Wireless CDMA PC Cards for OS X?

[l0ungeb0y]

Hey all, I'm about to get into a G4 Laptop, seems it's great for wi-fi and all that, but I need/want 100% wireless access.

Verizon, my cell provider has their Express Network, which offers just less than DSL speed over their CDMA network, but the PC Card they offer only has drivers for Windows and Pocket PC only

In know I could get an adapter for a cellphone and use any combo of USB/PCMCIA but was really wanting to get the PCMCIA Card because it just slips in oh so nicely without any nasty cords to mess with.

Anyone know of a PCMCIA card that supports CDMA networking and has drivers for OS X? Or even where I can get a hack-job OS X driver one?

...in the meantime I might just have to make do with warchalking

[l0ungeb0y]

Here's a link to what I'm wanting an OS X driver for in case I wasn't clear enough:

http://www.sierrawireless.com/eStore...&CID=1&tgl=yes

[SJT]

try here:
http://www.farallon.com/products/all...osh/index.html

[l0ungeb0y]

Sorry, that had nothing near what I am looking for.
I am looking for PC CARDS to allow networking over a CDMA (Digital Cellular) signal, not 802.11/bluetooth/wi-fi - those are built-in on the G4 PowerBook.

Seems strange that Apple would not get CDMA and other Cellular/PCS network connectivity into their powerbooks. Seems it's all about airport... and that is a technology still way out on the horizon. Who wants to pay $30 a month to have a wireless connection at some retail location that will expect them to purchase something just to hang out and use it? Airport is great for a home LAN, but not something I would even think about considering as a serious wireless solution anytime soon.

Anyway... to end this rant:
my cellphone has 100% wireless internet connectivity.
Why can't a $4,000.00 G4 Titanium PowerBook?
There must be someway to get a powerbook to make a wireless connection over a CDMA network just like a vanilla wintell laptop can.

Or have I just caught Steve Jobs asleep at the wheel?

[gerbick]

maybe you mean something like this?

asleep at the wheel? maybe so. but, I don't think that one niche product would mean that apple is asleep at the wheel.

if that's the case, then I should curse discreet for never bringing over 3ds max. or for Iomega never bringing the Iomega Clik! drive over to OS X either.

anyway, there is a way to use your existing phone with the TiBook, and iBook. that is, if your phone is new enough to support the data cable or is listed.

hope that helps

oh, and airport is only 802.11b. not a wireless GRPS connection, say like Earthlink would use for wireless 'net access.

[l0ungeb0y]

Originally posted by gerbick
maybe you mean something like this?

asleep at the wheel? maybe so. but, I don't think that one niche product would mean that apple is asleep at the wheel.

if that's the case, then I should curse discreet for never bringing over 3ds max. or for Iomega never bringing the Iomega Clik! drive over to OS X either.

anyway, there is a way to use your existing phone with the TiBook, and iBook. that is, if your phone is new enough to support the data cable or is listed.

hope that helps

oh, and airport is only 802.11b. not a wireless GRPS connection, say like Earthlink would use for wireless 'net access.

I know what 802.11b is, which is why I created this thread.
And no, I'm not cursing Apple regarding the lack of CDMA W-CDMA and other 3G wireless services, but think that since they went so far to seamlessly integrate the following network protocols:

Surf next-gen Internet with IPv6 and IPSec support
Automatic AirPort network selection
Admins can control access to applications and preferences with better workgroup management
System-wide LDAP support
Kerberos authentication
SNMP
Airport Network Selection
ODBC Administration Utility
System-wide certificate
SASL Authentication
AMD support for UNIX networks
UNIX PAM security modules support
Share Internet connection
Personal Firewall
Boot from a server with NetBoot
BlueTooth GPRS Internet Access
Install the OS over the network from Mac OS X Server
Find LDAP services without configuration
AirPort Software Base Station
AirPort Admin Utility based on Rendezvous
ActiveDirectory Authentication
TLS Web security technology
Extended username and password
Support for file systems larger than 1TB
Additional BSD man pages

...they might have added in CDMA/3G support
or atleast have incentivized a 3rd party to create a working driver solution (or provided their own).

To be honest, I've been eyeballing this feature from the list:
BlueTooth GPRS Internet Access
...but the only specs that directly mention GPRS is iSynch, which is for synching a laptop with a handheld or phone units calendar, address book etc, not actually using as a network connection to a WAN.

Also, CDMA/3G is __not__ a niche market.
It's a very solid market that Apples development partners such as Macromedia and Apple itself are players in (Flash MX is now compatable for cellphone use, quicktime has been brought to Sony/Ericson) And all the Major Cellular carriers (Verizon/T-Mobile/Sprint/AT&T/Cingular) offer in their service packages. Also, the CDMA/3G/2.5G network offerings are to be had in most major coverage areas, which are far greater in size than all of the 802.11 coverage areas combined. So, to me it's a little inexplicable as to why they would have the seamless wi-fi 802.11b support but nothing on the CDMA/3G support.

But, perhaps the GPRS support will prove to be what I am looking for.

The link you pointed to was already known by me however, even stated in my first thread as a known solution.
I am asking about a PC Card solution (or even better built-in wireless support) because such a solution is optimal to allow for instant connection without messing with wires, external device battery lifetime and other annoyances that are featured by the solution in the link you provided.

