surely this is theoretically possible?

i want to connect a laptop and a desktop. the desktop is connected to the internet and also has a standard 56k modem. if i have a mobile phone connected to a laptop (using the mobile as a modem) can i connect the desktop and the laptop?

i know it would be slow, but if i only want a shell for collecting emails or text-based browsing or something, could it be done?

it would be a nice way of using up those spare mobile phone minutes.

(puting aside the fact that mobile companies dont include data calls in the inclusive minutes).

Er, possible, but why? Unless you're far far away from the desktop then why not just a network cable, and if you are far far away why connect to the desktop when you can use the mobile to connect directly to the internet and collect emails, browse stuff etc...

i'm thinking long distances.

and the reason is cost. the way i've suggested means its free.

Still not sure how it would be free, as you say, data minutes are seperate to voice minutes so if you're going to use them you may as well go direct rather than using your desktop as a proxy. Whichever way you do it, the mobile is dialling out somewhere so it will still cost\not cost the same whatever the destination.

it would be free because i would be calling a standard landline (ie, the modem connected to the PC) with the mobile. that's included in my contract.

i was going to ask next if the mobile companies can actually tell if its a data call or not.

Get a wireless router - its the best way...

Can't you just view your e-mails, from both your desktop and laptop, via webmail?

Originally posted by LL200
it would be free because i would be calling a standard landline (ie, the modem connected to the PC) with the mobile. that's included in my contract.

i was going to ask next if the mobile companies can actually tell if its a data call or not.

That's what I was trying to get at, they can tell the difference, or rather the mobile does and initiates a call as a data call rather than a voice call. I do it for remote maintenance on phone systems and alarms and dialling a standard landline through a mobile from the laptop intiates a data call.

No idea if you can force it as a voice call post laptop, I know you can make it a voice call end to end through the laptop but that isn't what you want to do, you want a bit of both ways.

You're confusing the un-educated, unless ipodlove knows of a wireless router with a realy big aerial that will give full UK coverage?

thanks lurch. i think you've got what i'm thinking. i think ;)

i was hoping i could just make a voice call, but with data. in the same way as a standard modem works by sending data over POTS.

i'm obviously over-simplifying it.

i'll just have to use up my minutes by phoning my gran. *sigh*