The MacBook and Blackberry Storm are a pair

Though Apple has yet to offer built-in 3G on MacBooks, pairing them up with phones like the Blackberry Storm provides a decent wireless workaround.

The MacBook Air can use the Blackberry Storm as a Bluetooth 3G modem

(Credit: Brooke Crothers)

In December, I took the MacBook Air (i.e., the designers of the Air) to task for what I thought was a serious technological gaffe: not building 3G into the Air. At the very least, I thought 3G should have been included in the October refresh of the Air.

But I'm not going to rehash those gripes here (or repeat Apple's likely reasons for not including 3G). This time I bring good tidings.

After recently picking up a Blackberry Storm (Verizon), I quickly set it up as a Bluetooth "3G" modem by pairing it with my MacBook Air. The Blackberry uses an EV-DO 3G connection.

The Storm was relatively easy to set up and "tether" to the Air. And the results were better than I expected. Using Speedtest.net, I got download speeds of up to 1,088 Kbps (though it was typically closer to 500-600 Kbps) and uploads of up to 127 Kbps. Not torrential bandwidth but certainly good enough for the occasions when I don't have access to Wi-Fi (or when the Wi-Fi is iffy).

By comparison, on my Hewlett-Packard 2510p ultraportable with a built-in Verizon EV-DO modem, Speedtest.net said I was getting download speeds of up to 1,392 Kbps and uploads of 469 Kbps. (The Air's Wi-Fi connection gets about 2X download and 4X upload more than the Storm.)

As to setup: First, pair the two Bluetooth devices, then configure the phone on the MacBook side, telling it during the configuration process that you want to "Access the Internet with your phone's data connection." In Verizon's case, the account name is [e-mail] Then, in the next screen, you select "vendor: other" and "Verizon support, PC5220." (See screen shot of OS X 10.5.6 configuration Network setup.)

Setting up the Blackberry Storm as a Bluetooth modem was relatively easy

(Credit: Brooke Crothers)

Do I still wish Apple would build 3G into the MBA? Of course. But I am pretty satisfied with this solution for now. Particularly when it allows me to extract more functionality out of the Storm. (Which as a standalone 3G phone I like a lot and which I will review in the near future.).

Verizon, however, does charge extra for tethering, particularly if the Storm is connected via USB. I have no interest in a USB connection (at least, not at this time) because that defeats the purpose of having a wireless Bluetooth-enabled phone. As people have pointed out, a Bluetooth modem is much more convenient. Particularly for frequent travelers. I can just attach the Blackberry to my belt and use the Air as though it had a built-in 3G modem.

(Note: A reader in Ireland provided the inspiration to use the Storm as a modem when he correctly pointed out that internal 3G access would start to get expensive if you had a modem in each computer, with each requiring a separate subscription. Or would become inconvenient if you kept having to move SIM cards between computers.)

(Also note that a quick search will yield examples of people who have hooked their Blackberry up to a MacBook.)

[bonesbautista]

Regarding tethering to a PDA, IMO battery life of both devices has been much shorter when tethering via BT and data throughput is generally better if the drivers allow for higher speeds.

Regarding tethering to the Mac via cable (what I do with VZW PDA), good luck with that. Getting my MBP to talk to just about any ATTWS or VZW PDA can lead to a couple of hours in therapy. I gave up tethering - I use both ATTWS and VZW - and got a wireless broadband card for my Mac laptop.

[SkateNY]

What?

[rcardona2k]

Ultraportables/netbooks are incomplete without 3G and no WiFi. Certainly battery life and 3g vendor/technology-lock in has a lot to do with having it built-in. I've used a Palm Treo as a 3G modem for both a Powerbook and a MacBook Pro it was too limiting for when you want to take a call and need to surf at the same time. Hopefully iPhone 3G tethering will get it right on price. Netbooks with 3G built-in are too expensive at $200 + 2 year contract like the HP mini 1000 WWAN option.

[pjhenry1216]

I'm not sure how likely iPhone 3G tethering is going to be. AT&T has so far been resistant to it. I mean, the physical capabilities are already there, so its more a matter of them making the decision, which they haven't done so far.

[Penguinisto]

Err, why bother with a phone when you can just get a USB wireless broadband stick? Seriously, if you're needing internet connectivity that often, then break down and get the broadband and a data plan FFS...

It's all about perspective.

Also, laptops with built-in 3G usually come locked to one carrier anyway, which means that it's useless unless you buy another SIM chip for it or change carriers, or spend money on yet another plan so you can use it. It becomes doubly useless if you live in an area without 3G coverage.

