Mobile phones, IrDA, and modems

It is worth summarising what is needed to operate a mobile phone linked to a PC via Infra red.

The four requirements are:

• The phone must be registered on a service that is 'data enabled'
• The mobile phone must be Infra Red capable
• There must be a 'modem' either in (or on) the phone, or in (or on) the PC
• There must be a bi-directional Infra Red device on the PC.

Data enabled mobile services

All mobile networks are capable of transmitting data, but some networks require the subscriber to request the service, while other networks have enable data transmission for the all their subscribers.

As far as I am aware, all the Vodafone GSM networks worldwide already support data transmission for all their subscribers. I have seen postings on usenet that suggest that in USA, many other network providers charge a premium for enabling data tranmssion.

Your service documentation will normally tell you whether data is possible. If you have a WAP service, then your service is already data enabled. If you are in any doubt whether your service will connect data calls, check with your helpline. They will enable data for you, although some networks may charge for that.

Check the cost! Data calls are sometimes charged differently, although not by Vodafone in the UK, and as far as I am aware, not in any of Vodafone's European GSM networks.

If your service is not data enabled, then although you will be able to set up all the software, every call attempt will fail, usually giving rise to a message such as:

• 'No carrier'
• 'Number not available'
• 'The computer you are calling does not answer'

depending on the handling of the network error condition in the phone, and in the PC software. It varies a lot between networks, between phones, and between the different applications you are running.

Infra red capable mobile phones

The mobile phone must be Infra Red capable. As far as I know, that means these phones:

Phones from these manufacturers which are not listed may not support Infra Red (although I there some more high-end Nokia phones in the 8xxx range which do support Infra Red, I just do not know which they are, for sure).

Phones

Nokia phones

There is a useful site (http://www.nokiainfo.f2s.com/infrared.html) listing Nokia phones which support InfraRed, and also provides details on the software needed.

Nokia's support site, http://www.forum.nokia.com/main/1,6668,5_5,00.html contains guidance for (mostly) the current or very recent ranges of phones. When I last checked, the 6150, for example, was not described there, but if you have a Nokia phone, the site is worth checking.

Ericsson phones

I have heard that Ericsson no longer make the phones which employ the DI27 (they are sometimes referred to as the Ericsson '5volt platform'). The current Ericsson '3volt platform?', such as the T28s, requires a different Infra Red adapter, the DI28.

Other phones

As I become aware of the capabilities of other phones, and other manufacturers' phones, I'll update the table.

Modems

Where the phone is listed as having a built-in modem, you do not need to add another modem, and you will have a driver disk or CD in the retail package. I have used the Motorola P7389 with my laptop, and have had no difficulty with the phone. The IrDA port is at the top of the phone, which means that the phone has to be horizontal in use.

Where the phone is listed as requiring external support, such as the Ericsson DI27 (it clips to the bottom of the phone), or the Nokia Data Suite (software on the PC), these can normally be purchased at a retail store or via mail order. We have the Ericsson DI27 which I use with an A1018s, and I found it fairly straightforward to install. I particularly like the DI27 attachment, because in use the IrDA port ends up at the bottom of the side of the phone, so that the phone can be vertical or horizontal while being used. With vertical working, it does mean that fringe reception is slightly better (because transmitter sites are polarised to operate best with vertical antennas on mobiles).

Later in the setting up, I like to have some of the command lists available. There are standards for these, published by ETSI, and I believe you can register and obtain them. I have not done that, because I have found, so far, that the command sets for most of the major phone suppliers are more or less to standard, and a bit easier to get hold of on the Web. For example, Siemens is a manufacturer of good handsets (I wanted an S35i but one was not available to me on the service contract I wanted), and their online support is very good. Their publication of their phones' command sets is very useful and (fairly) easy to read once you've understood the different syntax for reading and writing command states. I have used the Siemens command lists to help in checking out both our Ericsson A1018s/DI27, and my Motorola P7389.

Infra Red on the PC

The next section contains more information on the Infra red solutions for the PC. I'll just mention here that either the Infra Red port will be built-in (on the motherboard in some form), or will have to be added as a serial port peripheral.

Warning! Be aware that some serial port IrDA adapters for PCs are designed for printers and such like, and only support outbound communication. If you are still considering what to use, follow the links on this page to identify what serial port devices will be suitable. Most inbuilt Infra Red ports on laptops are bi-directional, and satisfactory.

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