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April 19, 2009 8:15 AM PDT

'BB' 3G on the MacBook Air

by Brooke Crothers

In the interest of achieving faster 3G on my Apple MacBook Air while getting more bang from my BlackBerry, I've found two paths to 3G Nirvana. Well, maybe not quite Nirvana.

My first foray into 3G on the MacBook Air via a BlackBerry Storm produced satisfactory results. Here, the Blackberry served as a 3G modem via Bluetooth. The Bluetooth bottleneck, however, can be frustrating (it's closer to 2G than 3G) when there is a need for speed. So, I turned to a physically tethered connection via USB.

MacBook Air tethered to Blackberry Storm via USB

MacBook Air tethered to Blackberry Storm via USB

(Credit: Brooke Crothers)

Let me preface this by explaining why I resisted a tethered (wired) USB connection at first. Quite simply, the idea of plugging and unplugging a clunky USB cable, dealing with the VZAccess Manager (Verizon) software, and then finding a place to put the Storm (if I wasn't sitting near a flat surface) seemed like too much overhead.

Not only that. Verizon doesn't make this easy. To date, there is no documented support or software for doing USB BlackBerry 3G on a MacBook. In short, you have to use a version of the VZAccess Manager that is specified for a Motorola smartphone. (More details here.)

(Apple could obviate all of this, of course, by providing an elegant internal 3G option for MacBooks.)

That said, it was relatively painless to set up and connect (it took maybe 15 minutes). And the best news is that this is truly a 3G connection: even the most ad-laden, multimedia-intensive Web pages loaded comparatively quickly--which is not the case with Bluetooth.

Based on SpeedTest.net, I achieved a download speed of 1.11Mb/s

Based on SpeedTest.net, I achieved a download speed of 1.11Mb/s

(Credit: Brooke Crothers)

And, as I pointed out in a previous post, an external 3G phone/modem is a movable 3G feast. I can use the BlackBerry with any laptop as long as it has Bluetooth or a USB port (which is virtually every laptop on the market).

Internal 3G modems, on the other hand, are wedded to one computer and one computer only. Each computer requires a separate subscription and another $60 (more or less) per month.

There's the USB "stick" modem option, of course. I can't address that because I've never tried it. The way I see it is: use the existing 3G on your mobile phone. It's cheaper than the dedicated USB modem: on Verizon, about $30 per month for tethering versus $60 for a dedicated modem.

Or if that option doesn't appeal to you, opt for a laptop with an internal 3G modem option.

Which brings me to Apple's dearth of (as in zero) offerings in this department. Even with the ostensible advantage of an external modem described above, I would still prefer a built-in 3G modem option on the MacBook Air.

Apple take note: there's a modem technology from Qualcomm called Gobi that doesn't tie the user to a single service provider. Users can choose between Verizon or AT&T or another provider. This could, at the very least, be offered as an option on a high-end version of a future MacBook.

Apple, are you interested? Why do I get the feeling you're not.

Brooke Crothers has been an editor at large at CNET News, an analyst at IDC Japan, and an editor at The Asian Wall Street Journal Weekly, among other endeavors, including co-manager of an after-school math-and-reading center. He writes for the CNET Blog Network and is not a current employee of CNET. Disclosure.
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by Get_a_life_Leo April 19, 2009 9:05 AM PDT
Why would you prefer a built-in modem? You clearly identified all of the issues with this route and 90+% of people wouldn't use it so it would be yet more cost for a built-in technology (although the added cost of an internal 3G modems to a manufacturer is probably only $5). I'd spring for the tethering option even if the laptop had an internal modem - hopefully BlueTooth 3.0 will address the bandwidth limitations.
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by sek-oz April 19, 2009 9:51 AM PDT
I would have to think that the author would prefer a built in for ease of use - don't have to worry about losing your usb cable, or what to do with the other device; things like that.

It's also perfectly reasonable to go with an internal device if you only have one computer you'd want to use it with anyways. I don't know about you but I don't exactly have three or four laptops I use on a regular basis.
by Get_a_life_Leo April 19, 2009 10:24 AM PDT
sez-ok, the cost disincentive is the main problem - high price for the convenience. If Bluetooth worked faster, that's a good solution. I usually have a USB cable in my bag in any case, ironically for charging my Blackberry from the laptop....
by April 19, 2009 10:51 AM PDT
The best solution here is a mobile broadband router like a Cradlepoint. You get wifi speed (and range) between the laptop and the 3G modem and there is absolutely no software to install or configure. You can also share the connection with other people around you if you want to.
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by Gabey8 April 19, 2009 10:52 AM PDT
For those with a Windows Mobile smartphone, there's at least one piece of software available for purchase that will allow one to turn said phone into a wifi hotspot. WMWiFiRouter involves a one-time purchase and no subscription fee. I also got an email ad from Handango, recommending a different program that I can't remember the name of. Searching for them via a search engine and/or Handango's site should provide purchase information for those who are interested in learning more.