And do keep in mind that if I was vengefull or too terribly upset by Apples seeming lack of support for my wants here, I would not be bothering to lay out the cash I am for a G4 PowerBook and would go for a far cheaper solution in a duelboot Wintell/Linux for a laptop instead.

This is merely a question into a certain means of connecting to a specific type of network that seems like it should be available to such a device as a G4 powerbook.


oh... and why would you want 3DS MAX? Lightwave is far superior

[gerbick]

the bluetooth function you're centering around is pertaining the bluetooth enabled ericcson/sony phones.

you can use then without using a data cable.

damn. I can't find the press release anymore.

and 3G/CDMA connectivity to/with your computer is a niche market. Only 10% of the phones released will maintain a digital connection, as opposed to like the Nokia 7100, and many others, that will end up dropping to analog when you use them as a modem. let alone, software that will enable your phone to be used as a modem. it's, even in the PC world, a small market.

why not max?

[l0ungeb0y]

Originally posted by gerbick
the bluetooth function you're centering around is pertaining the bluetooth enabled ericcson/sony phones.

you can use then without using a data cable.

Ya, that's what I thought.
I know the press release you speak of, read it last night before I posted here. Just a bunch of happy fluff "... this is a good thing happening here... Glad to have Apples support... We at Apple are happy to be working closely with Sony/Ericsson... everyone smiles"

I'm thinking about posting this question to slashdot, maybe it will inspire some C++ coder to write one for me

Dunno man, doesn't seem to be a niche market to me.
With so much support by all the major carriers, even if not a whole lot of people use it that way... fact is, all the new phones do have wireless net access over CDMA/3G because the latest Qualcomm chipsets (which are used in ALL CDMA capable cellular phones ie: All Cell phones are actually a Qualcomm) support this. So, the technology is actually mainstream, regardless of how you use it, within 2 years, surfing via cell will be a Joe Blow thing, with PC use not far behind it. Just give it some time for cellphone users to get new equiptment.

Perhaps you didn't see the link I posted earlier that pertains to the PC Card, that card has been around for about a year now, but no OS X or even OS 9 support.
But does support every flavor of Windows as well Pocket PC.
Seems a tad strange that there are no hacked drivers for that card nor has the vendor made them on their own accord.
...But Mac itself is a niche market.

And I do think lack of such support might be very well intentional by Apple. Steve Jobs has always had a "go it my own way" approach, for better or for worse....
And it seems that a decision might have been made to go without such CDMA support because it would have detracted from BlueTooth and their Airport services.

I mean why spend the trouble finding an 802.11b ready Starbucks and having to buy a latte just to get a crappy stool at a counter to use the damn thing when you can sit in the park or the beach and get as good if not better bandwidth from a CDMA network? And it's even better when you're on the go... on the train, in a clients office who has no 802.11 wireless network... CDMA lets you be online just about anywhere. And the deal is, they both cost the same, both types of service are about $30 a month metered and you can get unlimited for about $100 a month.

So, 802.11b seems wastefull to spend so much money for such an inconvenient network compared to the very convenient CDMA network for the same price.

MAX = messy modeling/scene all in 1 window 'bleh'

[gerbick]

oh, I know what cards you were talking about... dude, it absolutely SUCKS sometimes how drivers don't exist in Linux, BSD, or MacOS X.

no love for the *nix based systems.

make sure the person uses Objective C... be tons more efficient and likely to be able to tap the communicative API's there already.

I learned on Lightwave when it was an Amiga exclusive. The split design of the two programs, I find that way to awkward. and the seems from it's nurbs are unsightly. lightwave, s'ok. max, it's s'ok. pixels3d, I'm waiting on a OS X native version.

but yeah, that's not the fluffy press release. I was talking about one that was at EETimes... sorta hidden away, in one paragraph was a list of objectives, and that was one of them...

hell. the more ways I can get on the net, the better.

you listening Jobs?

[l0ungeb0y]

Originally posted by gerbick
oh, I know what cards you were talking about... dude, it absolutely SUCKS sometimes how drivers don't exist in Linux, BSD, or MacOS X.

no love for the *nix based systems.

talk about no love!
Just visited this page

a whole bevy of CDPD ready PCMCIA Type II cards for wireless internet access via a laptop or handheld....
As long as you are running Windows
Man... this is soooooooooooo wrong.

[l0ungeb0y]

Ohhhh...
I spoke too soon

Merlin has been upgraded and is now compatible with MAC OS 9.0 and higher as well as Windows 95/98/NT/CE/2000 and Pocket PC. Merlin can operate as either a wireless wide-area Network Interface Card (NIC) or Dial-Up Networking (DUN) modem interface.

...looks like I might be on to something.
This card is not listed as supported by my carrier,
but if it uses a valid CDPD protocol, it might be worth checking out. Or finding a local carrier that will support this card by this company who was thoughtful enough to code some Mac support into the damn thing

And upon reading further, the site mobile planet is requiring the card be activated through them.
That makes sense though, they get credit for the activation through the carrier I will use.

I hope this thread is found by someone else at a later date who might have this same question and benefit

Later all.


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search keys:
PCMCIA CDMA CDPD 3G 2.5G Verizon Airtouch AT&T T-Mobile WAN Wireless PC Card Cellular Networking LAN WCDMA mobile phone
[Edited by l0ungeb0y on 09-02-2002 at 06:26 PM]