T-Mobile GPRS on OS X

| 21 Comments

I got T-Mobile to enable GPRS ("T-Mobile Internet") on my phone the other day. It works alright with the t68i and the PowerBook. I used Ross Barkman's "modem scripts". With the right script with the magic "use GPRS" commands I just had to choose the correct "CID" and enter "internet2.voicestream.com" as the phone number. I also setup a "Data account" on the phone; I'm not sure I actually needed to do that.

A few odd things:

  • The T68i (or OS X) can't figure out to have both AddressBook.app and the PPP connection connected to the phone at the same time.
  • I get a 10.x IP address, having a public address would be slightly more convenient.
  • The latency is about a billion years. Alright, that's not true but it's around or more than a second. Not fun for interactive connections (understatement meaning: that really fucking sucks).
  • I haven't tested the transfer speed, but it seems better than normal GSM data (9600). I was mostly going to use it for interactive connections I don't really mind whatever it is.

I can't figure out if I could use the $10 "T-Zones" service rather than their "Internet" service which is more. I only need web access and ssh. Can they really tell if you use the phone as a modem rather than just use data from the phone? That was what the customer service person told me.

21 Comments

I've not run into this with TMO but I have had other service providers (AT&T, Nextel) block data access unless the service is 'activated';

I'm activated on TMO right now and use a p800 w/a powerbook. I've also used the 'dial up' modem access both from the phone and from the laptop and find it slightly faster for some tasks.

Just think of the latency as the zen of today: it is teaching you patience..

Reminds me of the ooold days when you could type a line on a 300/1200 baud modem then go get a cup of coffee and it would still be finishing up when you got back!

krish

I want activate my pphone to recive the mms message.

Just recently went on vacation to the Swiss Alps (I live in Boston) and used my T-Mobile GRPS in conjunction with my Apple Powerbook - worked like a charm. I got speeds around 4-5K on web sites with a lot of text. I don't think people realize what a phenomenal service this is. T-Mobile offers WORLDWIDE UNLIMITED GRPS ROAMING FOR $10 a month. I was in 2800m above sea level checking my emails on a Powerbook. AWESOME.

Has anyone had success with T-Mobile GPRS and anything but http (port 80) lately? I used to be able to ssh and now I can't.

Scott,

I can SSH just fine. I use internet2.voicestream.com as the "dial-up number". I think if you only have "t-zones" and not "t-zones internet" or whatever they call it, they'll restrict you to their net or some such.

- ask

I found you guys talking about gprs and I am I was thinking about getting a nokia 3650 from t-mobile and connecting to it via bluetooth from a pocket pc.

has anyone cleared up if you need the full internet plan or just the t-zones?

thanks

jeff

Howdy, I just signed up for the internet service. It's my understanding that they charge by the data transferred if you don't have the more expensive service and that they don't allow you to do anything but use http, but I'm not certain.

I use GPRS with TMO connected to my iBook from my 3650. I connect at about 23.5k....much better than the 9.6k direct dialup you can use.

Just looking through here for something else.

if you use an APN of "internet3.voicestream.com" instead of "internet2", you get a real IP and all protocols work. Helps for VPN, obviously, too.

I'm seriously considering a Powerbook, but I just invested a lot in T-Mobile Internet using a PC card that just plugs into the laptop. No cords or cell phone needed. Has anyone else used a PC card for wireless T-Mobile Internet service with a Powerbook? If yes, what PC card? I'm using a Sierra Wireless 750 card, but it specifies that it needs Windows to work. I'm not sure I want to have Virtual PC running in order to be online. Thanks!

Please ignore my previous post. I just found Mac drivers for the Sierra Wireless 750: http://www.xochi.com/aircard/#start

please any one can help me in connecting my T-mobile side Kick to the internet connnection please i will need some help on this
mail me on my email.
laura_electronicstores@emails.net

i want to activate my mobile phone for tmaobile gprs for internet browsing so i could not get the settings is telling me that i should check network so please help me out.

....i can't get gprs connection started on my phone, but my phone support it

The $5 t-zones was working great for me... until just a few days ago... I'm pretty sure they decided I was useing too much bandwidth so they blocked me from dialing up. It could be other things, but that is the most likley.

but it was great for 4 months or so!

I think I had to connect to wap.voicestream.com and that restricted me to only mail ports (25,110,143,...) but I setup the SQUID proxy on my mac at home and had it running on one of the mail ports and thatworked just fine! I also shoved ssh to one of the mail ports and I could tunnel to anything that the squid proxy wouldn't ket me at (a local postgres server and printer sharing[great for text but pictures took forever])

So, am I right that they blocked me or are other people having issues connecting too?

I tried (internet2,internet3,wap).voicestream.com

The Quick answer to some peeps questions:
T-zones works with restrictions, until they decide you are useing too much bandwidth =P

Nevermind that!
I changed the number I was dialing to *99#
I saw it on this page and the internet seems to be going fine!

Yeah! I still have to bounce through the proxy on my home computer, but the internet is running great!

I shouldn't of assumed that t-mobile actually checked their access logs (;

....i can't get gprs connection started on my phone

I just 'activated' the TMO Unlimited Internet, and I think I will call them back tomorrow and turn it off. 4-6K pales to the broadband like throughput that verizon is offering, not that I got 4-6K more like 2K .. Im not impressed.

how i can connect internet connection to my mobile set

I am trying to connect to the net easier when I'm in a wireless coffee shop!

soo..I just bought this orange GPRS, it's called "Option GPRS Data Card". it looks like a card that you put in the side slot of your notebook. it claims that I can connect to the net anywhere and it is "unlocked". is this any better than my extreme airport card on my powerbook?

thanx

Using a Macbook Pro Core Duo, Sony Ericsson Z520a, and T-Mobile T-Zones. Dailing *99***2# and using account name "guest" with really long password that it put in, I think I used "guest" as password though. Using "Ericsson R520 28.8" setting for Bluetooth Modem with Enable Error Correction and Wait for Dial Tone both checked. Using 216.155.165.50 with port 8080 as a proxy, Password and Simple Hostnames unchecked Passive mode checked. Had to disable SOCKS proxy to get Apple Mail working though. Still haven't got Adium working for IM though. Hope that helps.

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This page contains a single entry by Ask Bjørn Hansen published on December 4, 2003 7:00 PM.

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