[dpgist]

I am new to the BB world and just bought a 8830 BB. Is there a way to tether the BB with my laptop without paying an additional $15.00 to Verizon? I use to use a cell phone with another carrier and didn't have to pay an additnal fee to get online using my laptop & phone.

[dlathem]

Welcome to the world of crackberries. I have the 8830 and I use the tethered feature. That is one of the main reasons I bough it. I don't know of any way to get around the extra charge. However, I have a buddy with a Treo on Verizon and he found a program to run on his Treo ($29 one time cost) that allows him to tether his device without buying the package and using the Verizon software.

[dpgist]

Thanks for the info. If you happen to talk to your buddy any time soon, see if they can give you the name of the program he runs on his treo.

[Sniperet]

If it is Windows based the program is probably PDAnet.

[dlathem]

I have not been able to contact my friend, but PDANet sounds like what he told me it was.

[dpgist]

Thanks for letting me know the name of the program. I will see if I can get it to work for me!

[SteveP#CB]

There is not a PDAnet version for the BB. It is a fantastic product and worked very well on my Palm 700w. Unfortunately. the 700w was a dog in many other respects and we switched to the 8830.

[merlin2880]

There is a software by the developer MobiShark called the SharkModem that I have tested. ($45 one time fee for the software compared to the $15 reoccurring monthly fee) It uses the BlackBerry's own TCP stack to communicate and avoid the tethering fee. The only issues I encountered with it were that it has limits to what it allows you to do. It is limited to internet browsing, email, and instant messaging. Downloads of large files didn't work when I tested a few months ago. It is a new software though, and they are adding features and support for functions all the time, so it may be available now or in the future, so you may want to check it out. Many people have rated it well when I researched it online. I haven't heard of any other software at beyond this one that avoids the tethering fee.

[bell1996]

Can anyone tell me what type of throughput/speeds they're getting from the tethered modem functionality?

[JRSCCivic98]

Just some input in the matter. Modem teathering does not work for the 8830 because out of all the past Verizon Blackberries it's the only one that when plugged into a PC does not report a modem as a detected device. This is why you simply can't do the old "Dial-up Networking" bit to get it to work.

[Sniperet]

Just some input in the matter. Modem teathering does not work for the 8830 because out of all the past Verizon Blackberries it's the only one that when plugged into a PC does not report a modem as a detected device. This is why you simply can't do the old "Dial-up Networking" bit to get it to work.

Not sure I understand what you are saying, my 8830 works as a tethered modem on my Dell laptop. As a matter of fact Monday my cable service went out and I set my desktop up and was on the internet using the 8830 as a modem all evening.

I will say that I had problems getting the modem driver installed and had to resort to using the Verizon Access Manager to get it going but it definitely is using a dial up connection under Network Connections and connects using the "standard modem" on com4.

[bell1996]

I have the 8830 with Verizon service and I just enabled the modem functional for $15 a month. I installed the software on my laptop and connected my 8830 via the USB. First try and it was a success!! The download speeds are roughly 650Kbps and the upload speed is roughly 110kbps. Not Bad!!! Very usable. I didn't expect it to work so easily or provide that type of throughput.

Now I'll never go into the office or go home.

[dlathem]

This was my experience as well on the ease of install and use. I installed a 2GB Micro SD card in my 8830 and copied the VZ Access manager software over to a folder on it so if the computer I am using should loose its Internet connection I can quickly install the software from the 8830 utilizing the USB Mass Storage function and be up and running in a few minutes.

Yesterday I lost Internet connection at my office. I already had my BB 8830 plugged in to the PC charging it. I just started the VZ Access Manager and went on with what I was doing until the regular DSL came back to life.

[rap]

Can you guys tell me what happens when you are tethered and you get an incoming call? Can you grab the call without losing your session?
What if you need to place a call?

These features are critical for me and I'm ready to get one now!

Thanks...

[bell1996]

I don't think you can receive or make calls once the 8830 is in modem mode.
But, I'll give it a thorough test just to be sure.

[JRSCCivic98]

Not sure I understand what you are saying, my 8830 works as a tethered modem on my Dell laptop. As a matter of fact Monday my cable service went out and I set my desktop up and was on the internet using the 8830 as a modem all evening.