[rcardona2k]

@Penguinisto. Sorry in these economic times a two-year contract for $60/month and 5 GB bandwidth cap is a way off bad value. I have a data card already with a contract ending in May and it's been highway robbery, so been there done that.

I'm hoping iPhone 3G tethering is $10-30/month. I could get that today with Pdanet as that's the onlly app I would jailbreak my iPhone for except I'm on the original iPhone so it's not worth it on EDGE.

As for carrier-lock inm Qualcomm Gobi does HSDPA/GSM which the HP mini offers but $200 is too much for this module plus requires that ubiquitous contract.

I already pay $150 to one carrier for an unlimited family plan and I have an iPhone on AT&T, so what I need is an
"add a tether or data card" option that does not break the budget further.

[Penguinisto]

Err, WiMax up here (PDX) is about $30/month. Faster than 3G and much better coverage.

[spinoza2]

I agree, having a MacBook Air with built-in 3G makes little sense when you can just as easily get a USB 3G stick that can be used with multiple computers. The cost of the service would be the same, and the minor convenience of having the 3G built-in is not worth the lack of flexibility in using the 3G on multiple machines.

[mike.gw]

The solution lies with the carriers. Each phone plan has a data and voice component. Much like the "Family Sharing" voice plans, the carriers could easily provide a "Shared Data Plan". I as a subscriber should be able to go to AT&T and enrole my iPhone and MacBook 3G Air. Register the PIN number of each device, and for a reasonable premium ($5/month), use either device on the same data plan. You can't do voice on the MacBook (not counting VOIP), and chances are you're using either the iPhone OR the MacBook for data, and not both at the same time. So the carrier is not being exploited, and the end user is not needlessly paying for 2 full wireless accounts. And neither device is dependant on the other in order to get online.

In fact, because of the iPhone's success, Apple should have more than enough clout with AT&T to convince them to offer their users a shared device data plan.

[frobroj]

Been tethering my iphone for quite some time with a nice little app(cydia not appstore) called PDANet. Works beautifully and costs......... $0.00. I really dig that price!
Lesson! Dont throw your money away and hack that iphone!! Thats the beauty of having BSD at the core. I'm sure android will be there if they havent gottent there already.
Dont let the carriers take your money! Fight the power(Big fat right fist held high in the air!)

[alltypes]

I use Verizonwireless tethered with my Blackberry 8830. If a call comes in, I can receive it so that's not a problem. I have not setup Bluetooth connectivity between the two because I use the Macbook to keep the phone charged.

[Mac-n-Do]

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!

i now have a way to use my Macbook Pro to access the internet whilst not at home. I was able to set up my older Verizon Blackberry 8703e just as described above and VIOLA, i have Internet access!!

wow. you dont know the angst ive been going through. I had even set up windows Vista on my Macbook Pro just to be able to use Verizon Access Manager, because there is no MAC version.

I wish I had known this sooner. But again THANKS!!!!

I am happy.

[DigitalFrog]

Caution! Some extensive use of BlackBerrys as tethered modems can rack up very large carrier charges. Tethered modem usage does not come under some standard data plans, so you get charged the 'rack rates'. We had 3 employees at our company rack up a total of $40,000 combined. We have since disabled the ability to use the BlackBerry as a tethered modem on all corporate units.

As mentioned above, getting one of the USB Wireless modems is generally far more cost effective.

[DigitalFrog]

I failed to mention - that was $40,000 for ONE MONTH of usage.

[Mac-n-Do]

When I got my blackberry 8703e from Verizon 2 years ago, I got it with the intent purpose of (usb) tethering it to my (then windows) laptop. So, I had gotten the unlimited data plan. I think that would cover me? I guess i should speak to a verizon expert to ensure that by me using it "bluetooth" that I would still be under the unlimited data plan.

Thanks!

[J.G.]

Mac-n-Do, your unlimited data plan is for your phone, not your computer. Careful, buddy.

It seems I remember one of the Apple execs saying that tethering is on the short list for added AT&T services.

As for me, I find the free AT&T hotspots available at Starbucks and other locations so useful for both my MacBook Air and my iPhone 3G that I don't see a need for EVDO or 3G, though I considered the before that became available.

Query: I live in one of the test cities for Clear and was wondering if anyone has tried it.

[brandizac]

Just wanted to say thanks! This so ROCKS! I had tried so many other ways and this worked the first time!