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Old 04-03-2004, 02:59 PM   #1
RockyMtnRay
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Default Express Link...a web/email accelerator for mobile connectivity

As I've mentioned before, I do a lot of connecting to the web while I'm traveling in my TM by using my cellphone as a wireless modem. And while my Verizon digital (CDMA) service is available almost anywhere digital voice service is, it's only a pretty slow 14.4K connection (one fourth normal dialup, about 3% of DSL). And if I'm in a analog-only service area, that speed drops to a really poky 9.6K. If you think the internet is slow at 56K, you oughta try it at 9.6K...even simple webpages literally take minutes to load.

So being doubtful about the claims of 5X (or better) acceleration but desperate to try anything, I gave Ositech Communications new Express Link Service a try (2 week free trial period helped make it pretty easy ). And lo and behold, I found it actually works even better than claimed!!

Unlike most accelerators which just cache pages, this one involves connecting to a special server using a client program; the two use special compression between them of web pages, email, and images to greatly reduce the actual number of bits being transferred. On text, the compression ratio/transfer speedup is usually at least 10X (often as much as 20X); on images (you can set the degree of compression for images) the speedup is typically 2X to 4X.

The bottom line is that it makes 56K act like DSL and even a wireless modem at 14.4K is noticeably faster than a normal 56K dialup. The client program works seemlessly between the browser and the service's acceleration server so it's a no-brainer to use. And the fee isn't too bad at all: $14.95 per quarter or just 5 bucks a month. For those who are stuck with dialup at home or want/need to use dialup to the internet while traveling, this service changes the World Wide Wait into a pretty zippy experience.
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Old 04-03-2004, 07:58 PM   #2
JTorsrud
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Default Re:Express Link...a web/email accelerator for mobile connectivity

Hi Ray:

So what do I need to make this work with my Laptop?

I have Verizon Wireless now!

Appreciate your feedback.

Jeff
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Old 04-04-2004, 12:44 PM   #3
RockyMtnRay
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Default Re:Express Link...a web/email accelerator for mobile connectivity

[quote author=JTorsrud link=board=1;threadid=1812;start=msg12826#msg12826 date=1081047528]
Hi Ray:

So what do I need to make this work with my Laptop?

I have Verizon Wireless now!

Appreciate your feedback.

Jeff

[/quote]

First of all you must have a cellphone model that can be connected to a computer to act as a wireless modem...not all can, in particular most of the lower cost cellphones can't. If Verizon and/or the cellphone manufacture sell a "data cable" for your particular phone, then it's a model that can be connected. If you aren't sure, let me know which make and model of phone you have and I'll help you ascertain if your phone can be used as a wireless modem. I have a Motorola V60...it was about the best model Verizon was selling a year or so ago.

If you do have wireless modem capable phone, you have two paths to follow.

If you get the manufacturer's data cable and enabling software (expect to pay around $100 for these items), you'll be able to use your phone in digital mode at 14.4K by plugging one end of the cable into phone and the other end into either a USB or serial port on your computer. The combination of software and cabling with your phone causes the phone to appear to your computer as just another installed modem...when you want to use your phone as a wireless modem you simply select that modem to be used as the modem for the call and dial in the ordinary manner. For dialup I use Mindspring as my ISP and I simply dial the number of the geographically closest Mindspring access point. Since I have no-extra-charge long distance on my Verizon plan, I can (and sometimes do) use any Mindspring access point that will work but have found that I get slightly better data transmission rates (less noise) by dialing the closest one.

Now if you want complete flexibility to use your phone as a digital modem (whenever a digital cell signal is available) or as an analog modem (when only a analog signal is available such as in the really rural West), then you'll need an Ositech King of Clubs PCMIA card and the Ositech data cable. This is what I have and can testify that it really does work...I get 14.4K base connectivity whenever I can get at least 2 bars of digital signal strenght and I get 9.6K base connnectivity when my phone goes into (or I force it into) analog mode. Depending on where you buy it, this "Cellflex" solution runs around $150.

As I believe you live in the relatively well covered (celluar wise) Midwest where digital cellular is omnipresent, you probably would do fine with the strictly digital approach using your manufacturers data cable. Back when I was with Qwest wireless and had a Qualcomm phone, this was the approach I took and it worked quite well as long as I was in Qwest's digital service area.

Oh...almost forgot to mention and this may be a real biggie. The last I knew, the software needed to enable the Ositech card and nearly all phone manufacturers data cables to use a cellphone as a wireless modem would only work on Windows computers (usually Windows 98 and later). If you have an Apple Mac you may be totally out of luck and you certainly will have to really struggle to find the needed enabling software.
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Old 04-04-2004, 01:35 PM   #4
JTorsrud
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Default Re:Express Link...a web/email accelerator for mobile connectivity

Thanks Ray!

That helps alot.

I'll look into Verizon and see what they have available.

Would be nice to access our Email on the road.

Later.

Jeff
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Old 04-11-2004, 04:55 PM   #5
fcatwo
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Default Re:Express Link...a web/email accelerator for mobile connectivity

We signed up for a new Verizon plan in January and got a Motorola T730 internet-able phone and their Mobile Office Kit at the same time. Amoung other things, the phone has a GPS chip and changes it's own time when it moves into a new time zone. The internet software and cable cost $80.00 but there is no charge for internet access other than the minutes you use. With 400 anywhere minutes and free nights and weekends we haven't found minutes to be a problem. Verizon claims it's faster than dialup and I can't dispute that because I haven't paid close attention to that. It seems about the same as dialup to me. Our only complaint is that the PC is supposed to power the phone throught the USB cable and I don't think it's doing that. Probably a PC problem rather than the phone.
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Old 04-12-2004, 10:18 PM   #6
jbeletti
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Default Re:Express Link...a web/email accelerator for mobile connectivity

Just to add my experience to this thread...

I recently changed cell phones and went from the Sony Ericsson P800 to the PalmOne (formerly Handspring) Treo 600 PDA/Phone (a long story as to why). This Treo 600 was supplied by AT&T Wireless (GSM band radios).

I'd been with AT&T for many years but I wasn't enamored with my data plan (I had the 8MB per month plan for $20). Recently, I network unlocked the phone and moved my number and service over to T-Mobile. I did this to get T-Mobile's unlimited data plan for the same $20 per month I was already paying. And while this may be specific to my area (Chicago suburbs), my coverage is much better.

That all said, what I did next is the point of my post. Using the sync cable that came with the phone and using a Palm OS application called WirelessModem (www.notifymail.com/palm), I successfully connected my Mac Powerbook to the Internet, using the Treo 600 as a wireless modem. So far, I've tested email using a web client (and mailblocks.com) and MSN Messenger (for Mac). Both worked fine.

I am using the WirelessModem application as a demo at this time. When we're out on our maiden voyage with the TM 3023 this weekend in Michigan, I'll give the Phone/Laptop setup a real field test. If it goes well, I will register the application. It's not cheap ($37.50), but if it works well, for a one-time investment of $37.50, I can really leverage that unlimited data plan.

Take care all,

Jim
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