i wonder if with the right tools (such as iptables) we can potentially turn the N900 into a MiFi device. that would be cool

Why are the phones moving backwards when it comes to using it as a bluetooth modem? (Sorry, 'tethering')

All my old phones could do this

Isn't that Windows only? Not much use to us Linux users.

Fwiw, I found that Bluetooth tethering uses less power than USB. You might like to try that. On my old S60 6120 Classics, using the phone as a modem for my laptop, I've had about 2 hours use that way.

From what people are saying, WiFi uses more power than USB.

So it's important to distinguish between WiFi and Bluetooth cases.

For providing access to one computer/device, yes. To give multiple devices access, that won't do.

With PAN, you may also find you can't use OBEX file browsing between the phone and computer - I've seen some phones that allow one or the other.

In my experience of S60 on a Nokia 6120 Classic, Bluetooth DUN was less power hungry than USB, as well as being more convenient due to not needing a cable. (PAN wasn't an option.)

Most of the time, Bluetooth was faster than the mobile broadband, but not on those rare occasions where the broadband service was running at full speed. Then USB was needed to get maximum download speed. But it wasn't that much difference, and only rarely, so I used Bluetooth all the time, except when doing tests.

Speaking of dirty, I was thinking of hacking up an application for my N900 like JoikuSpot, to give other people web access when they are in cafes that don't provide it (or where it's not free).

And then putting up a redirection to a "send me £1 by paypal to get unlimited web access until <TIME>" page, just like the commercial providers, only offered wherever I happen to be eating that day ;-)

Hey, if there's multiple N900 users running this app within range, we could even pool our connections to multiply the bandwidth for all of us ;-) ;-)

In this case, we had been discussing using the N900 as a client - not a host - for internet. It's maddening that it's not supported out of the box, as I do it with my N800 with no additional software or updates. It's included in OS2008.

I am very interested in getting a N900, However I am not interested in getting a new cellphone plan with it. (I am very happy with my Verizon contract)

Can I tether a N900 to my cellphone via bluetooth like I can with my N810?

Other than the lack of the phone portion working, would there be any other disadvantages of using it as just an internet tablet and not a phone?

(I may switch to T-Mobile down the line but not right now)

Thanks!

Bump

Can I connect a N900 to a cellphone via bluetooth/tether to get internet access?

as far as i understood: no, not out of the box.

there's a page in the wiki with rudimentary information on enabling unsupported bluetooth features
http://wiki.maemo.org/Fremantle_Unsu...tooth_profiles

it still doesn't cover what you (and i) want.

even if it could be done by simply editing a few config files or such, it'd still be a PITA compared to the easy to use GUI they had on previous maemo versions.

http://wiki.maemo.org/Fremantle_Unsu...tooth_profiles

There are some info about BT profiles that are not supported out of the box but can be enabled. I don't have any way of testing this but maybe for example someone with a pre-release device could try it out..