From owner-freebsd-mobile@FreeBSD.ORG Fri Mar 28 14:30:52 2003 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-mobile@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 7B10F37B401 for ; Fri, 28 Mar 2003 14:30:52 -0800 (PST) Received: from athena.2010tech.net (frih30110234-11.pari1.eu.psigh.com [62.50.131.103]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 7AFD143F75 for ; Fri, 28 Mar 2003 14:30:50 -0800 (PST) (envelope-from Jacques.Caron@IPsector.com) Received: from jc-xp.ipsector.com ([62.50.159.43]) by athena.2010tech.net (8.12.6/8.12.6) with ESMTP id h2SMUKqG020760; Fri, 28 Mar 2003 23:30:24 +0100 (CET) (envelope-from Jacques.Caron@IPsector.com) Message-Id: <5.2.0.9.0.20030328232418.020137f8@pop.mail.yahoo.com> X-Sender: X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.2.0.9 Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2003 23:29:49 +0100 To: Mikhail Teterin From: Jacques Caron In-Reply-To: <200303280951.44686@aldan> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed X-Spam-Status: No, hits=-9.8 required=5.0 tests=EMAIL_ATTRIBUTION,IN_REP_TO autolearn=ham version=2.50 X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 2.50 (1.173-2003-02-20-exp) cc: freebsd-mobile@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Seeking advice for mobile connectivity X-BeenThere: freebsd-mobile@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: Mobile computing with FreeBSD List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2003 22:30:53 -0000 Hi, I think you should get a GSM/GPRS card. You would then get GSM (CSD) connectivity (i.e. 9600 bps data calls billed by the minute), but also GPRS access (i.e. "always-on", packet-switched, up to 50 Kbps, billed by volume). I believe all such cards look like serial cards, but I wouldn't guarantee it. The alternative is to use a GSM/GPRS phone, and connect it via a serial cable, IRDA, or Bluetooth. You need a subscription with a GSM provider that will give you a SIM card to put either in the GSM/GPRS PC card or the phone, with the GPRS option active. Roaming with GPRS is a lot less developed than with GSM, but it's growing. You might want to have a look at http://www.psg.com/~randy/gprs-ppp.html which talks a bit about this. Otherwise the good old modem also works great :-) Neither CSD nor GPRS will give you decent latency :-( Hope that helps, Jacques. At 15:51 28/03/2003, Mikhail Teterin wrote: >Hello! > >I'm specing my future laptop, which will be used primarily for travel. >FreeBSD support, lightness and long battery time are the primary >requirements. > >I'd appreciate suggestions/comments :-) My main concern is the "world >wide" connectivity -- I live in the US, but a couple of times a year >travel abroad -- mostly Eastern and Western Europe. > >Seems like I should get a GSM card... Which one? Do they look just >like a modem to the OS, or is there some GSM-wide "always on" kind of >connectivity (would it look like a NIC?)? I don't need much bandwidth, >but rather reliability and low latency. Do I have to have a contract >with one provider and pay through the nose when abroad, or can I buy >service locally when and where I need it? > >Please, pardon my ignorance -- my cell phone is of a CDMA variety, which >seems to work better around here, but I have to leave it home when >traveling :-) > >Thanks in advance! Yours, > > -mi > >_______________________________________________ >freebsd-mobile@freebsd.org mailing list >http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-mobile >To unsubscribe, send any mail to "freebsd-mobile-unsubscribe@freebsd.org" -- Jacques Caron, IP Sector Technologies Join the discussion on public WLAN open global roaming: http://lists.ipsector.com/listinfo/openroaming