..............................................................

Internet Online LapTop Warrior Discussion List
I - L-A-P-T-O-P W-A-R-R-I-O-R D-I-G-E-S-T

..................................................................
July 27, 1998 Issue # 020
..................................................................


.....IN THIS DIGEST.....


// -- NEW -- //

Laptop lessons learned on a recent trip
~ Henry Mensch

Sending faxes over the Internet
~ Shen XiaoFeng

Checking non-AOL Email from within AOL
~ RFine312@aol.com

Reviews of laptop
~ Lee A. Krohn


// -- CONTINUING -- //

Using a cell phone modem with a desktop PC
~ L Collins
~ David Lee
~ David Ford
~ Nick Harkins
~ steve.nicks@aeat.co.uk
~ Isabelle Herremans

Email from Vietnam
~ Nick Harkins

HotMail from Europe
~ John Benson


============ Sponsor's Message ============

Laptop Travel

Shop our Web site for the best prices on a complete range of electric and telephone adapter kits, covering nearly 250 countries worldwide. Laptop Travel also sells the many other laptop accessories you'll need to stay online anywhere in the world.

Compare our prices! Also ask about our corporate and reseller programs.

For online ordering, visit us at:
http://www.laptoptravel.com
Or Email us at mailto:laptoptravel@msn.com
1-888-LAP-TRAV (888-527-8728)

========= Please Support Our Sponsor =========



// -- MODERATOR COMMENT -- //

Lot's of useful information in this digest regarding the use of cellular phone-compatible modems -- and the use of this technology on the desktop PC that a subscriber takes along in her recreational vehicle (RV).

Someone also forwarded us a general article about traveling with a laptop in an RV. I've secured permission to reprint it, so look for a special digest in the next week containing this article.

If you don't think you're interested in the subject now, you might like to study up for the future. At retirement, perhaps you too will find yourself with a busy life of leisure, traveling the roads in an RV.


// -- N-E-W -- //

From: henry@q.com
Subject: Laptop lessons learned on a recent trip

Here's something I learned the hard way: Always carry a spare PCMCIA modem. They can be purchased relatively cheaply, and this can save your butt in the event you toast the one you regularly use.

I did this recently in a small resort town with a deadline six hours away. Instead of uploading some stuff and spending six hours by the pool having a swell time, I spent that six hours trying to figure out how I was going to meet the deadline.

*sigh*

# Henry Mensch / <henry@q.com> / pob 14592; sf, ca 94114-0592; usa
# http://www.q.com/henry/


++++ next post - new topic ++++

From: "Shen XiaoFeng" <sxf@public.nt.js.cn>
Subject: Sending faxes over the Internet

I live in China. I want to send a fax to Mexico (No.++52-131-*****). Does anyone know whether I can send it through the TCP?

Best Regards.
Yours Sincerely,
Shen Xiaofeng
sxf@public.nt.js.cn


++++ next post - new topic ++++

From: RFine312@aol.com
Subject: Checking non-AOL Email from within AOL

If I am at home on AOL, how do I access my Email at work which is on mindspring.com?

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
RFine312@aol.com


++++ next post - new topic ++++

From: "Lee A. Krohn" <vtplanner@compuserve.com>
Subject: Reviews of laptop

I just ran across a major review of laptop computer models that might be of use to anyone considering the purchase of something new. It's from PC Magazine and claims to review 54 models having taken the computers "through a battery of tests to examine suitability to task, performance, reliability, battery life and more."

The review can be found at:

http://www.zdnet.com/chkpt/adtewzd/www.zdnet.com/pcmag/features/notebook98/index.html

Lee Krohn
work vtplanner@compuserve.com

Moderator's note:
Make sure that your Email software hasn't broken the above URL in the middle and inserted a hard return. If it has, you'll need to paste the two halves back together before you can access the page. The same holds true for all long web site addresses.


// -- C-O-N-T-I-N-U-I-N-G -- //

From: lcollins <lcollins@mtaonline.net>
Subject: Using a cell phone modem with a desktop PC

In I-Laptop #19, Diane Rowley wrote:
>>I have done a lot of research as how to get email while traveling and nothing seems to be ideal. I had considered buying a laptop and also an acoustical coupler and hooking up to pay telephones at the RV resorts. But when I contacted the acoustical coupler manufacturer they did not recommend it. Basically they indicated that most of the pay telephones out there would not handle the hookup. Next idea was a cellular phone but so far everyone tells me that you need a card added to a laptop and no one can tell me if this is available for a desktop PC. <<

My wife, kids, and I live in Alaska and do a lot of camping here. I bought a Nokia cell phone and go through AT&T wireless to get my Email with my laptop. It did not take any special card installed in my computer. It did however require driver software to get the modem and cell phone to communicate. I bought the cord and drivers at http://www.thesupplynet.com for 60 dollars. I don't think your desktop should require any more than a laptop to do the same. We have big gaps in our cell phone coverage here in Alaska so I recently bought an acoustic coupler to hook up to public phones at roadhouses, lodges, gas stations etc. I will be trying it out this next week. I will let you know how that works as well.

Lonnie Collins
Lcollins@mtaonline.net


++++ next post ++++

From: "Lee, David" <David.Lee@GBR.xerox.com>
Subject: Submission to Laptop Warrior List

In reply to Diane Rowleys question about using a mobile phone with a desktop PC, there is a product available called the Nokia Cellular Data Suite. It is available for Nokia 3110,5110,6110 and 8110 mobile handsets and connects to the PC's serial port. Check out:

http://www.forum.nokia.com/nf/products/datasuite/index.html

Alternatively, you can get PC Card adapters for desktop PCs which fit into a drive bay and are connected to an ISA card. This would allow you to use any of the many PC Card GSM/PSTN modems that are available for a much wider range of handsets. These PC Card Bays are a rare item in the UK but I have seen some for sale in weekly computer magazines like Micro Mart etc.

