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A step-by-step guide to connecting your Mac to the Internet using a bluetooth Softbank/Vodafone mobile.
For this article I used the following ingredients although this procedure should work with any bluetooth Mac running OS X and most bluetooth Softbank/Vodafone 3G mobiles.
Ingredients
- 1 MacBook Pro running OS X version 10.4.5.
- 1 Softbank 702NKII (Nokia 6680) mobile.
Step 1. Launch the Bluetooth Setup Assistant
Select Setup up Bluetooth Device... from the bluetooth icon on the menu bar or Setup Up New Device... in the Devices panel of the Bluetooth preference pane to launch the Bluetooth Setup Assistant.
Launching the Bluetooth Setup Assistant from the menu bar
Launching the Bluetooth Setup Assistant from the Bluetooth preference pane
Step 2. Select the Bluetooth Setup Assistant to set up a mobile phone
Making sure bluetooth is running on your mobile, select Mobile phone in the list of device types.
Step 3. Select your mobile from the list of detected mobiles
You Mac will begin searching for bluetooth mobiles and your mobile should appear in the mobile phone list after a few seconds. If it doesn't, confirm bluetooth is running on your mobile and that it is discoverable. Although my mobile shows up as Kyle's Nokia 6680, your mobile will probably be labeled with its device address (xx-xx-xx-xx-xx-xx) the first time around.
Step 4. Pair your mobile with your Mac
The Bluetooth Setup Assistant will generate a random six digit passkey. Your mobile will prompt you to enter this passkey to pair it with your Mac. Once paired, it is a good idea to go into your mobile's bluetooth paired device list and authorize your Mac. This avoids having your mobile prompt you every time your Mac connects with it.
Step 5. Set up mobile services
Depending on your mobile's capabilities, the Bluetooth Setup Assistant will offer to set up iSync, Address Book and Internet services for your mobile. Access the Internet with your phone's data connection and Use a direct, higher speed connection to reach your Internet Service Provider (GPRS, 1xRTT) should be selected.
Step 6. Enter your Internet access settings
To connect to the Internet via Softbank, use the following settings:
- Username:
ai@softbank - Password:
softbank - GPRS CID String:
*99#
To connect to the Internet via Vodafone, use the following settings:
- Username:
ai@vodafone - Password:
vodafone - GPRS CID String:
*99#
The Bluetooth Setup Assistant correctly guessed we should use the Nokia Infrared modem script. This script works with the 702NKII and should work with other Nokia mobiles. If you are not using a Nokia mobile try the Vodafone VC701SI modem script but you may have to play with this setting later.
Once we've finished with the Bluetooth Setup Assistant, it's time to tweak some of our bluetooth network settings.
Step 7. Turn off sending of PPP echo packets
Open the Network preference pane in System Preferences and select Bluetooth. In the PPP panel, click PPP Options...
Make sure Send PPP echo packets is unchecked as this can cause problems. I would also recommend Connect automatically when needed is unchecked and you have as many Disconnect... options checked as possible: having your Mac automatically connect via your mobile to download the latest 30MB security update would result in some nasty packet charges.
Although some mobile networks have problems when Use TCP header compression is checked, Softbank does not so we can leave this alone.
Step 8. Turn off IPv6
As I've blogged about before, Softbank doesn't like IPv6 so we need to turn this off. In the Bluetooth TCP/IP panel, click Configure IPv6...
Change Configure IPv6 to Off.
Step 9. Add the modem to your menu bar
If it isn't there already, the bluetooth modem is added to your menu bar when Show modem status in menu bar is checked in the Bluetooth Bluetooth Modem panel.
Click Apply Now and your ready to test your mobile connection from the modem icon on your menu bar. If everything goes well, your Mac should successfully connect to the Internet via the bluetooth mobile.
WARNING: Packets charges for your Mac connection are not covered by any unlimited or discount Softbank packet plan.
Step 10. An extra step for modem errors
If you are not using a Nokia mobile, you may find you get a modem error when trying to connect indicating a problem with your selected modem script.
Try selecting other modem scripts in the Bluetooth Bluetooth Modem panel. Many Softbank mobiles work with the Vodafone VC701SI modem script but if you still have no success, Ross Barkman has a pile of modem scripts you can download and try. To install new modem scripts, simply drag then into the Library/Modem Scripts folder. You will need to reopen System Preferences before new scripts will show up in the Bluetooth Bluetooth Modem panel.
