Setting up laptop to acces internet through i330

[EdParker]

Has anyone set up their laptop to access the internet through their laptop? I have heard that I need a data cable, but shouldnt my cradle work? If I do need a cable, would a standard Palm data cable work? Please let me know what I need to do.

Thanks in advance!

Shawn

[ronboykin]

Dear I330 Users:

You don't need anything extra to use the I330 as a modem to access the internet from your laptop or desktop. Your cradle/usb cable and software that comes with it is all you need. I have been using my I330 for a couple of weeks with my desktop computer. You must have a usb port, download the usb drivers to you laptop or desktop computer. If you are going to use Palm Desktop and Hotsync manager. disable hotsync manager in windows first by right clicking on the icon in the taskbar and selecting exit. Now create a new modem as you would with any other modem. What version of Windows do you use? At any rate, sprint wireless web support at level one will not help you with this because they want you to by the vision card, so ask for the level 2 wireless support.

RB

[EdParker]

Thank you so much for your reply!

ok... I tried calling sprint. not they are saying the phone just doesnot work as a gateway to the internet. oh man is this frustrating.

Tried disableing hotsync. PCS Connection manager is still asking for the phone to be plugged in.

sorry for being so simplistic, but could you give me a step by step on how to do this. I am fairly technical but I must be misssing some simple piece here!

Thanks again!

[celticmagick333]

I too would like to have the option of using my i330 to access the internet if needed, however, when I tried using my older smartphone, the LG 3000, as a modem I had trouble with the software on Windows XP. Now that I have the i330 I was wondering if there is a newer program that will work with XP?

Best Regards,

Jason

[ronboykin]

Ok guys:

Like I said before, most lower level sprint techs don't know how to help you. One sprint tech wanted to help me do this one day but I wasn't ready then (just bought my phone). Later when I was ready, I figured it out myself because I've done it with two other sprint phones. Ask for the level 2 wireless or vision support guys don't ask anyone at the first level(call customer solutions from a land phone, *+2+Talk). The first level guys don't know that the I330 can connect to a pc as a wireless modem. In fact most sprint phones with a data cable or usb cables, with internet capabilties can do this. Do any of you know how to create a dial-up connection in Windows? That's basically what you do with this phone. You don't need connection manager. If you still don't have any luck with sprint, I'll try to walk you guys through this next time, Ok? I've never walked anyone through stuff by email though.

sincerely,
Ron Boykin

[celticmagick333]

Thanks Ron. I was under the impression that you needed the Connection Manager to allow this feature. I will try to set up the phone tonight.

Best Regards,

Jason

[celticmagick333]

I finally got it setup. You do however need the Connection Manager software for the drivers. I was a little misled by that, but once I got the drivers from the manager software I was connected without a problem. In fact, I am using the i330 connection to put this post on the forum.

So the list of materials required to make the i330 work as a wireless modem are as follows:

. Connection Manager software, or Dialer software for earlier versions of Windows (available on Sprint download site) for the supplied drivers-the program is not needed to make the connection.
. Cradle with attached USB (serial) cord.
. i330 (of course)


Best Regards,

Jason

[aberezin]

I could not find the drivers on the sprint download site. I found connection manager software (A big exe) that I ran but I still do not have a sprint pcs modem device. Any ideas. I think i can make it work is I can just find the bare drivers. Amazngly, the sprint guys refused to acknoledge that the i330 can be used as a modem.

[celticmagick333]

If you have downloaded and installed Connection Manager, you will have the drivers installed. What you need to do now is "install a modem." Do not have Windows detect your modem, instead select "Don't detect my modem; I will select it from a list." Once the list is on your screen, you should see two categories, Manufacturer and Models. Under the manufacturer column, select "Sprint" and under the Models column, select "PCS Software Modem." You will also need to choose the Com Port that your phone is on, for mine it was COM port 4. Once you do that Windows will install the modem. Now what you need to do is create a "Network Connection" select "Connect to the internet" then select "Setup my connection manually" followed by "Connect using a dial-up modem" then select your modem (your i330 that you just installed) from the list. You will be able to name your connection, be creative :) For the phone number put #777, if you do not you will be charged extra for data calls since you are bypassing your Vision service (where data calls are unlimited and paid for by your montly contributions). Depending on your use, you can choose to use the i330 as your default modem or secondary modem, set this up according to how you are going to be using your i330. Do not put a username or password in. Save and try the setup.

