Motorola E815 as a Mac OS X modem
A couple of months ago, I got a Motorola E815 and wrote about it here. Since then, I’ve been getting quite a bit of traffic to my site and e-mails from people who want more information about using the E815 as a Bluetooth modem with Verizon. This guide explains the steps I followed.
First, a couple of warnings
Verizon does not technically support the Bluetooth modem profile. This guide will show you how to make it work, but I’m not responsible if anything goes wrong. Also, use of this service does not count towards the minutes included in my calling plan, but your calling plan may be different. It seems having the mobile web service gives you unlimited access to data services, but I could be wrong and if I am and you get an enormous bill from Verizon I’m not going to help you pay it. You’re on your own here.
What you need
- Motorola E815, although similar phones, such as the V710, may also work
- Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger (although 10.3 Panther will probably also work)
- A computer with Bluetooth integrated or with an adapter (which you can buy for around $30)
- Verizon account with mobile web service (if you can browse the web on your phone, you have it)
What to do
- Verizon ships its phones with dial-up networking disabled. To enable it, enter ## DIALUP on your phone. That’s ## 342587. For this to work you need to do it quickly. The phone will show a confirmation once you’ve successfully enabled dial-up networking. Doing this more than once will disable dial-up networking. If this happens, just enter the code to enable it again.
- Click Apple → System Preferences → Bluetooth to open Bluetooth settings.
- Click the settings tab and ensure these checkboxes are selected:
- Click the devices tab.
- Click Set up new device. This will open the Bluetooth Setup Assistant. If you don’t already have Bluetooth enabled, click the button to turn it on when you’re asked. Then click Continue.
- Select Mobile phone as the device type and click Continue.
- The Setup Assistant will now try to locate your phone. You should have your phone nearby and it should be discoverable. To make it discoverable, open the main menu on your phone and select Settings → Connection → Bluetooth Link → Setup → Find Me. Once your phone appears in the list, click Continue.
- Next, your phone will ask if you want it to bond with your computer. Select Yes. Then enter the passkey shown into your phone. Once connected, your computer will determine some information about your phone. This could take 30 seconds or so. When it’s finished, click Continue.
- Check the box to Access the Internet with your phone’s data connection and select Use a direct, higher speed connection. If you have iSync version 2.1 or greater, you could also check the box to set up iSync if you want to transfer contacts and your calendar to your phone. Then click Contiue.
- Enter your-phone-number@vzw3g.com for Username. Enter anything into the password box, it doesn’t matter what. Enter #777 for the GPRS CID String. I use Verizon Support for the modem script, although I’ve found several others also work. Now click Continue.
- The next screen will tell you that you’re phone has been set up. Click Quit to exit the Setup Assistant.
- Now select Network from the System Preferences screen. If you still have the Bluetooth devices window open, you can just click Show All to return to the System Preferences screen. Otherwise select Apple → System Preferences → Network. On the Network screen, be sure Bluetooth is selected and then click Configure.
- Be sure you are on the PPP tab. Then click PPP Options.
- The only change I made on this screen was to select Use TCP header compression. The connection seemed a bit faster with this enabled, but if you experience connection problems you might try disabling it. Compare your screen to the image below. When you’ve made the necessary changes, click OK.
- Click the Bluetooth modem tab. Select Show modem status in menu bar.
- Now close the Network window. If you’re asked whether to apply configuration changes, click Apply.
- To connect, click the Internet Connect icon on the menu bar and select Connect.
Known issues
- The connection disconnects if idle for more than a few minutes. This is quite annoying while typing an e-mail or reading a lengthy web page. If disconnected, you’ll see a message that “the other side has stopped responding.” If I find a solution for this I’ll post it here.
- Depending on your location, there could be a fair amount of latency. For instance, when you click on a link there may be a one to two second delay.
Common problems and solutions
When trying to connect, I get the message “No carrier detected. Please check phone line connection and try again.”
Be sure you’ve enabled dial-up networking on your phone. To enable dial-up networking, enter ##342587 very quickly. It will not work if you enter the numbers too slowly. You should get a confirmation the dial-up networking has been enabled.
I see “Connecting…” in the menu bar, but Internet Connect receives no response
Try browsing the web on your phone. If you can’t, verify that you have Verizon’s mobile web service and that you’re in an area where it’s supported. You should hear a quick beep from your phone when attempting to connect. If you don’t, your computer may not be able to communicate with your phone. Try going through the steps involving the Bluetooth Setup Assistant again.
