[PLUG] T-Mobile GPRS/Edge/Wi-Fi
Chuck Langenberg
pdxlinux1 at langenberg.com
Sun Apr 23 05:28:46 UTC 2006
You can never be too rich, too thin, or have enough redundant onramps to the
Internet.
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I will bring an activated T-Mobile GC89 PCMCIA card with me to
the Plug Clinic at Freegeek, tomorrow, Sun-Apr-22-2006 @ 1 PM PDT.
I will need to leave with it right at 4 PM.
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I recently activated the service, and am using it with the included Windows CD.
T-Mobile does not support Linux, but it would be great to see it work.
I'll be bringing along an Ubuntu notebook, just in case somebody can do it.
Please advise if you want to try it in your notebook, with your distro.
Activating the card provides you with a SIM, which must be present to operate.
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Here is a spec sheet on T-Mobile's $200 (less $50 rebate) GC89 PCMCIA card:
http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/Phones/Default.aspx?shape=data
It connects via the following protocols:
GPRS -- 2/3 the speed of dialup, I once surfed continuously from Seattle to
Salem.
-- Ain't no speed daemon, but the connection was seamless all the way down
I5.
Edge -- 2.5 times the speed of dialup, they claim, but I haven't "experienced"
it yet.
-- It's supposed to be an up-and-comer, a partnership with T-Mobile &
Cingular.
WiFi -- T-Mobile Hot Spots (starbucks/borders/etc) included with Total Internet
Service.
Connect to other Wi-Fi hotspots, I haven't used the Wi-Fi capability yet.
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Here is a spec sheet on their $50 per month "Total Internet Service":
http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/plans/detail.aspx?tp=tb1&id=311e4582-a0d6-4dc9-956e-8bce2691c67c
(if the url doesn't work, search TMobile.Com for "total internet service" or
browse "plans")
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BTW I got it working on a WinXP desktop with a PCI to PCMCIA card from Fry's.
Plug it in, no drivers come with the card, PCMCIA shows up with no config.
A $39.95 "For BEST Ports Connection" branded card DOES work. It identifies
itself as:
"Ricoh R/RL/RT/RC/5C475(II), R5C520 or Compatible CardBus Controller"
Tier-3 tech support guy said he'd never heard of a GC89 working with a PCI to
PCMCIA card.
He said he thinks it's because most of them are NOT 32 bit.
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The first card I tried did NOT work; a $39.95 SIIG branded card from Fry's.
It identified itself as Ricoh too, but I don't remember the numbers.
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Warm regards,
Chuck Langenberg
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