56k dialup with Android?

[popovski]

Is it possible to use an Android to dialup to the internet? - I mean the old fashioned way: connect the device to a telephone line, dial the phone number of an ISP and connect at slow speed.

I travel a lot in areas outside of cellular coverage, yet I need to access to my email several times a day. There is always a fixed phone line somewhere; rarely Wi-Fi or internet.

I found the Zoom 4300 Bluetooth dial-up modem [PDF file] and I asked that company's support if it can do the job; here is the reply I got:

As long as it can pair (which it will) and has a built in DUN, it will work fine.

. Has anyone actually tried? Is that Bluetooth modem the only way, if possible at all?

 

[Harry2]

Notebook with USB dialup modem?

Harry

 

[popovski]

My Sony Vaio notebook has a built-in dial-up modem, but I was hoping to be able to leave it home and travel with the Android... not the other way round!

 

[alostpacket]

Sounds like this would work:

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.pdanet&hl=en

Edit: just be sure to test of course. I havent used this, but it sounds like what you need.

 

[wayrad]

Sounds like this would work:

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.pdanet&hl=en

Edit: just be sure to test of course. I havent used this, but it sounds like what you need.

I have a Zoom modem and can give this a try tonight. I suspect it may only work for tethering though.

What I'd like is a way to get online with my NookColor at home - I don't have wifi there, and the 3G signal is wonky (and anyway I want to save 3G tethering for emergencies).

 

[alostpacket]

I suspect it may only work for tethering though.

That's what I thought too

But then I read the description and it specifically mentions Bluetooth and DUN.... so...... I dunno

 

[John Redcorn]

Is there such thing as a 56k modem with a router/wifi hotspot built in?

If there is that would probably be lots easier plus you'd never have to mess with a phone line or dialup stuff on your laptop and other people's laptops could use it too.

You can do your own 56k->wifi with m0nowall if you want to lug a tower around

 

[wayrad]

Is there such thing as a 56k modem with a router/wifi hotspot built in?

http://www.amazon.com/Always-Wireless-WDB20B-WiFlyer-Access/dp/B0006ZTERE

 

[Harry2]

http://www.amazon.com/Always-Wireless-WDB20B-WiFlyer-Access/dp/B0006ZTERE

... and here the review of it
Dialup Redeemed: The WiFlyer Modem+Hotspot - Slashdot

Harry

 

[wayrad]

No luck with PDANet (v.3.00) and the Zoom, I'm afraid. I paired my NookColor and the Zoom (got "paired but not connected"), then ran PDANet, selected "Enable Bluetooth DUN", and gave it permission to proceed. Then I just got the message "Fail to connect to the Internet. Please make sure your phone has good data service and try again."

It is almost making me wonder if the developer knows what DUN is.

 

[alostpacket]

It is almost making me wonder if the developer knows what DUN is.

/sorry had to


Thanks for testing though

 

[wayrad]

Found instructions for the PDANet BT DUN at http://junefabrics.com/pdanet/bluetooth.htm
It apparently lets you connect a PC to a phone via BT and use the phone's voice minutes to dial an ISP (although I'm guessing a bit on that last, in view of the error message about "data service"). So not too useful for what we wanted.

 

[popovski]

Good testing here, even though not successful yet!

PdaNet allows your computer to go online through the Android phone's Internet connection

What we need is the other way round: the Android phone to go online via a 56k dialup modem.

I have ordered the WiFlyer and will experiment with that one. Maybe a DUN app needs to be created for the Android.

 

[wayrad]

I have ordered the WiFlyer and will experiment with that one.

Any luck? I got one too; I've had my eye on them for years waiting for prices to get reasonable. Been playing with it an hour or so and both my phone and Nook Color stall at "obtaining IP address". It works fine with my laptop (ca. 2008 vintage) and my ancient Tapwave Zodiac with a Palm Wifi card in the SDIO slot, though. Any suggestions gratefully received!

 

[Harry2]

So you can't change phone's WiFi manually to the hotspot of the WiFlyer?

Harry

 

[wayrad]

So you can't change phone's WiFi manually to the hotspot of the WiFlyer?

Harry

The phone saw the Wiflyer, but when I told it to connect (sorry for the vagueness, I don't have the device with me now), I got "obtaining IP address" and then it went to (I think) "disabled". It has "wiflyer" in my network list now (for what that's worth). But I can't get an IP address or get to the configuration page.

I was able to get online with my PC and the wiflyer after that (last night), and could get to the wiflyer config page with my Zod, although I didn't try to get online with that (it was getting late). This morning I can't get farther than the config page with either - perhaps I need to reset the router. I'm a rank amateur at router setup and wifi matters, and tend to get myself thoroughly confused and frustrated when I have to deal with it.

 

[John Redcorn]

Sure you entered the PW/key right? (if you have one setup)

I've never entered a wireless key wrong on android so I don't know if it gives you an error or not, but I do know on windows if you enter it wrong you get no error message, just what looks like an active wireless connection that gets no ip. "limited or no network connectivity"

 

[wayrad]

Sure you entered the PW/key right? (if you have one setup)

I've never entered a wireless key wrong on android so I don't know if it gives you an error or not, but I do know on windows if you enter it wrong you get no error message, just what looks like an active wireless connection that gets no ip. "limited or no network connectivity"

I don't have any security on it yet (according to reviews the range is severely limited, so I'm not too worried, and anyway I want to get it working before trying any encryption).

P.S. Some progress - I found some useful instructions at ehow.com, including the reset procedure. Now I can connect to the web (Earthlink dialup account) fairly reliably with my laptop (WinXP), my Zodiac (PalmOS), and my old Nokia n800 (Maemo). Still can't acquire an IP address with either my DInc or my NookColor, though. Perhaps I should try a static IP address next?

I sure hope the problem isn't that the firmware is too old to cope with recent devices...looks like the company went belly-up about 2008, so there aren't going to be any updates available.

 

[wayrad]

IT WORKS!!!!!

I was able to connect to the Wiflyer configuration page and then get online with my DInc and Earthlink dialup account. The trick is to configure a static IP on the Android device. The connection is slow, but I'm somewhat surprised it works at all!

 

[Harry2]

Congratulations

Harry

 

[wayrad]

Congratulations

Harry

Thanks! It was an educational experience.

 

[greatarbor]

The company that produced the WiFlyer went out of business many years ago. However more contemporary 802.11n/g/b WiFi Dial Up routers are being manufactured by Great Arbor Communications. You can google for the GAC-152 WiFi Dial Up Router

 

[degarb]

roaming data is prohibitively expensive. I was thinking of an Android application that would use the droid sound card to connect a person to dial up when in cell roaming mode. Due to cost, some carriers offer roaming voice, but no data. A no hardware solution would be awesome.

 

[Hadron]

Due you still have dial up networking? Most, if not all, ISPs here in the UK discontinued that some time ago.