Comments
This worked great for me. The only suggestion that I have is that you do NOT need to check the "discoverable" box in the Bluetooth settings. I would suggest that you don't, for security reasons. For more info, see Bruce Schneier's writeup.
Thanks, great writeup! I set this up a while back but had to re-install everything on my iBook. It was much easier to enable the bluetooth modem with your tutorial!
Bravo Jason, I'm connected via the USB cable with the E815 right now.
At the access the internet with your phone's data connection in the BT setup, that option is not active (grayed out), so maybe it's a 10.3.9 issue. I'll give BT another go when I get to 10.4.
Still, it's working great with the USB cable and this will allow me to travel. No thanks to verizon but many thanks to you.
Andy Bartlett
Man this thing works pretty good. i sent this from my pwerbook through teh e 815...awesome stuff....speed is nice...i thought it would be too slow, but it actually works pretty well...
Great writeup! The only problem is that I have an iPAQ PocketPC and was hoping to do the same thing with it. Any ideas?
Awesome tutorial...the phone number and username work fine if using the USB cable, too...and the USB cable does not time out if you're idle for a few seconds.
The only real solution to the bluetooth idle thing is to open up terminal and ping some other site. Never idle, low bandwidth usage, and keeps latency down...
I have found a solution to the disconect problem.
Under Systems Prefs go to the bluetooth settings. then click on the PPP tap. Under the PPP Options UNCHECK "Send PPP echo packets."
That's it. No problems since then. I tested for 30 Minutes the other day. I on the other hand don't want to be on too long. I have read rumors saying that Verizon is looking for people who are Tethering to their EvDO network and then billing them. I don't know if that is true but would like to stay under the radar if that is so. I hope it helps and thank you for making such a helpful site.
Adam
I got my E815 set up for internet access with my powerbook - no problem thanks to these great instructions. However, after a couple of days it quit working. I don't know if it's a problem with the phone or with Verizon. I get connected, then disconnected immediately. Anyone else experience this?
I've been hunting for this info for a long time. Worked perfectly on my V710 with my PB running Tiger. Only problem is, when I was done it wouldn't quit on the phone. It showed it disconnected on the menu, but on the phone it still showed packet data. Any idea how to get it to disconnect properly. I just shut down the phone. Also, on a speed test I got124 kbs download and 17 kbs upload. Is this the normal speed?
If you can answer my questions, great!
Thanks for the help.
Great info! I am absolutely thrilled this worked! Only one thing: you need to remind people to turn their Bluetooth to ON in their phone settings.
Kim
THANK YOU! I have had my v710 (VZW) for 2 years and have not been able to get it to work. Thank to your site plus the Verizon_Wireless_STD_Driver that I got from John R. Chang's Site I am now up and running.
http://homepage.mac.com/jrc/contrib/mobile_office/
Thank you !!!!! Thank you !!!!! Thank you !!!!!
-Alan
Is this working with the new firmware after disabling EVDO?
Thanks.
I am getting a 'Failed to open an RFCOMM serial channel.' error message when I try to connect. Any suggestions?
BT
e815
Verizon Internet enabled
##342587 - netowrk enabled
am I missing anything?
This is excellent info! I just got (about 5 pm, 26Feb06) a new e815, and stumbled across your site using google this evening. I am on the web now with my Powerbook G4. Checked with CNET speed test, and am getting 100kbps. Very cool.
Nice work writing this up. This is the first bluetooth tool I have had, and this has opened a new world for me.
Thanks very much!
thanks, worked great. i was having trouble till you show the#777 trick. that's what i needed. now, Does Anyone Know How Verizon Bills This?
OK here is a warning for all of you who just got an e815 or are looking to upgrade the firmware. The new firmware (firmware = software that runs the phone.) dose not allow this. Verizon says it fixes other things. I have not seen it my self but does disables DUN (dial up networking). You can find out if you have the new firmware by going to the e815 main menu- Phone Info - other information - S/W Version. If you see 8720_01.1e.00 You are out of luck for now. What has happened is Verizon has turned on the the Dial up networking via USB it seems. But disabled the Bluetooth. The reason is because the are going to release a new plane for EVDO with this phone for $60 a month. Their are some work around that i have tried but none are working. I will do more research and tell you my findings.
Thanks, I'm back online with my phone. I had similar ability with my old LG and a USB cable from Smith Micro but that all disappeared when I got my E815. I had to re-activate my old phone on the Verizon website when I traveled to get email.
If I may add a tip for those who need to send email: Set up an account in your mail program with mail server as smtp.vzwmail.net and username as your phone number for # as follows: ##########@vzwmail.net.
