ChapterSEVEN.Getting Online with Your Cell Phone

Chapter SEVEN. Getting Online with Your Cell Phone

It wasn't so long ago that we thought the world was just fine without laptops, the Internet, and mobile phones. Today, many jobs would be difficult or impossible without them. And now you can combine these devices together to make an instant, portable office.

Of course, the fastest way to access the Internet is with an Ethernet connection to a broadband service: The next best way to connect is through Wi-Fi. If neither of these options is available, your laptop's internal modem provides a somewhat re liable, albeit slow, way to get onlinethat is, if your ISP offers dial-up service, and you're near an analog phone line.

But what about when you're out in the middle of nowhere, and none of these traditional connection methods is available?

Fortunately, the answer may be in the palm of your hand (or in your purse) in the form of your cell phone. With a little effort, it's possible to access the Internet through the virtually omnipresent cellular networks by using your cell phone as a modem. Your data-transfer speeds can be anywhere from as slow as dial-up to as fast as broadband, depending on your phone, service provider, and signal strength.

Connecting to the Internet through your mobile phone is a last-resort option. Your phone bill will be inflated (especially if data roaming charges apply), but it sure beats being cut off from the Internet entirely.