Cingular wireless woes. I'm being told Media net is wrong plan for internet

J187 · 06-04-2005, 03:51 PM

So, I went to my local Cingular wireless store and inquired about adding the 19.99 media net package to my contract. The guy in there insisted that media net would not let me access internet through a laptop or a pc. He said the only plan that allows it is the 69.99/mo add on for data. WTF? Aren't there a bunch of people here running media net no problems and getting internet access with a usb data cable??? This is frustrating, What gives?

Zogg · 06-05-2005, 12:25 AM

Cingular will disavow all knowledge of 'tethering', or using your phone as a 'modem' for your laptop or PDA to connect to the internet, but it works. It's easiest if your phone and computing device have Bluetooth, but you can do it with a cable also. One you have the service, and you can call up 866-CINGULAR to get it rather than going to a store, then go to the Cingular FAQ forum at HowardForums.com for all the setup info. Or post back here and I'll try to help you get going.

Note this only works with GSM service, not the older TDMA/Analog phones.

Z

cdm · 06-05-2005, 12:27 AM

Laptop Connect 5MB $19.99 5 MB $0.0080/KB $0.015 $0.0195

Laptop Connect 10MB $29.99 10 MB $0.0060/KB $0.015 $0.0195

Laptop Connect 20MB $39.99 20 MB $0.0040/KB $0.015 $0.0195

Laptop Connect 50MB $49.99 50 MB $0.0020/KB $0.015 $0.0195

Laptop Connect Unlimited $79.99 Unlimited $0.0/KB $0.015 $0.0195

are the ones you need.

dmurray14 · 06-05-2005, 12:29 AM

^ Wrong.

Zogg · 06-05-2005, 12:32 AM

Laptop Connect is the plan with the PCMCIA card such as the GC83. It does give you full Internet access, no services blocked or anything. But for tethering through the phone the Media Works Unlimited for $19.99 works.

Z

J187 · 06-05-2005, 12:39 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Zogg

Cingular will disavow all knowledge of 'tethering', or using your phone as a 'modem' for your laptop or PDA to connect to the internet, but it works. It's easiest if your phone and computing device have Bluetooth, but you can do it with a cable also. One you have the service, and you can call up 866-CINGULAR to get it rather than going to a store, then go to the Cingular FAQ forum at HowardForums.com for all the setup info. Or post back here and I'll try to help you get going.

Note this only works with GSM service, not the older TDMA/Analog phones.

Z

Thank you Zogg. Right on. I will sign up for Media net this week. I need to buy a new phone anyway, I'm looking into whatever phone will work best for Phone tools AND media Net. Again, thanks for the help.

mbkowns · 06-05-2005, 07:53 AM

I just looked at cigulars website and it shows the 19.99 plan as only 5mb now and NOT! unlimited anymore.... the regular plan is only 1mb but now that one is 5 have any of you seen this yet!

damnit

Pyrotek · 06-05-2005, 09:56 AM

They restructured the data plans a couple months ago. Luckily, I signed up for the 19.99 Media Net before they took it away.

Isn't the $24.99 plan almost the same now? I haven't looked at the services recently.

J187 · 06-05-2005, 11:10 AM

Ok, this is why I am confused. Jus when Zogg came through to tell the Medianet plan is what I want, MbKowns comes back and says that it is not. Could someone please end all of this confusion once and for all. Here is what Cingular's site shows for Data plans

DataConnect

.
.
.
.
.
.
.

Media Net

Links

DataConnect
http://onlinestore2.cingular.com/web...e&subOrderId=1

Media Net
https://www.cingular.com/media/media_net_purchase

Zogg · 06-05-2005, 03:13 PM

j187,

Go read the threads in the Cingular forum at HowardForums.com. There are always threads on Cingular's data offerings.

The bottom line is that with Media Net Unlimited you can use your phone to tether your computer or PDA. It works, lots of folks are using it, but Cingular doesn't support it so you can't ask them for help in setting up your computer. Instructions are readily available though. Almost everything works (i.e. few blocked ports) but I know that most VPN connections won't, and I've read that this service isn't as optimized since it uses a WAP gateway.

If you are a business user or need the absolute best performance then the Data Connect is the best plan, because it uses a PCMCIA data card that gets better performance than most of the EDGE-enabled phones do. But you have to buy the data card and it costs more. This connection also doesn't include voice service, it's data only.

I hope this helps.

Z

Zogg · 06-05-2005, 03:33 PM

Here's a good thread that also includes the settings you need:

http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=624142

Z

J187 · 06-05-2005, 05:00 PM

Thanks Zogg. THat's the light I needed Shed. Good INfo. I don't need much, only a once-in-while decent connection. Thanks again

tj!2k4 · 06-06-2005, 05:22 PM

Great info, a big thank you from me as well!

cdm · 06-07-2005, 02:02 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by dmurray14

^ Wrong.

Why?

tj!2k4 · 06-07-2005, 08:11 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Zogg

Here's a good thread that also includes the settings you need:

http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=624142

Z

The instructions from that thread work very well. Time to give Cingular some more money.

Does anyone know if I can use the two other (EDGE) profiles that the Cingular Connection Manager created as well? I believe the EDGE provides much faster speeds.. Thanks.

User Name		Remember Me?
Password