Cell Phone Internet Access
I have an existing cable account which also supports dial-in. I have a Motorola cell phone with built-in modem ability, and a Sprint cell account with country-wide free long distance. I set up the laptop's serial port to support a 19,200 baud COM port; Windows XP in my case sets it up as COM 4, N, 8, 1. Now go into the New Connection Wizard and declare a Standard Modem on COM 4 at 19,200 baud. Have the wizard put an icon on the desktop. Double click on the desktop icon, and launch your browser/mail reader. By the time both load, you should be in business at 14,400 baud, the maximum for the Sprint lines. Tell friends not to send you pictures when you'll be aboard. Downloading black and white weather pictures is the only way to go; color is too slow. You will need to pay Sprint an extra $5 a month for use of the data capability of their lines. I have a 300 minute-day/unlimited night and weekends contract with them which works okay for about an hour an a half's connect time in the evening. Enjoy!