Wireless carriers won't like these solutions much, as they can't collect on the extra fee per month that they'd charge for a separate 3G USB modem or for permitting one to tether one's phone and use that. But those solutions are available.
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by Nicholas Buenk April 19, 2009 11:43 AM PDT
That only applies in the USA really, carriers in many other countries have data caps and charge users for going over the limit. Tethering hence is a money maker for them.
by sapporobaby April 19, 2009 11:51 AM PDT
@Nicholas Buenk,

WRONG, WRONG, WRONG.

I am currently in Finland have an unlimited with a big fat "U" data plan that I pay $15 a month for. STOP talking about what you have no clue. Most European countries allow unlimited data but you have to pay for it. You do not know what you are talking about.
by Nicholas Buenk April 19, 2009 11:55 AM PDT
I don't remember refering to Finland specifically. I'm in Australia.
by Perry_Clease April 19, 2009 11:03 AM PDT
"the idea of plugging and unplugging a clunky USB cable"

Good thing you didn't have to use a SCSI cable. :)
Reply to this comment
by Nicholas Buenk April 19, 2009 11:41 AM PDT
Tethering is to be a feature in iPhone 3.0 btw too, which will work via bluetooth or USB.
Also, bluetooth is not really that bad, it will manage around 1mbit, which is fast enough for web browsing. The advantage of bluetooth is it's an extremely low power wireless technology, so that means great for battery life.
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by czmyt April 19, 2009 12:34 PM PDT
You can save a lot of bandwidth while Web surfing by using Firefox with the AdBlock Plus add-on to block most Web page ads. It's generally nice to not see ads, but it's especially important to improve the speed of your Web surfing sessions when using a slow connection like this.
Reply to this comment
by ikramerica--2008 April 20, 2009 11:10 AM PDT
AdBlock in Safari works fine, too...
by free_fight49 April 19, 2009 2:29 PM PDT
Even though the prices in australia are crap, we got pre-paid broadband. so a usb stick on telstra and thats most of australia. i still like thought of prepaid rather than a plan.
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by bonesbautista April 19, 2009 2:41 PM PDT
To the blogger, I've not tried the BB Forums means of tethering to my Storm via USB, but I'm tethering my MBP to my Storm and getting better throughput and latency (consistently) via BT - generally better than my ATTWS Option Express card. I don't have at-home broadband.

With the card getting booted off the next work and regular modem resets on my iPhone, I don't know whether the data capabilities of the iPhone hardware coupled with ATT's hit-and-miss network will get me to consider tethering for the extra cost. I do have an iPhone. With BBA Connect via my Storm costing me only $15 over the existing plan, why pay more for crappy data service via ATT and limit the data amount used through the iPhone? Ring me up a good reason and I'll consider it!
Reply to this comment
by sanenazok April 19, 2009 4:12 PM PDT
What? There's software that runs badly on a mac? No way.
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by nickh2 April 19, 2009 4:36 PM PDT
Yes. Usually stuff ported from Windows.
by ikramerica--2008 April 20, 2009 11:10 AM PDT
Yes, lazy ports run poorly. :)
by bonesbautista April 19, 2009 5:19 PM PDT
@Brooke, chiming in again.

Thought I'd try USB tethering, but the method listed by the poster in that linked thread - and you - leave out one minor bit of useful information: the available version of VZWAccess software for the Mac on Verizon's VZAM web site (4.2.2) doesn't support BB devices, the last version of VZWAccess software to support BB devices was 4.1.2, which isn't available on the VZAM site. 0mie left that part out, too - the 4.2.2 VZWAccess installer won't see a connected BB at all. Archived versions aren't available on the VZAM site.

If you know something I don't or have access to the 4.1.2 software, pass it on, if you would?
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About Nanotech - The Circuits Blog

Brooke Crothers was formerly editor-at-large at CNET News.com, an analyst at IDC (International Data Corp.) Japan, and an editor at The Asian Wall Street Journal Weekly (The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones), among other endeavors, including a recent hiatus from the tech industry when he co-managed an after-school math and reading center. Nanotech covers computer chip technology and how it defines the computing experience. He is a member of the CNET Blog Network, and is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure.

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