[Xerxes10]

Does anyone's Bridge Browser really work? Unlike friendly airports like SFO & PDX that have free wifi I'm at browser unfriendly MSP that wants you to pay for Boingo just to have wifi. I figure this is a perfect time to use the Bridge! My 9800 has full bars so I boot up the PB and try to browse. As usual, no matyter what site I try 90% of the time the blue bar goes about 1/3 across the screen and it hangs. If a site miraculously opens, any link does the same thing-freezes. The PB rocks w/wifi and as a media player, but don't count on the Bridge browser working.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[lockedtight]

My bridge browser usually work quite well. Does take quite a bit longer than wifi but it is functional

Sent from my BlackBerry 9930 using Tapatalk

[Dukey Avalon]

Mine is extremely slow.

I find tethering faster.

[szparaj]

yeah my bridge works awesome!

[SumthinNew]

Mine used to lag and I believe it was on the BB side of things rather than the PB
After loading a hybrid OS on my Torch (was on an old released OS from my carrier for a long time), bridge browsing speeds increased significantly allowing quite an enjoyable 3G web experience.

[elchavodellethbridge]

I never have used the Bridge Browser at all. I always found it to be slow compared to tethering to my 9300. I did many speedtests to compare, and the tethering came out on top always.

[Xerxes10]

I never have used the Bridge Browser at all. I always found it to be slow compared to tethering to my 9300. I did many speedtests to compare, and the tethering came out on top always.

Do you pay for a tethering plan, or is there another way to tether (I have AT&T)? Thanks-

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[elchavodellethbridge]

I am with Bell in Canada. Tethering is included in my plan. I think it is a 1 gig plan. I think that Bell allows tethering at no charge on all BB plans over 50$.

From what I have read AT&T has not been nice when it comes to Bridge and tethering. Check out this article. http://articles.businessinsider.com/...users-playbook

[southlander]

I have a suspicion the BlueTooth performance on the phone side has a lot to do with how well the bridging works, perhaps also the free memory and how much data caching can occur. With my Tour I had a pretty bad bridging. Got a 9330 (Curve 3G) and it was better but still a bit slow.

Got the 9930 (new Bold) and the bridge is fast for me. I just think the Bluetooth implementation on the OS7 devices works better. My Tour always had issues just turning BT on reliably. Curve was good in that respect by just a slower device than the OS7 models.

Using my Bold 9930, the bridging is probably 60% as fast as decent WiFi, which is not bad.

[anon(3641385)]

Does anyone's Bridge Browser really work? Unlike friendly airports like SFO & PDX that have free wifi I'm at browser unfriendly MSP that wants you to pay for Boingo just to have wifi. I figure this is a perfect time to use the Bridge! My 9800 has full bars so I boot up the PB and try to browse. As usual, no matyter what site I try 90% of the time the blue bar goes about 1/3 across the screen and it hangs. If a site miraculously opens, any link does the same thing-freezes. The PB rocks w/wifi and as a media player, but don't count on the Bridge browser working.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

I've not had any problems with Bridge Internet working no matter where I've been.

However, what I've noticed is that whilst the full reception bars are showing it doesn't mean that your telco is actually operating at full speed.

[lnichols]

My Sprint Tour was very slow. Since upgrading to my T-Mobile 9900 it is fast and usable.

[sportline]

its good enough for mobile sites..but it's still not practical carrying 2 devices. a 4 or 5 inch plus touchscreen phone can do it all (minus hardware keyboard).
love my 9900 but the screen is just minuscule. only good for messaging, nothing else.

[SumthinNew]

^ Not practical to carry 2 devices?
I don't have any issues with my BB in it's holster on my waist and PB in my hands in it's case also!

[pkcable]

Bridge works fine on my end.

[sleepergsr]

same here...bridge works on my 9930 better then my torch 9800. not faster then wifi...browsing on my playbook with the bridge feels like im on 2g to 2.5g. its usable.

[robsteve]

Did you try just the regular browser? A few updates back, the browser and other programs began getting access to the cellular data without tethering.

If I understand it correctly, the bridge browser uses your bis/bes data which has the overhead of encryption and going through the Blackberry servers.

In regards to signal strength and browsing speed, I have been noticing that data can be very slow even with good signal. I assume it means the data bandwith at the cell site is the problem when i am in an area where there may be many users on smart phones.

[si_chindo]

What's the difference when using a regular browser and bridge browser? Can u use the regular browser when bridged or will u incur additional costs?

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[Superfly_FR]

Well, I presume it's time to make a difference between "bridge" and "bridged browser".
Personally, I quite never use bridge browser. I keep using the regular browser, and let it 'decide' whether wifi (if available) or phone is the best road.
The advantage is that I won't be redirected to mobile sites and moreover, I have no question to have, provided that if my phone (and phone settings allow) access a free open wifi, PB will carry on and exploit the whole thing.

Of course it is slower than direct wifi but it does the trick for the "main thing". If I'm in a hurry, I just disable some contents in the browser settings.

[FF22]

I think some folks (in a similar thread) noted that the Bridged Browser may operate differently on Enterprise based webpages or something like that.

[AugustArborists]

Bridging with my 9810 is almost as fast as my wifi, I love the ability to use my PB almost anywhere without paying an additional fee.

[robsteve]

Bridging with my 9810 is almost as fast as my wifi, I love the ability to use my PB almost anywhere without paying an additional fee.

Don't forget that if your 9810 is connected to wifi when you are Bridging, the playbook will use the wifi connection of the phone, not the cellular connection. Try testing again with the wifi turned off on both the phone and the PlayBook.

[Xerxes10]

So taking advice from fellow PB owners I stopped using the dedicated "Bridge browser" under the Bridge tab. After the PB and Torch are linked via blutooth I just use the regular browser on the "All" tab and it works much better. Why? I have no idea, but have tested it a couple of times and it is true-at least in my case. So I take back what I said, the free browser is worth it!

[KermEd]

Does anyone's Bridge Browser really work? Unlike friendly airports like SFO & PDX that have free wifi I'm at browser unfriendly MSP that wants you to pay for Boingo just to have wifi. I figure this is a perfect time to use the Bridge! My 9800 has full bars so I boot up the PB and try to browse. As usual, no matyter what site I try 90% of the time the blue bar goes about 1/3 across the screen and it hangs. If a site miraculously opens, any link does the same thing-freezes. The PB rocks w/wifi and as a media player, but don't count on the Bridge browser working.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Some history here:

Bridge Browser was important in pre OS 1.7. Where no auto-internet tethering existed. This eventually tunneled through the Bridge Browser.

Currently Bridge Browser is busted even in conventional work-arounds for most developers messing around with OS2. I believe this is may be by accident (or at least in part) as it seems to be working for PB's running an OS installed as US / English at imaging.

But these days, Bridge Browser is of questionable value for the average user. Mostly of benefit to developers, or behind the scenes functionality.

[The Sun]

For bridge I disable java and flash. If I need it I enable it. Tether is way faster as is WiFi.

[blackjack93117]

Bridge works fine for most people.. Please try to avoid broad declarations like "bridge browser useless" in your thread titles unless you are willing to back that up with some research, it is misleading, untrue, gives the wrong impression and only inflames. Thanks...