I read the thread on "HOWTO: Use BlackBerry As Modem For Laptop!"
Unfortunatelly I wasn't able to connect with my Powerbook because I couldn't find a driver script.

My Hardware:
Powerbook G4 17"
Blackberry 7290
Software:
PocketMacBlackberry


I was able to connect my Sony Ericson t681 trough Bluetooth and I was expecting to do the same with my new BB.

I don't think they're is an AppleScript available as yet.

I wonder if someone has a BBmodem script. The Network Preferences detect the Blackberry immidiately after I connect with PocketMac. It's just a matter of having a USB modem script with the right strings that are already posted in several threads.
This would be the solution for this challenge! I'm not the right person to do this but maybe someone could provide a download.

Thanks

I don't know if its all that easy... on the PC desktop manager has to be open as well if I recall.

May want to source ehMac! www.ehmac.ca tones of guru's there that might know? PS love the avatar!

Trying to do the same thing; T-mobile support told me that you have to use the BB sync software to "hold open the connection." (Pocketmac). Unlike mobile phones, the BB wasn't meant to be used as a wireless modem, but the hack goes through the sync sw. Then, you have to use the ISP's custom modem script (see below). Officially of course, they don't support Macintosh.

They lie. BB was designed to do it...that why it installs itself as a modem on a PC. It however was not designed to do it on a Mac, but good luck.

Seriously someone please come up with a way to do this. The Cult of Mac would love it!!!

Where is this script? I am new to this forum, just got a Blackberry 8700g with Tmobile.

I am going to do everything I can to make this work! I hope my reply gets people back to this thread and tossing ideas around.

I am going to call Tmobile support right now and see if I can extract any worthwhile information from them.

Has anyone figured out how to do this? I just bought a 7100 from Verizon yesterday and I would like to connect it to my PowerBook G4.

As of right now, there are no drivers for the mac which will allow the tethering to work. The guys at evdoforums.com have been researching it since late last year and havent come up with anything yet.

I just called T-Mobile and they kept forwarding me around.

The final word was that they will tell you exactly how to set it up on Windows, but they claim no support for Macs.

So, to bump this up into high gear, does anybody know of a windows program that will let me log all the data going through the USB ports? If so, I will be able to see exactly what is being sent to the BB to initialize it and possibly come up with a solution for the mac using the "PPP Options... > Connect using a terminal window (command line)" setting in the Blackberry networking properties.

Once I am able to do that, I can release a script that will connect it up.

*Update*

I found some trial software, so let's hope I can get all the data I need of the USB port in 14 days and 100 uses!

Here is the software, (www DOT hhdsoftware DOT com/Downloads/usb-monitor.html) for those of you that are interested in downloading it and sending me your logs to help me out find differences between my computer and others.

[I can't post URL's until I have 10 posts]

I'd *really* love to get this working. I was thinking about setting up a bounty - would anyone else be interested in chipping in for a working solution? If so, I'll get the wheels rolling.

aequitas - perhaps you could work with Ross Barkman:

www DOT taniwha DOT org DOT uk (I can't post URLs yet either)

He obviously has some experience in this area.

The trial software I downloaded won't let me do anything with the USB ports ... Not even log what a mouse is doing. I am back to square one with that regard.

alexkingorg - I'll take a look into that link you sent.

I'll keep you guys posted.

You could buy an AirCard and put your BlackBerry SIM in it...

What kind of aircard will work with the NEXTEL 7100i??? And the new MacBook has no support for cards...

bluetooth is a generally standard protocol, right? so shouldn't one be able to make a sharkmodem-like proxy app that works on a mac and uses the bluetooth serial port profile?

i'd be glad to help anyone out with this

just im me or PIN me if you are interested

Bluetooth is "generally" a standard protocol. The problem is that you can not do anything with it and the RIM device (BlackBerry) unless you have the RIM code signature. See the "How to Register RIM controlled APIs" section at [www_DOT_blackberry_DOT_com/developers/downloads/jde/api.shtml]

i have the RIM key.
so i'm thinking it's possible

So does aybody want to help develop an application to do this? I know some Java, though I'm not too sharp with Objective-C (I just recently switched to mac)
Anybody with ideas, please communicate them!

Why not team up with the SharkModem people?