It's really annoying when the technology is in your hand and your service provider is actively working against you. I can deal with $5 a month for this ability.
I had read about altering seems on another forum, using a USB cable I didn't have on a PC I didn't have with software I didn't have with the possible outcome of turning my phone into a paperweight.
Thanks again for all of your effort in sharing this so clearly.
Thanks for the info...
I've gotten 90% of the way their before, your site helped with the last 10%!
The irony is that I'd be happy to pay Verizon for this, but they really have no solution for EVDO access for a mac!
Also, for what it's worth:
I had previously hacked the 815 with seem edits to allow bluetooth file transfer... An ability of somewhat limited value IMHO. When I did, I lost the ability to synch my contacts and calender with the phone, a much higher value function for my needs.
You might be able to get both to work, I didn't spend too much time playing with it.
THANK YOU!
I set everything as was shown on this site, and then got an error message from internet connect when trying to connect which saud, "Could not open the communication device." Why is this? I don't pay for the mobile web service on the phone, but this shouldn't have an effect on connecting.
Just a word to the wise: My minutes connected DO count for my mobile plan (though they didn't show up until the end of the month, so I didn't know they were accruing); loving that $200 phone bill. So, as he said, be careful and cautious about how you use this; for me it looks like it's not a matter of amount of data, but number of minutes connected (wish I had known that ahead of time... now you will).
(For comparison's sake, I have a family plan with 700 minutes/month and mobile web...)
Excellent tutorial! I just picked up a 815, and this works flawlessly with my 12" PB. I have software version 8720_01.17.03. The only thing I couldn;t gte to work is the tip abouyt setting up a mail account using vzwmail.net; Mail can't confirm the server so it won't take. Luckily I can send mail using .mac mail. On EVDO here in Chicago, I'm consistently getting speeds of 500 kbps down, and about 80-90 kbps up. Coolio.
Like many others on here, I've successfully paired my Powerbook and e815. Here's my problem…the Bluetooth on my phone suddenly stopped working. Unable to fix, Verizon replaced the phone. The trouble is now my phone as the latest firmware which will NOT allow me to use DUN with Bluetooth. I know that Adam mentioned that he's doing some digging. Has anyone had any luck getting this to work with the latest firmware? The computer will see the e815 and palce the "data call" -- but I get an authentication error.
Here are my questions:
Can I downgrade my firmware to the previous version?
Can I fix this with seem editing/hacking?
In response to Paul using EVDO in Chicago, I have the same version on my phone, paired with a mac as well. I was wondering if you experianced your minutes being tacted on at the end of the month. Also,if Im understanding this correctly, then If I have mobile web 1.0 at school, then go home to Philly (EVDO network)-I will achieve those same speeds, and if I should expect charges either by minutes or $
does verizon have an official plan or plan option to allow use of the E815 or the V710 as a data modem, either via USB cable or Bluetooth?
Do either of these phones, when used as modems, actually deliver EVDO speeds?
Thanks...
SO I am trying to get this to work with the motorola V3c and It tells me authencation failed, Any ideas?
I am one of the unlucky ones with an 815 with the new firmware that disables DUNS
How do I use the phone as a modem with a cable ?
Thank you.....
So....is there anyway that I can access the internet (fast or slow) with my upgraded phone?
Great instructions! On my new e815, I tried this and it didn't work because of my firmware. Makes sense.
But after flashing the older (01.17.03) version, it now doesn't work because when I relinked the phone again to the Mac, I am only given the iSync option (your Step 9).
Any ideas on why I am not offered the Bluetooth service of using the phone to connect to the internet? Thanks, C
hi! i used to have an e815 that i used to connect on my i book using the bluetooth DUN hack. it was awesome, until i had to get a new e815 because the charger port was messed up. now of course, i can't connect using bluetooth on the new version of the firmware. i think i saw that i use can use a USB cable to make the connection with the new version, but i am not sure how...if anyone knows i would appreciate any info.
also, it was really annoying that the connection would drop while idle a few minutes, so i would always open a music stream so it would stay connected for as long as i wanted. pretty low tech, but worked for me...
Hey. I also am one of the unlucky ones. I have spent the better part of a day trying to uncover any information on enabling the dial-up with bluetooth I've had over the last couple years, but have had no success; disabling EVDO through Test-Mode did not work for me.
Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Can one easily flash and/or edit seems with a Mac?
Thank you so much! I was so disappointed to get home with a bluetooth phone only to have them tell me that it was blocked from connecting to the net.
You have made my day!