Make sure the i330 is in the cradle and HotSync manager is disabled while using your i330 as a modem. Remember: connection speeds will vary depedning on network usage of other users and your surroundings. I had 100kbps the first time I logged on, but I have heard of slower, like 50-60kbps.

Best Regards,

Jason

[aberezin]

the problem is that when I add a modem, I do not get SPRINT PCS as a manufacturer. It is as if no drivers were installed or regognized.

[celticmagick333]

hmmm...What version of Windows are you running? Are you using dial-up internet connection? If you don't mind me asking, what options are you given under the manufacturers column?

Maybe it is called something else on your computer...

What you might want to do is uninstall Connection Manager and try re-installing it. It is also possible that the file you downloaded got corupted during the download process, causing improper installation (common with dial-up connections).

Best Regards,

Jason

[aberezin]

Well, I reinstalled and finally got the SPRINT PCS options for modems. I have tried each one ("PCS Phone" and "PCS...3G" connect to the proper COM port (COM3) and neither works. The Diagnostics from Dialer say there is no connected device. However, something is wiggling in the sense that when I run the diagnostics, the phone "wakes up". Hot sync is not interfereing since I had made sure it was killed. Interestly, if my phone is on the web (using Blazer) and I try to connect using Dialer, the phone complains and says I need to disconnect using the Prefs | Network screen. So Im stumped.

[celticmagick333]

Are you trying to connect to the internet through your i330 using the Dialer software?

Also! make sure your Com port speed is matched with the phone. I have mine set to 115200bps, which I believe is the standard.

Jason

[ronboykin]

Guys: The I330 doesn't come with connection manager. It comes with Palm Desktop and Hotsync. The usb drivers are included and installed with the Palm Desktop and Hotsync. All this included on the CD. Disable hotsync manager in Windows, turn off your internet connection on the I330. Put the phone in the cradle and connect the usb cable to your computer. Now create a new modem in Windows. I use Windows 2000 so I pick the fastest standard modem from the list. Let Windows detect the phone. If Windows can't detect your phone your phone may be running the internet or hotsync may be running. Hopefully you have enough communication ports. Once Windows detects your phone (thanks to the software drivers) plug in your area code of your sprint number and the dial number #777 and give it a optional name. That should do it. Windows 98/Me, creates a dial-up icon on the desktop that you double click on, I think. It's Been awhile since I've used these versions. If you don't see it you can open up Control Panel from the settings menu and double click on "Network and Dial-up Connections" to see the dial-up icon/connection/modem you just created. You might even have a shortcut to it in the settings menu so you don't have to open up Control Panel as in Windows 2000.

[celticmagick333]

It's not the USB drivers that you are after when installing Connection Manager; it is modem drivers for Windows to recognize that you gain by installing the manager. I understand how the setup you are describing works. Also, by installing the Connection Manager for the modem drivers ONLY, you do not have to disable the internet connection on the i330. The way you are describing seems like it would become a nuisance when you want to use your phone's internet features separate from your PC, having to reconnect and disconnect the internet function. Too many steps involved in my opinion, with the setup I did all you have to do is put the phone in the cradle, disable Hotsync and connect, and you might not even have to disable Hotsync. I have yet to try it with HS running. Once I learned of the steps from another smartphone forum, it took me less than 5 minutes to set everything up and get connected.

You can also remove the Connection Manager once you have everything setup, so you are not wasting that oh so precious disk space. :)

Well, as long as you can connect through your i330, that's all that matters. Many paths to the same summit.

Take care and Best Regards,

Jason

[ronboykin]

Dear I330 Users:

I don't even use connection manager or dialer. I have no problem using the phone they way that I want. Like I said all the drivers are on the CD that comes with the phone. Even the driver that it uses to run as a wireless modem in Windows. You have to remember that the phone should not be running a internet connection before you use it with Windows as a wireless modem.
You may have to go into the phone's dialer and click disconnect because the phone can stay connected even if you're not using its browser. The only dialer that I use is the Windows dial-up connection created when I created a new modem. No problems at all. My other Vision phone that I use is the Sanyo 4900. I aquired a data cable and Connection manager (wireless connection kit) from ebay. The drivers came with Connection manager but I stopped using connection manager and just used windows dial-up, worked much better. My phone before my Sanyo 4900 was a Kyocera 6035 smartpone. I didn't need any modem drivers for the 6035 because the modem software was built into the phone. My first phone that I ever connected to my computers was the old Touchpoint 2100 Sprint phone. I still have all these phones today. I think they're classic. When I used the touchpoint phone, the vision network was just a pipe dream. When I started using the Kyocera 6035, vision was barely getting off the ground. Internet access was based on air time minutes. Now we have unlimited internet with Vision! I have much experience using these phones as wireless modems because that's what they are. All of this stuff is quite easy for me because I've done it so many times and I have built and maintained many computers with modems, sound cards, midi cards for years. So I'm not new at setting up computers with different devices.

