You have a smartphone, right?  Many agents do.  Are you also paying for a separate card or device to connect your laptop or tablet to the internet?  How much is that costing you?  $20, $40, $60?  Ouch!  Well, never fear, Bryan's here with a hot tip to save you money.

I'm not a big fan of greedy corporations and especially the cell phone companies who charge excessive fees to use the data bandwidth on my phone.  I rarely download much beyond email so I'm not using much of what I'm paying for.  I get 2GB per month to download and I usually use about 10% of that.  Why do they care if I use the rest with my laptop?  Many companies, Verizon and AT&T included, have banned applications that "tether" your smartphone to a laptop or other device to gain access to the internet.  The solution:  PDA Net!

This nifty little application has been around for years and I used it with my Treo before moving over to the "HTC Incredible" Android-based phone.  PDA Net allows you to use the tethering cable for your smartphone to connect to the internet.  It's incredibly easy to use and supports nearly every phone and operating system.  For $20, you'll be able to connect to the internet using your smartphone without paying any other fees -- EVER.

  • They support MacOS, Windows (32 and 64 bit), Android, WebOS, iOS, and others
  • The run on Apple, Android, Blackberry, Windows Mobile, and other smartphones

The installation takes a few minutes and they offer easy to follow directions. Just load the software on your desktop, launch the app on your smartphone, connect the tether cable, and you'll be on the internet in seconds!

The company that provides the software is called June Fabrics and the application is called PDAnet.  Get 'em and start saving today!

 

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 Bryan Robertson, President | T: 650.799.9951 | Email: bryan@arrivva.com | Website: http://www.BryanRobertsonHomes.com |CA License: 01191946 | ARIVVA  | 744 San Antonio Road Ste 24 | Palo Alto, CA 94303

 

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15 Comments on How do I use my smartphone to connect to the internet for free?

OCT
07
2011
231,578 Points 8 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Bryan - that is cool. I'll have to check it out. Thanks for sharing.
3:04pm • #1
1,206,644 Points 193 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

I'll have to get my IT support guy to look into this. Thanks for the info.
3:04pm • #2
857,728 Points 174 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Mike - You're welcome.  Hope it helps.

Loreena - You're welcome too.
3:11pm • #3
1,021,027 Points 65 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

My Toshiba Thrive connects to my Sprint EVO.....I just turn on the WI-FI of the phone and it connects.  I do this before making a property presentation - eliminates hassles of signing on with home's secure wireless!
3:11pm • #4
194,013 Points Called Shot Master

Bryan,

My Blackberry can do this, and it works in a pinch, but its slow. So I pony up the tax-deductible $50 a month for a great working Verizon MiFi.
3:55pm • #5
226,413 Points Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Bryan -- thanks for the excellent explanation of how to get around some of these issues that can slow us down.
4:13pm • #6
1,049,931 Points 284 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Bryan, Verizon scalps us for $15 a month for the "right" to tether Liz's phone to our laptop's.  I haven't put mine up for it, just doesn't come up enough to demand it.  But for $20 on a one time charge, could kick that to the curb and install on both laptops.  Even if it's $20 per laptop, we're still way ahead.  And at least so far, we're not on a limited data usage plan.  Thanks for the info!  Bill
6:26pm • #7
274,232 Points 5 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

That's so cool, Brian.  I emailed it to my husband because he just won a tablet and we're trying to figure out how to get wifi when we're not at home without paying for it.  Now we know!  Thanks!
6:32pm • #8
OCT
08
2011
589,375 Points 31 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

I have seen people using something like this in airports.  Can you teether to an iPhone?
10:16pm • #9
OCT
10
2011
1,049,931 Points 284 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Only $15.95 for the BB version.  Downloading and installing now :)
8:34am • #10
DEC
21
2011
353,817 Points 3 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Bryan

Thanks for this tip. I found this from this mornings post from Bill & Liz Spear.
1:08pm • #11
DEC
22
2011
1,419,334 Points 41 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

This wil save me money. .thank you for the tip and thank you Liz and Bill for writing a feature post about it. .
7:53am • #12
149,074 Points Outside Blog Called Shot Master

I also found you from Bill and Liz's post.  Also suggested this post.  Thanks for all the info.  It will help solve my problem with my iPad.
9:10am • #13
330,653 Points 16 Featured Posts Called Shot Master

Trying this now...thanks! BLiz sent me over there too!! Merry Christmas!!
12:21pm • #14
493,808 Points 75 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Interesting.  I think I just saved my first few pennies going into the New Year.  Thanks for the tip, Bryan!
12:47pm • #15

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Bryan Robertson, Real estate broker Los Altos & Silicon Valley Luxury Homes

Los Altos, CA

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Address: c/o Los Altos Real Estate Agent, Los Altos, CA, 94022

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