you should have all the hardware you need. Depending on your service provider, the 6310 I believe, supports both HSSCD and GPRS - both costing extra on your monthly bill but can improve your download speeds considerably.

You probably won't need this for email unless you download a lot of attachments.

There are some details for High Speed data setup at
http://www.freedom-mobiles.co.uk/data.htm. It's Orange based but useful none the less.

HTH

Gavin

 

[Guest]

The 6310 does support GPRS & HSCSD. It also has bluetooth so, as long as you have a bluetooth card or dongle and the magagement software on your laptop there is no need to line up ir ports or have a cable attached.

http://www.expansys.com/d_man.asp?cat=BLUET2

I use GPRS dial up over bluetooth and get good download speeds but it can be pricey. With T-Mobile you get an allowance for data sent received then once you have exceeded that you get charged at 2.1 pence per byte.

HSCSD is also expensive because it relies on splitting data and making, in effect 3 phone calls at a time. It is also limiting as very few operators support it. Only orange in the UK and in most european countries only supported by one airtime copmpany

 

[Robin2]

I use the GPRS service with my Motorola T280 which links to a PC via the serial port. It works very well - speed seems to be similar to a domestic land line. My service costs €2 per megabyte with O2 which is not cheap, but not outrageous either.

 

[bedouin]

2.1 pence per byte?

Corrrr - many pages are now 50k+ - that would cost you £1000 to download

Ouch!

 

[kdf]

I thinks that 2.1 pence per k byte. Thats 1024 bytes/characters.

 

[PeteB]

I use my Nokia 8310 on board regularly. It's bit slow but that's the speed of the phone as a modem. Just download PC suite from the Nokia website, put in your usual ISP dialup and off you go. Dialling a UK ISP from accross the channel is expensive - the cost of the call. For my madasafish account I just add 0044 to the dial string and off it goes.

 

[andy_wilson]

Windows 95

W 95 may prove impossible to support.

The Nokia software for connectivity (making the phone and computer talk) via IrDA is W98 and above.

Nokia Modem Software is compatible with OS W98 and above.

I don't think Bluetooth was invented when W95 was out.

An upgrade to W98 (not Second Edition) should be feasable on your machine spec.-wise, would give Infra-Red support (with the addition of an IrDA plug-in if needed). or use a DLR-3P cable connection.

Oh and to use the PIM sync. feature you will need Microsoft Outlook 97, 98, 2000, and 2002 or Microsoft Outlook Express.

 

[gtmoore]

Re: Windows 95

I used to use a 7110 with supplied software via IR on an old P166 notebook running win95. I was only using the phone/modem driver though and it may be different now. Cable is much better anyway IMHO

S'funny but things are so much easier with an iPAQ - Micro$haft progress perhaps?

<runs and hides>

 

[Guest]

Re: david_e

David yes the 6310i (just got one) has Bluetooth a USB Bluetooth dongle is a lot cheaper than a card about £40 v £100, plus I hear the card tends to stick out the side of the PC, not good. By the way the 6310 should run at 28.8 not 9.6 max as Byron suggests, least ways my old 6210 ran at that speed via a cable connection (dont know if 6310 will via Bluetooth yet need to get the dongle)

"The Med has got me" (no not the Medway the other Med)

 

[mldpt]

Hi I have been useing Nokia phones for several years connected to my laptop to collect e-mails all over europe, but tis month Vodafone have stopped including 0845 numbers in my free minutes. So I phoned them up and complained, they have upgraded my 9110 with no GPRS to a 6510 with GPRS it took a day or so to get up and running but now it is its great as fast as my PC modem at home, and the phone fits in a small pocket, I have reduced my free minutes from Voda 400 to Voda 200 much cheaper and the GPRS has no standing charge, I just pay £2.50 ish per Mb which is a lot of e-mails most are no more than 10 Kb so I am hopeing to have cut my phone bills considerable.
Regards Mike www.sailingforfun.co.uk

 

[colin_jones]

Re: Windows 95

If anyone else is using an iPaq, it would be a good idea to share notes via private messages and then post something of real value here.

This not only for email but for some other interesting boat things which the little beast will do.

By sharing uinfo, we shall also obviously safe each other money.

that always interests me

 

[Guest]

yep missed the k,

But my bill from 1 week in spain was £290 and 90% of that was data