[boombots]

I need to look further into this because I have been trying the same thing with the touch.
I can only fit so many things in my pocket and surfing the web can be tough on the BB.
Tour- vwz

[eBoyDog]

Hotspot on a WiFi BlackBerry will never happen due to one reason, security.

There is more to the BlackBerry's data network that most know about or even care to know but in a nutshell the network that BlackBerrys use has at least two layers, RIM's data network and the wireless provider's data network including if your device is activated on BES, a third network which is your company's intranet network. The end result is that the data communication is very secure and this security is the cornerstone to BlackBerrys that makes them different than any other mobile data device.

Most non-BlackBerry device such as iPhones and Android devices operate on a model based one data network, the wireless provider's network.

If tethering wasn't bad enough, the concept of introducing WiFi hotspot off a BlackBerry is something that makes the people at RIM cry as it opens up their data network to outside world in manner that has never been done before.

While it might be possible on a technical side to write a WiFi AP program for the BlackBerry it�s more of a policy or RIM�s policy to not allow such andit's something that I doubt that no one will ever see for some time (if ever) as RIM desires their network to remain closed only BlackBerry devices.

While the non-business market has exploded with retail user's using their BlackBerrys for everything BUT email and calendar, BlackBerrys were only intended to be used for secure email, calendar and contacts which is something they do VERY well; the first priority of RIM is assure that nothing stands in the way of that.

[JMDBERRY]

This is what you can do! You can turn your PC into a "Hotspot" with ConnectiFy. Once you've done this, you can then connect to your BB via USB or BT. Note, Win 7 is required in order to use ConnectiFy. You can then connect other devices to your "hotspot" created via you PC and ConnectiFy.

It's easy to setup,...once online it's very solid.

Hth

[Tharnax]

@eBoyDog

Thanks for the explanation, unfortunately it makes sense. So basically any new BB device is going to have the same network "restrictions", therefore, it is not likely that any new device BB Torch, BB Storm "3", new curve or whatever they come out with will have the ability to become a Wifi hotspot correct?

Just want to confirm this before I jump on the Apple bandwagon. I've been a BB owner since the original little BB pagers devices and I'm currently on a true unlimited data plan with my carrier. I'm a new owner of an iPad and I've used the "software tools (PDANet w/ iBluever)" to share my 3G data plan with my laptop or iPad, unfortunately it is pretty slow on both devices and the iPad seems to be limited to Safari browsing only. Mail, app store, maps, or other apps that need an internet connection to work don't work. I was waiting for the torch, but based on your info there isn't any point as it won't have the ability to become a Wifi hotspot either.

Meanwhile, I borrowed a co-workers jailbroken iphone 3GS, tossed MyWi on it, created a Wifi hotspot on their iphone and connected my ipad to it. The internet connection worked flawlessly with all iPad apps and 10x as fast as the flaky BT BB tether with Safari. With current carriers offering 6GB data @ $30 per month (iphone only devices) with the ability to properly tether, it seems iphone is the only option. Unlimited data plan for $34 per month is meaningless when I only use 1/10th the data of the 6GB per month plan. No wonder half the world is standing in line at Apple stores.

[Tharnax]

Update to my post above:

Changed my settings to BB bluetooth DUN instead of PDANet and I am now getting reasonable speeds 349kbps Dwn and 234 Up but the better news is I can use all my applications and I've been connected this way for over 30 minutes and it has been stable.

Still not as good as MyWi with an iphone, but much better then the useless configuration I had before.

[E92Vancouver]

Update to my post above:

Changed my settings to BB bluetooth DUN instead of PDANet and I am now getting reasonable speeds 349kbps Dwn and 234 Up but the better news is I can use all my applications and I've been connected this way for over 30 minutes and it has been stable.

Still not as good as MyWi with an iphone, but much better then the useless configuration I had before.

It would be nice if your blackberry could do this. I ended up buying a Nexus One phone using Android 2.2 that has wifi hotspot built in. Works awesome.

[ASW3382]

I just had to reply in response to eBoyDog's insightful but mislead post. networks are more robust than is being preached. It would not be difficult for blackberry to push the data traffic through a different route. Seriously, it is done already. In fact if you have a BES server you already know this as if you want to deny your blackberry users access you just restrict the BES server.
There is no security breach or crossover issues, and if there are, they are easily mitigated.
The dirty part of it is that the carriers do not want to deal with the data. Also they would lose the control that the specialized apps give them. Since the carriers have the manufacturers by the balls there is nothing BB can do about it. But really BB needs to step up. As a Network Admin I can attest to the fact that I would WANT Blackberry wifi because it would allow me to INCREASE security on my LAN. With a wifi plan I could restrict where the laptop goes and they would not have to access the wild west that is the wifi hotspots out there. I could manage intranet access to traveling sales folk, I could secure file transfers and e-mail. the benefits are insane. there is a reason the palm did this with their swan song years ago. There is a reason android phones do this, there is a reason iPhones do this.
BB has stopped innovating, they are coasting now, in 5 years they will be a gov't only phone. Which will be fine for the company but the consumer will be done with them. We are all just waiting for a competitior, BB is tolerated, not desired.