That would be great. Porting sharkmodem code would obviously be much easier compared to writing a new one from scratch, especially for the BB side of the equation.

So if they are willing, I would certainly help out.

maybe you could try using the blackberry simulator available from RIM to see the PC modem sequence... writing a modem script for a mac is not too difficult if you have the script for a PC.

Keeping PocketMac open keeps the BlackBerry/Mac connection open over USB.

Before trying to conquer a bluetooth connection, we should focus on getting a USB connection to work. I contacted MobiShark and they didn't seem interested in porting their software. Besides, their software really isn't that great. TCP/IP, at least with Cingular on my 8700c, is much faster than mobishark's software rendering (I did this on a PC).

P.S. - Virtual PC doesn't even recognize my blackberry... anyone know how to correct this?

Perhaps USB would be better...I am not too familiar with the workings of PocketMac..sorry for the ignorance.
I just assumed it would be more straightforward to use bluetooth, as RIM documentation suggests that it does not require a program like Desktop Manager or PocketMac running. If you have any more ideas, please share...IM, PIN, PM....

hopefully we can finally get the BB to work as a modem for macs.

Don't we already have the PC script though, because people connect using their PC all the time by adding a few lines to the modem script. Sorry if this is an obvious question...

-Matt

All I did to connect in windows was install the RIM software for the Desktop Manager and this installed the Blackberry modem driver.

From here all I did was setup a dialup connection with the Blackberry as the modem, dial *99# (for T-Mobile) using my telephone number as my username (no password).

That is all it takes with windows unfortunately.

Jason

True, however I have tried unsuccessfully to see exactly what the PC says to the BlackBerry (USB command) to ititialize the modem software on the BlackBerry. If anyone is able to capture that command (probably about 6 letters long :( let me know)

Don't mean to be an idiot but I use sprint and they make me pay $40/mo to use the phone as a modem. That's one of the things I like about sharkmodem-I just pay the power vision fee and that's it. Anybody with me on trying to build something similar in functionality to SharkModem?

Yep, that's what they're trying to do here. Let the macs see the blackberry as a modem and connect through the phone network, just as you do.

-Matt

(Apologies in advance for cross-posting this in the several threads on this topic, I want to make sure that those who have expressed an interest in this are able to see it.)

I've started a bounty for the ability to tether a BlackBerry 8700 to a Mac (running Mac OS X). I've kicked in $50 to get things started, I'm hoping that some of you will want to contribute as well.

I've posted the details here:

www DOT alexking DOT org/blog/2006/06/08/tether-blackberry-8700-mac-bounty/

Apologies, I still am not allowed to post URLs.

in about 2 weeks, i'm going away for a little over a month. i'll have cellular service, but much of the time, unfortunately, i will lack internet service. Since it's only two weeks away, i must ask if this solution(however half-baked it may seem) will work:

i take my old windows xp laptop with sharkmodem
network it with my MacBook Pro,
and in the network preferences, connect to sharkmodem over the network.

i guess what i'm asking is, does sharkmodem accept remote requests?

Why not just install WinXP on your MBP using Bootcamp? http://www.apple.com/macosx/bootcamp/

That works, by the way. I boot into Windows on my MacBook to tether in a pinch.

This may or may not be helpful, but a friend has managed to rock some stuff with his PC to use the EDGE connection, I am an idiot when it comes to this so I dont know if its news let alone helpful:

http://squadblog.com/news_view/282


I am taking my first "vacation" in years and know there will be no wifi anywhere... I was so hopeful someone smarter than I would have figured this out... Bootcamp it is I guess.

That's just a repost of the BlackBerry as a Modem FAQ on this site. LOL!

My take on this situation is that it's going to require someone to write the equivalent of a virtual serial port driver on Mac OS. I doubt this will be easy, especially without all the technical specifications of the modem hardware.

I don't think it's just a matter of writing some simple AppleScript...

Jon

Has anyone tried this w/ Parallels or Boot Camp? I have to wait till I get home, don't have my blackberry install disk w/ me...

It works in BootCamp, not in Parallels.

The whole point of this is to not have to use windows ... at least for me.

I'm sure more people will agree with me on this point.

I know there is something to be said about getting it to work on Apple hardware no matter what, but booting completely into windows and wasting several gigabytes of space just to use the Blackberry software and connect to the internet? I don't care if it works in windows. I already know it does.