Hope this helps Diane in some way.

Best Regards,

David Lee
David.Lee@GBR.xerox.com


++++ next post ++++

From: David.Ford@qogr.qld.gov.au
Subject: Use of a cellular phone modem on a desktop PC

I read Diana Rowley's query regarding options for the use of a cellular phone with a desktop PC (I-Laptop #19).

One possible solution (which I must say I haven't tried personally) would be to fit your desktop with a PC Card slot (the hardware is, I believe fairly readily available and reasonably priced - probably even more so in the US than here in Australia). The slot would go where a second floppy drive fits and you could then use a normal cellular PC Card modem as if the desktop were a notebook .

In buying the PC Card modem (and the linking cable - which is not an insignificant part of the cost) make absolutely sure that they will work with your cellular phone. There don't seem to be any really widespread standards for this.

There are only two obvious disadvantages to this approach - it will only work while you have cellular coverage (this is probably much less a problem in the US than here) and the connection speed will be slow (probably 9.6k against the 28.8k+ from land lines). It seems to me a lot simpler and more secure as a form of connection though than an acoustic coupler (which I have had some experience with) and probably no slower, especially for e-mail type applications.

I could recommend a supplier for the bits you will need, but as they are only in Australia, I'm not sure that would be much use!

Good luck - let us know how you go.

Regards
David Ford
Brisbane, Australia


++++ next post ++++

From: "Nick Harkins" <nickh@sprynet.com>
Subject: Use of a cellular phone modem on a desktop PC

I have posted before touting the benefits of acoustic couplers, sorry for repetition, but....

I just returned from a month in France where I picked up my Email and sent and received faxes every day while traveling in hotels in Normandy, and on the canals in Brittany. I also used it in Paris from the hotel. (I also listened to live Giants baseball games with this connection and RealAudio.)

I used an acoustic coupler on payphones, except in Paris where I used a telephone adapter plug. I was getting connections of about 26,400 in payphones, and 33,300 at the Paris hotel. So your info regarding couplers appears to be incorrect.

I use Sprynet as my ISP and can use any worldwide CompuServe node to dial locally to get the mail. It does take a little technical know-how and minimal patience to get it to work, but once you've managed the wires, and logons, you have a very dependable system.

Nick Harkins
nickh@sprynet.com


++++ next post ++++

From: steve.nicks@aeat.co.uk
Subject: Cellular Phone E Mail with Desktop PC

I can think of three possible solutions to Diane Rowley's problem:

1) I have an Ericsson GS 18 GSM phone which has a built in modem and plugs into any PC via a dedicated serial cable UK cost 100UKP

2) At least one modem manufacturer (TDK I think) markets in the UK a 'software modem' which is a set of floppies which install software to emulate a modem complete with a range of serial cables each dedicated to a particular GSM mobile phone UK cost 90UKP plus cost of GSM phone.

3) TeleAdapt (http://www.teleadapt.com) sells a modulette which allows you to plug the PC card modem connected to a GSM phone into the serial port of a desktop PC. UK cost approx 100UKP

I can't think of another option.

Steve Nicks
DERBY UK


++++ next post ++++

From: "Isabelle Herremans" <intyre@kmonet.be>
Subject: Reply to use of cellular phone with PC

I have the same problem and the other day I saw a cellular phone at the duty free in the Helsinki Airport. As my flight was boarding I did not have the chance to buy it, but I will do so on my next trip in two weeks and report.

It is made by Ericsson (model SH388) and connects to the computer by infra red communication. This is probably not available in USA but there should be similar models sold there!

Regards

Jan Herremans, Manager
Intyre, Belgium.
Worldwide trade in used and new tyres.
Tel+fax : +32.52481135
intyre@kmonet.be
www.intyre.com


++++ next post - new topic ++++

From: "Nick Harkins" <nickh@sprynet.com>
Subject: re: Email from Vietnam

Regarding the request for information regarding Email in Vietnam (I-Laptop #19), I hooked up a client to CompuServe, which has a node in Bangkok and she has used it for a year from LAOS, also a "blacked out" country. She is a teacher there. Look around for other ISPs. There are some locals in Bangkok, but I chose CompuServe because of its dependability and worldwide coverage. She may be going to Africa soon.

Nick Harkins
nickh@sprynet.com


++++ next post - new topic ++++

From: "John Benson" <jbenson@mediaone.net>
Subject: HotMail from Europe

Bob,

Good luck using HotMail on you upcoming trip to Europe (see I-Laptop #19).

I've used HotMail when traveling through Europe on business. The problem I encountered is that it is too slow to handle my Email. Maybe I have become spoiled with my cable modem at home and T1 line at work. When you use a 28.8 dial up in Europe, it feels like you've gone back to the 18 th century.

John Benson
jbenson@mediaone.net

Moderator's Note:
Some of us poor souls are stuck using a dial-up connection all the time - not just while traveling. But then again, I suppose there are some advantages of never getting spoiled. It's a terrible thing to raise one's expectations. This is just another advantage of living in a lightly populated part of Vermont.

I'm off on my HotMail European adventure this afternoon. I let everyone know how I make out.


------------------------------------------------------------------


Send suggestions and comments to
mailto:editor@roadnews.com


---------- End of I-LapTop Warrior Digest --------------