Piece,
Ron Boykin

[aberezin]

Sorry to keep belaboring this but. I tried using a standard modem (generic 33kb) with the default port settings 8 bits, 1 stop, no parity. The com3 port definately shows the samsung usb-com port driver but, after setting up the generic modem, I hit the "Query Modem" button under the diagnostic tab and it returns a "Modem failed to respond.." error. Interestingly, again, the i330 "wakes up" during the process. I guess Ill try this on another PC. Maybe this pc is just problematic. Thanks for all the help though.

[celticmagick333]

I'm not claiming that you do not know what you are talking about, there was no disrespect going on. I thought that I made that clear at the end of the previous post, "Many paths to the same summit.." I have had everything from the included CD installed for awhile but was not able to set the phone up as a modem. So I ended up doing a search on the internet and came across a forum that was totally dedicated to smartphones. They had a whole section dedicated to using the i330 as a modem; I followed the directions there since they were a little more clear.

I also noticed that you said you had connection manager installed prior to using your i330, I think for your Sanyo and Kyocera, if that is the case: That would explain why Windows recognizes your phone without having to install CM. You have already done so for your older phones. Even if you remove CM while your phone is still setup as a modem, the settings/drivers will remain intact. I never had CM or the PCS Software modem drivers on my computer, and as a result, I had problems with Windows making contact with my phone when I had it set to use the fastest standard modem from the default list. The i330 screen came on when I tried dialing out, but no avail. I got some kind of error message about not being able to communicate with my "modem."

I was just posting my experiences and describing my situation, that's all. Sorry if I have offened you, that was not the intention.

Best Regards,

Jason

[aberezin]

oh, sorry. I didnt mean to sound defensive. You've been a great help. Do you recall where the download site was with the drivers? I will try another PC this weekend.

[celticmagick333]

Dear aberezin,

That last post wasn't for you. You had posted your question before I posted mine, making it look like I responded to you.

Sorry for the confusion.

Jason

[gregchesney]

I get great connection speed (125), but it does not last. Anyone else have a similar problem. I am losing my connection very rapidly, within the first couple of minutes. Is Sprint on to me? Seems unlikely. I am about ready to buy a card which burns me since I already have this great phone modem.

[celticmagick333]

Dear Greg,

If you buy an air card you will most likely have the same problem. It sounds to me that it might be your location. When you say that you lose connection, what does that mean exactly? Is your signal going down, or is it disconnecting even with a strong signal?

Best Regards,

Jason

[cnbmis]

I'd suggest giving the phone a few more tries in the modem capacity -- I had trouble for a while, and I believe I experienced more drops early on as well. After reading here, and a couple failed attempts, I have the modem / phone connection working on my laptop with windoze XP... Sometimes I do experience the connection either hanging or dropping, but usually a disconnect / reconnect (using XP) does the job. The speeds are pretty good -- generally better than dialup. I am sure there might be some refinement to the connection and performance if Samsung and/or Sprint would more aggressively support their equipment. We can always dream? :)

As previously pondered, I also really hope this is allowed to continue without limits, because I have downed as much as 4 meg in a couple hours of casual browsing. (knocking on wood rapidly)

If anyone has further questions about getting the modem connection to happen, I'll try to help as well -- I ended up using "unknown modem" at 115,200, all other settings at default, and that worked for me when "standard modem" would not.

[ronboykin]

aberezin:

Do you mean that you see the drivers in device manager? They have to be installed on a free port. If Windows doesn't detect your phone when you create a dial up connection you have something else taking up the same port. Could be hotsync or something else. Make sure you have the correct drivers. You need the two drivers that come on the I330 CD. One that installs the usb connection drivers and one that gives the phone its modem capability. The Kyocera 6035 had this modem capability built into the software/firmware so it didn't need modem driver installed. I would definately not use connection manager to dial in to the sprint network because I think it will disable your connection through inactivity or at certain intervals. Make sure you have strong reception. So move the phone to the proper position. Check out my other post, in this forum, that walks you through setting up the I330 with a laptop, OK?

