Sharing OQO 3G connection with 2nd laptop

[Marty]

I have the model 02 with integrated sprint ev-do card. I would like to share my 3g connection with my standard laptop from time to time. I have tried using internet connection sharing and a crossover Cat5e cable from the OQO to my standard laptop but am having trouble configuring it to work. When I click on explorer or firefox on my laptop, My sprint dial-up connection dials and connects to the sprint network on my OQO so I think the internet connection sharing feature is working fine. But I still can't get out to the internet from my laptop (keep getting 'connection timed out' errors on my laptop browser. The Browser on OQO continues to access internet without a problem though. I followed the instructions on the following link: http://mobilesociety.typepad.com/mobile_life/2006/08/how_to_share_y...

Does anybody have any suggestions on what else I might try to get it to work?? Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks.

Marty

[Bjorn Stromberg]

It sounds like a configuration problem. Is your laptop set up to use DHCP? Have you tried to do the sharing using WiFi? I find that to be easier to set up than using crossover cables or hubs. Personally, I've never gotten a crossover cable to work but maybe you've had better luck than me.

Can you post screenshots of your settings? What does it show on both of your computers when you type "ipconfig /all"

Cheers,
- Bjorn

[Seymour Buttz]

The Sprint and Verizon connection managers are smart enough to detect you are trying to proxy your EVDO card and after you successfully connect your laptop to the OQO, it will likely disconnect within 30 seconds. Bjorn S. provided wise advice earlier about DHCP issues and the first thing you have to do is confirm connectivity between your laptop and OQO by simply pinging each other from both (and subsequent systems).

Sprint and Verizon don't want you to become a small time ISP by allowing you to proxy their network at DSL like speeds and configure their EVDO systems for single use only.

Then, you have to bypass the p.o.s Sprint or Verizon connection manager and use dial up networking to establish your WWAN connection.

In the Network Connections menu, create a new dial up networking entry, call it whatever you want but make the phone number #777 without a user ID or password. A NOTE TO ANYONE WHO IS EXPERIENCING CONNECTION ISSUES SUCH AS DROPPED CALLS WITH THEIR SPRINT CARD AFTER THEY TRY TO OPEN MORE THAN TWO YOU TUBE VIDEOS or ARE ALWAYS MYSTERIOUSLY DISCONNECTED DURING RUSH HOUR.. IT IS BECAUSE THE SPRINT CONNECTION MANAGER WILL SERREPTIOUSLY CHAPPERONE YOUR BANDWIDTH USAGE AND DISCONNECT YOU WHEN YOU'VE EXCEEDED SOME UNPUBLISHED THRESHOLD. / DON'T BELIEVE ME? NOTICE THAT YOU ARE DISCONNECTED MORE OFTEN DURING RUSH HOUR SINCE IT IS ONE OF THE MOST BUSIEST TIMES OF DAY FOR CELLULAR NETWORKS.

Use the #777 entry and just bypass the Sprint connection manager and you will notice your calls are hardly dropped and will even download faster.

Then, create your Internet Connection Sharing profile and the OQO will become a defacto DHCP server and provide a lease to the your laptop and subsequent systems so the OQO can proxy.

Execute the ping test from the OQO and the clients, after you've verified connectivity, set the OQO IP as the proxy server address in the clients internet browser settings.

You even use SQUID proxy in lieu of ICS, it offers caching capabilities and other useful features, and once SQUID is configured, you can just copy the directory to any other system and execute the SQUID binaries and services and all settings will seamlessly migrate.

We configure our OQO's as backup connections for our field reps in case their broadband connections at home fail, they can follow the preceding steps and provide broadband speed to everyone within WiFi range.

Please don't bother asking me to define any of the preceding terms or explain where any of the aforementioned menus are, if you don't already know than you frankly have no business setting up a proxy to be used on the internet. All the terms I've used are industry standard and easily referenced.

good luck.

[Bjorn Stromberg]

Awesome tips Seymour! Thanks for sharing!