wi-fi & mobile phone

wellsie82

hi all

not sure whether this is the right forum or whether it should of gone in the techie forum but yesterday i got a nokia 5800 on contract from virgin mobile (http://www.mobile-phones-uk.org.uk/nokia-5800-xpressmusic.htm)

we already use virgin media to provide our landline, tv services and broadband

ive been able to access the internet on my old phone before but only the basic wap sites but i want to make use of my new phones capacity to get on the net more and for it to be faster. ive never come across wi-fi before and im not able to pick up any wi-fi "hotspots" yet (ive only tried it at home)

question is - how do i go about using this wi-fi on my new mobile? it might be worth mentioning that my partner got a laptop recently and we are being given a wireless router at crimbo - will this "boost" or give wi-fi to my mobile or are they not connected?

DarkConvict

Wifi is a wireless network standard. It is just a means of connections computers to each other, i use one for my internet and another one to connect our CCTV system wirelessly to the laptop

For your phone to make use of internet via wifi you need your internet modem plugged into your wireless router which by the sounds of it you dont yet have. If your on virgin you get one free on the 20mb or 50mb packages.

Anyway, once you have setup the wireless router, when you try to use the internet browser on the phone there is an option to scan for wifi. This will turn wifi on the phone and scan for available networks. Select the network you want (yours), connect to it (password from router might(should) be needed). Once connected it works just like plugging your ethernet cable into your PC/Laptop.

I have the 5800 and virgin media broadband, but on the phone contract is orange.

If you want to use internet on the go (outside the house) you will need to purchase a data bundle from virgin media, but i am not sure what they offer. Otherwise any data you do use will probably cost alot if you don't use a wifi connection.

wellsie82

DarkConvict wrote: »

Wifi is a wireless network standard. It is just a means of connections computers to each other, i use one for my internet and another one to connect our CCTV system wirelessly to the laptop

For your phone to make use of internet via wifi you need your internet modem plugged into your wireless router which by the sounds of it you dont yet have. If your on virgin you get one free on the 20mb or 50mb packages.

Anyway, once you have setup the wireless router, when you try to use the internet browser on the phone there is an option to scan for wifi. This will turn wifi on the phone and scan for available networks. Select the network you want (yours), connect to it (password from router might(should) be needed). Once connected it works just like plugging your ethernet cable into your PC/Laptop.

I have the 5800 and virgin media broadband, but on the phone contract is orange.

If you want to use internet on the go (outside the house) you will need to purchase a data bundle from virgin media, but i am not sure what they offer. Otherwise any data you do use will probably cost alot if you don't use a wifi connection.

cheers for that darkconvict - very helpful :T

so it sounds like it shouldn't be a problem, especially if you're on a different network but can still pick up the virgin wireless router

in terms of the data bundle - ive opted for the £22 tarriff with 250 mins, and unlimited mobile internet - will this include being able to use the wi-fi facility or just the wap? i have previsouly been with O2 and paid a bolt-on of £7 a month for the mobile internet access http://www.virginmobile.com/vm/payMonthlyTariffs.do

wellsie82

hmmm, just rang virgin as i was worried about any extra costs for using wi-fi instead of say wap, they confirmed that as ive got unlimited web access then wi-fi is included, he did say though that i would need to go to the local store to buy a wi-fi USB card to plug into my handset to be able to use it with the new router - is this true? i explained that i thought the 5800 had wi-fi access built in (ie its enabled) but he still insisted that i needed this extra card - any ideas?

jclegs

Don't think he knew what he was talking about, the 5800 works with wifi out of the box.

DarkConvict

Any wireless wifi router that is not in a hidden mode, can be detected by the Nokia 5800, as can any wifi device.

I think the operator you spoke to was thinking you had a laptop that needed to connect to the router but doesnt have a wifi network card inbuilt, so sugguested you buy a dongle to plug into the laptop. If the phone didnt support wifi no addin could make it support it.

WAP is an old style network connection using your mobile phone from years ago. Obiovusly a wifi signal has a range of about 10-20 meters depending on what is around. But WAP is available where you have a mobile signal The speed of Wifi will depend on internet speed. WAP speed is really slow, this has been outside with GPRS data and 3G, and soon 4G.

wellsie82

DarkConvict wrote: »

Any wireless wifi router that is not in a hidden mode, can be detected by the Nokia 5800, as can any wifi device.

I think the operator you spoke to was thinking you had a laptop that needed to connect to the router but doesnt have a wifi network card inbuilt, so sugguested you buy a dongle to plug into the laptop. If the phone didnt support wifi no addin could make it support it.

thats great stuff - i sound so thick but im new to all this as ive never used or come across wi-fi before!

sounds like it'll all work fine then, roll on crimbo day when the missus gets her wireless router so i can use it for my mobile!

thanks again for all your help - i'll know where to come should i have any problems

wellsie82

back again! the wireless router hasn't turned up yet but ive been able to connect to other connections down the road so i know the wi-fi works and that it'll hopefully work 100% when we get ours for crimbo, however im having problems connecting to sites via wap. it keeps coming up saying "connection not available" and then "unable to perform operation"

i used to be able to check my emails (on my gmail account) and sport and news on the bbc wap sites at work and on my way to/from work on my W760i but now i cant on my new phone - does anyone have any advice or suggestions? it was working on and off at home over the weekend but the connection was very hit and miss to be honest

thanks in advance

wellsie82

have downloaded an update off the nokia website - appears to have sorted the wap problem thankfully

DarkConvict

I was going to suggest your phone was not setup for WAP, i.e. the operator needs to send you the settings.

Note, using WAP is a data connection via a mobile signal, and for most operators is charged at about £2 per MB.

If you do not have a data package, only use the WiFi for internet connections, otherwise you might get a big bill.