I had expected to get flooded with questions following my tip last week that you should forget about data cards and USB modems if you have a BlackBerry and a laptop and want to get on to the Internet. I had also promised you speeds close to that on a broadband connection. Well, here is how you do it.

This process will work flawlessly on Windows XP and a Mac with Tiger and Leopard, but God help you if you have Vista. Vista is full of bugs and its security settings prevent you from even loading basic software easily.

If you own a Desktop with a Bluetooth dongle attached or a laptop with Windows XP Service Pack 2 installed, the process is simple. Go to Start—Control Panel and click on the Bluetooth Icon. Click on the Options tab. Put a tick mark against:

• Turn Discovery On

• Allow Bluetooth devices to connect to this computer

• Alert me when a new Bluetooth device wants to connect

• Show the Bluetooth icon in the notification area

Click on Apply and OK.

Now go to your BlackBerry desktop and navigate to the options icon. Click on it and then on Bluetooth and enable it. Press the options icon (the one with the BlackBerry logo) on the left of the trackball and select Enable Bluetooth. On older Blackberries you have to navigate with the roller on the right and press it to enable Bluetooth. Press the Blackberry icon button on your phone once again and select Options from the menu. Here do the following:

• Device Name: Give your phone a name

• Discoverable: Yes

• Allow Outgoing Calls: Always

• Address Book Transfer: Enabled

• LED Connection indicator: Yes

• Click the Blackberry icon and Save.

Next, pair your laptop or desktop with your BlackBerry. Right click on the Bluetooth icon on the lower right of your computer’s taskbar. Click on Add a Device and a wizard will guide you. On the first windows of the wizard put a checkmark against “My device is set up and ready to be found.” Select your phone on the second screen (it might appear as CSR-bs4 or the name that you have given your phone) and click next. The third screen will ask you to select a passkey. Select “Let me choose my own passkey”. Choose any combination of numbers. The moment you press Next, a dialog box will appear on your phone asking you to enter a passkey. Enter the same number that you entered on your computer and press Enter on your phone.

Immediately you will notice on your computer the phone’s drivers being loaded and it will tell you that your new hardware is ready for use.

Set up a new dialup connection by clicking on Network connections in the Control Panel. Follow the wizard for a dialup connection. Leave the username and password field blank. For Number to Dial insert *99***1#.

One last step. In the Control Panel click on Phone and Modem Options. Select Standard Modem over Bluetooth link and click on Properties. Click on the advanced tab. Under Extra initialisation command enter this exactly without making a mistake: AT+CGDCONT=1,"ip","airtelgprs.com". Do not put any space anywhere. Click Apply and Okay. If your service provider is Vodafone, replace aitrelgprs.com with www. If you are not sure, ask your provider’s helpdesk what the APN is.

Now go back to the dialup connection you have created and click on Connect. Once connected browse to your heart’s content.

Macintosh

For the Mac you have to first download the modem script from Ross Barkman’s Home Page at www.taniwha.org.uk. Scroll down to Windows Smartphones and Blackberrys. Download the Blackberry 3G Scripts. Put them in the folder Library:Modem Scripts.

You will find detailed instructions on how to set it up in the file +ReadMe.rtf. The trick here is that for telephone number insert your APN—airtelgprs.com, www, etc. For Username and Password put in guest. Once your are connected, believe me, you will get blazing speeds much faster than a Windows machine. You can even see movie clips just as you would on a broadband connection. After all, it’s a Mac.

Send in your computer- related problems to askdoss@abpmail.com The solutions will appear soon