I will say that I had problems getting the modem driver installed and had to resort to using the Verizon Access Manager to get it going but it definitely is using a dial up connection under Network Connections and connects using the "standard modem" on com4.

What I mean by this is that in the past with all BBs you could plug them in via USB and the PC would pick up the BB and the modem device in it. With the 8830 this is no longer the case... hence, you have to pay $15 to get this to work. If the modem in it would get detected in Windows as it normally does for any other BB out there then you could use DUN to get online without having to spend the $15.

[datacommish]

I don't think you can receive or make calls once the 8830 is in modem mode.
But, I'll give it a thorough test just to be sure.

There isn't a setting on the 8830 that "puts it in modem mode" (ex. modem link for windows based products sold by Verizon). And yes if a phone call comes through you can interrupt your session to pick it up.

[Sniperet]

What I mean by this is that in the past with all BBs you could plug them in via USB and the PC would pick up the BB and the modem device in it. With the 8830 this is no longer the case... hence, you have to pay $15 to get this to work. If the modem in it would get detected in Windows as it normally does for any other BB out there then you could use DUN to get online without having to spend the $15.

I don't think it is the 8830 per say that is the problem it is Verizon restricting its ability to tether. I had both a Samsung smartphone and a Moto Q that i tethered until last fall when Verizon did an upgrade on the Moto Q which killed its ability to tether without their broadband connect subscription, I'm sure any new phones released for Verizon would have some sort of restriction built in. On another note even when I could tether the Q it would only connect at 1XRTT not EVDO.

[rap]

Should have it Tuesday.

I got the basic 450 minutes (to start) plus data plan as I ramp up my RE business. I asked if that included unlimited data for the tethered modem and she said yes.

So what's this $15 per month that others are paying?

I had the $39/mo plan before and I'd hate to think that it $40/mo more just for e-mail! And, another $15 on top of that?

BTW, all the renates and new every 2 got the phone down to $99!

[bell1996]

I did some testing with the tethered modem using the 8830 (verizon service). I confirmed Datacommish's statements. When you're using the 8830 as a modem you can still receive and place calls from the 8830. The modem data is interrupted (no data is passed to you PC) and you can chat away. Once the call ends the data resumes. Too bad it can't still send/receive data while on the phone.

[rap]

Thanks everyone. Got my 8830 this week and it works just as reported. At least I tested it with an incoming call while tethered when it suspended the data session when I answered the call and reconnected it without a hiccup when I ended the call.

Now, if I can just get the desktop sync to work with Bluetooth!

[JRSCCivic98]

Now, if I can just get the desktop sync to work with Bluetooth!

That's easy, I did it. All you have to do is turn on your Bluetooth on the phone and set it to discover. Then on your PC/Laptop tell your Bluetooth software to find a device. It'll find the phone and ask you what to use for security. I chose to have it auto-generate a security key, which then you type into the phone when it asks for it and the pairing is done. Once that happens, Windows will load some drivers and then you go into Desktop Manager and under Connections you set it to use Bluetooth instead of USB. That's it.

Keep in mind that this was done with the Broadcom Bluetooth stack, which is far superior to MS's or Toshiba's.

[rap]

There is a whole thread on 8830 with Bluetooth sync....

It should be as simple as you describe but...I can't get it to work. I have had my laptop discover the 8830 and I have paired it, but I only get DUN and voice services and the 8830 iis not enabled in the desktop software.

[JRSCCivic98]

Did you set Desktop Manager to USE Bluetooth. You have to do that. It won't show up in the PIN listing like it does when it's USB. Go to Options and Connection Settings. Put a heck in Use Bluetooth. Then set the connection dropdown to Bluetooth. That's all you have to do.

[rap]

Did you set Desktop Manager to USE Bluetooth. You have to do that. It won't show up in the PIN listing like it does when it's USB. Go to Options and Connection Settings. Put a heck in Use Bluetooth. Then set the connection dropdown to Bluetooth. That's all you have to do.

That's exactly the problem, I can't put a check in "use Bluetooth because it is "grayed-out" and not available to check. I think it's because the pairing isn't setting up correctly. When I pair it the service are DUN and VOICE (like hands free) to the laptop.