Hope this helps

[jtaugher]

With a little re-reading of your message, I was able to install it just fine! Wow .. I am getting 134kbps. Not bad. I used to have a Sanyo 4500 with the Wireless Web Kit.

So if you have a Vision Plan you have unlimited usage because you are going through the phone -- but if you were to use a PCMCIA PCS card it would cost you? I like that. :)

[ronboykin]

jtaugher, I'm glad I could help! I hope that you got a Vision plan before the price increase. I think it's now $15 for unlimited Vision.
Data calls used to get charged by the kilobytes but now with a vision plan, its still just a flat fee! I think the aircard plan is still by the kilobytes, maybe.

It seems as though some other I330 users, maybe in this forum, buy these phones used without its CD and they have struggled to aquire the drivers for this phone. Samsung USA has those drivers on their web sight. Don't go to Sprint!

If you would like to do email with this phone, download Eudora Suite 2.1 EIS from Eudora's web sight and configure your sprintpcs mail as pop mail. Short mail can't be sent from this phone unless you have the I330SMS plug in from PDAapps.com and accessing your Sprint account directly from the I330 doesn't work yet. You can only access your Sprint account from Internet Explorer. But you knew that, right?

Sincerely,
Ronald Boykin

[jtaugher]

Yeah .. I've been on the two-phone $85 plan for a number of month now and it includes unlimited vision.

What I really wanted to accomplish with this phone was finding an IMAP client that worked with it so I could access my normal email. However, I've downloaded Eudora and I'll use this to access a different email account on my server (and just do so by POP). I get soo much junkmail on the account that I wanted to get that -- it be ridiculous to check it from my palm.

But being able to use it as a modem -- now that's really nice. I'd like to know if there is any way to use the modem as a fax -- I could do that with my older Sanyo 4500 w/ the web kit.

[jfoustie]

I don't suppose any of you could email me this Connection Manager download, could you? I have tried to get to the Sprint Download site several times and through many different links and get just a blank page with the "Done" status. I have just recently switched from Nextel and one of the requirements was to be able to use the phone as a modem just like my Nextel phone. I want to ensure this works before I sell my Nextel phone.

Thanks, Jonathan

[jtaugher]

Originally posted by jfoustie
I don't suppose any of you could email me this Connection Manager download, could you? I have tried to get to the Sprint Download site several times and through many different links and get just a blank page with the "Done" status. I have just recently switched from Nextel and one of the requirements was to be able to use the phone as a modem just like my Nextel phone. I want to ensure this works before I sell my Nextel phone.

All the drivers you need are at this site:
http://www.samsungtelecom.com/support/i330/support.asp

[manmor]

hello i330 people thanks for your help for stting up i330 and my destok.

for all who are trying to do it it is really easy.

i got the anwser from samsung level 2 technical support.

1.- you need the usb cradle
2.- install de usb drivers

you do not need the dialer sotfware.

the trick is you have to set up the phone as a standar 33600 modem this if you use win xp.

then create a internet conection and you are ready to navigate.

try it right now i am posting this with this conecction.

one question does any body knows how can i improve the reception of i33o. i work in an study with sound proof walls .
thanks again

[jtaugher]

Originally posted by manmor
one question does any body knows how can i improve the reception of i33o. i work in an study with sound proof walls .
thanks again

That's an easy one .. get out of your study, go outside -- be real mobile! :)

[rippey15]

i just got the i330 phone and i try to connect it to it to my laptop and it ask for a disk for usb drivers. i did not get a disk do you know where i can get the driver and does anyone know if you can text message from this phone.

[ronboykin]

The i330 works very well as a wireless modem but you need the usb drivers. Go to the Sprint site and see if they still have them. Maybe not because the phone is old. To perform two-way SMS you have the i330SMS program (third party plug-in). I forget the publisher who make it. I had two i330s. I think I have the software for it somewhere from my broken i330. I'll look for it and send it to anyone who needs it. If you have the cradle for the i330 it will be easier to use it as a modem when you create a network connection in Windows. But use caution here. Sprint doesn't like customers to use their phones as modems for computers without authorization especially if you have a unlimited data plan like I have.

[rippey15]

i got the drivers install and final got connect to the intenet . i was on the phone with sprint for hours before i final found out how to fis it myself . sprints tech support was no help at all. the onlhy problem i and having is it says you can email people and i try it but it did not work . do you know if you can text message for this phone or how to send and email

[ronboykin]

You need the blazer browser that comes with the blazer suite to do email on the i330. It's free but I forget where you download it from.