[wysiwyg13]

I have TM cellular, and my nokia 5230 plan is one that would be insane to change..as I can bluetooth tether, and sync, etc all on $10 data plan.

I have xfinity (comcast) 3g/4g web2go usb internet for occasions I use on my laptop (MacBook Pro).
Can the Blackberry Playbook use it's micro usb for web2go I have?
If not can it bluetooth tether with Nokia 5230?

I plan to use Blackberry Playbook as larger, email, web browsing, reading books, etc. on my metrorail transit to work..and my nokia 5230 does great job,just wanted the speed, the apps, etc. Only if and when my nokia 5230 would become obsolete to use as a phone would I ever get a new phone..as I have used it easily to get internet access with my macbook pro even.

I rarely use my (comcast) xfinity usb web2go and does anyone know if the Blackberry Playbook is able to be linked to xfinity 3g/4g USB web2go?

The blackberry playbook is the only non apple tablet I would consider..and I believe it's OS is non-Android, non-Windows.. as my phone is Symbian OS 60, and my macbook pro is OS X.

Please let me know if I can use either of my 3g/4g wifi carriers I already have? The 5230 is a unique hybrid of sorts of phones..I have not figured out how to use the usb to tether for connection but the Bluetooth works real well for internet connection and syncing with my mac.

Let me know

[E92Vancouver]

BB has stopped innovating, they are coasting now, in 5 years they will be a gov't only phone. Which will be fine for the company but the consumer will be done with them. We are all just waiting for a competitior, BB is tolerated, not desired.

Precisely!!! RIMM with their 2 bozo CEO's is done like dinner. Stick a fork in it. Those two clowns don't have a clue and are pissing away a fortune. They need to be ousted from the company for lack of direction and vision. Blackberry is a dinosaur and a joke.

[DJLNR_2011]

First of all, AD-HOC = limited AP (peer-to-peer) software driven with wifi on any given device. Infrastructure = in most cases on devices that use wifi to connect to an AP the software/OS has wifi broadcast set to false, Hidden AP true and beacon intervals at a very high number ect, i could go on, its so they can sell AP's with a sim card within that sends out infrastructure AP signal, my htc can be a wifi AP and i'm sure a Iphone can too, well just about the new iphone anyhow.

The days when many were learning the pc or java script, whatever your passion for computing and tech, its always best to learn anything ground up rather than thinking you know how it works, after all, you didnt make it so how can you be so sure.

Now i've been i would say at the early days of wifi or even bluetooth, yes they are radio signals, slightly different in frequencies and bandwidth also in directional or non, where bluetooth was easily hacked and not far in range due to many interference with equipment at a larger frequency bandwidth is near, also wifi radio is built on a 13 or 14 channel rule in frequencies when splitting up the bands, anyhow, lets raise the question on how the workaround for a blackberry AP could be achieved.

When you dig deep into wifi and think again what signals are rather than the rules software and firmware confront us with, every moment a signal tries to call upon another signal it sends out a signal, a signal good enough and has the qualities to be bio-directional, i've noticed that blackberry has a lot of wifi securities, maybe more research into how wifi has changed over the years is in order as on the old spec i use to create a ghost AP on both devices and messing with IP configurations to bypass my service providers for ever changing public IP which needs to authenticate every time devices are shut down or a simple data drop. I'd say for now, get an htc with android on it, use that as an AP (access point) so that the bb can connect to it, at least you have an extra device that actually will still be able to access web and run just as normal even though its sharing its internet connection, you could then even download an port scanner app or an IP network tools app and really learn things that's the internet could never teach you, highest form of learning comes from trial and error which then get written in to books or on the web so many don't have to bother with knowing the true fundamentals of whatever they want to know about meaning there will come a time you will need info on the same exact thing but a different sub topic that could have been known at the very first research, at this point it becomes so annoying you would then just pay for the info, paid ebooks singular now born lol, erm trying to put a cherry on top of a PDF.

It would be battery consuming but because hardware went way in front of software recently, no one had time to work on a stable bluetooth to wifi program = for instance = using bluetooths PAN service and if or when wifi is concerned that could be driven through the same software using MAC addressing rather than IP as there would be conflicts when changing services on the local 127.0.0.1.

All info i have given is from the top of my head and most more than likely out dated but i'm sure it opened the wifi minds a little, so conclusion, try to create different wifi profiles on the bb handset whilst using a wifi scanner on another device obviously and research on how wifi works and any new specifics that all hardware manufacturers have to abide by. I will do tests myself actually and will be back with any findings!! Lloyd Richards aka DJLNR