Getting on the NET

[bonkers]

I have an m130 and am confused about getting on the net with it. I know I need a modem, but can I use my regualr ISP? I know that most users want to be mobile with their PDAs and use a cellular service, but all I need to do is have a way to get on the net from my work room and monitor my email without having to get another computer or get in my wheelchair and haul myself to the other end of the house. Can anyone help me out here? The main computer has to stay where it is because my son also runs his business from it.

[JohnKes]

I have had marginal success with using a Palm device to surf the web. You will need:
1) Bluetooth SD card for your m130 (~$100)
2) browser, such as Blazer ($30)
3) Bluetooth adapter for the PC (~$30)

Then you need to set up Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) in Windows. That should get you web access wirelessly thru the PC with a range of about 25 feet. Will this be cost effective for you? You may be better off getting a cheap laptop (~$600) and a wireless router (~$50), and do some real surfing (maybe even at the local library or Starbucks).

[bonkers]

Thanks! I found a bluetooth and an adapter together for under $60, so I think I'll go that way. Is Blazer the best browser for the m130? I'm a total idiot in this area.

[JohnKes]

As far as I know, Blazer is the best you can buy/download right now. A better browser is coming out soon. Sony has a better one but you can't download it from anywhere that I know of - it comes with Sony Clie's on the install disk.

[bonkers]

I have been trying for three days to get this Bluetooth business to work, but keep getting a timeout error. I can't sync with it either. Using Blazer, USB Blue Soleil Doggle, and Bluetooth card.

Any suggestions?

[JohnKes]

To sync:
In the BT setup, make note of the COM ports it is using, and match HotSync Manager to it.

For internet see:
http://www.whizoo.com/bt_setup/

[bonkers]

I already had the COM ports set the same, but I hadn't selected "local serial" by right clicking on the Hotsync icon in the system tray. Although the adapter is USB the Bluetooth connects through a virtual serial port, and I didn't think to change the settings. Hotsync worked fine after that.

To get on the net, I followed the directions on the link you gave to update the driver for the adapter using the install CD, and it crashed everything. No more Hotsync. No device discovery, nuthin. I found a discussion of the driver problem in XP at Microsoft, and their fix was to uninstall everything and reboot, rename the Windows Bluetooth driver from BLTH.DLL to BLTH.BAK and then install your Bluetooth devices with their own drivers. This fixed everything just great. The other site was right about the driver problem, but their fix just didn't work for me. I wanted to let you know about the Microsoft fix in case anyone else runs into that problem.

I am still picking my way through the rest of that site to fix the problem getting on the net, messing with firewalls, etc. I'll let you know if I ever get it to work. Thanks for all your help.