BlackBerries are usually much more than a mobile device. However, what most people don’t know is that most BlackBerry handsets can act as Internet Modem allowing us to use the BlackBerry Internet connectivity to browse Internet from our PC or Laptop.

Well, this guide is for those who don’t know about it and would like to try the same.

BlackBerry models can utilize from various types of Internet connectivity based on the device’s capability and your connection provider’s support for those capabilities. Usually the most possible connectivity options are GPRS (very slow), EDGE (fast for mobiles), EvDo (very-fast) and 3G (ultra-fast). If you’re lucky enough to have EvDo or 3G in your mobile and your provider supports it, you can utilize broadband speeds from your Mobile to your PC or Laptop.

NOTE #1: Even though many BlackBerry handsets support WiFi / WLAN connectivity, they can’t be used to browse in other PC / Laptops due to incompatibility by the internal Modem of the device. However, in future this might change.

NOTE #2: Though your connection provider may support higher connection speeds with connectivity options such as EvDo or 3G, it is still subject to the availability of coverage in your area. So, sometimes you may fall back to the GPRS or EDGE connectivity due to non-coverage of high speed connections in your area.

To use your BlackBerry modem, first of all you need the following:

• PC / Laptop with Windows Operating System
• BlackBerry Desktop Manager software
• BlackBerry PC Connectivity Cable
• BlackBerry Internet Connection enabled (you can check this by trying to browse any website other than your provider website in the BlackBerry mobile browser)

First step is to ensure you have BlackBerry Desktop Manager installed. If you don’t, please follow the steps below to install it. If you do, skip these steps:

1. Insert the BlackBerry CD into the device and choose the BlackBerry Desktop Manager from the menu
2. If you don’t have the CD, you can download BlackBerry Desktop Manager from the BlackBerry website.
3. Install the software using the Typical configuration. This includes Modem drivers and will install a modem for you automatically.

Second step is to configure the modem for connectivity:

1. Right click My Computer in either Desktop or Start Menu and choose Properties.
2. Choose Hardware tab and choose Device Manager.
3. Expand Modems and right click on the Standard Modem displayed there and choose Properties.
4. Click on the Advanced tab and type the following as per your Provider into the Extra initialization commands box:
   1. +CGDCONT=1,”IP”,”<your-provider-apn>”
   2. Replace <your-provider-apn> with the actual APN of your Provider (you can ask the Customer Care or try to view the Browser TCP/IP settings to get it). For example, for AirTel (India), the APN is: airtelgprs.com which makes the above configuration string as +CGDCONT=1,”IP”,”airtelgprs.com”
5. Click OK and then close both the dialogs.
6. Open Network Connections and create a new Dial-up Internet Connection.
7. Choose the Modem as the above said modem. Type the Phone Number as *99#
8. No need for User Name or Password. Save the connection and create shortcut in desktop (a checkbox to create it automatically will be provided)
9. Now, connect your BlackBerry to your PC or Laptop and double click on the BlackBerry Desktop Manager icon in desktop.
10. After initialization and security verifications (if asked for BlackBerry Password, provide the same) wait until you get the BlackBerry Desktop Manager dialog with no popups and your connected BlackBerry’s ID shown in the left bottom corner of the dialog.
11. Now, double click on the shortcut you created for the connection from the Desktop.
12. Simply click on Dial and voila, you’ll be connected.

There is another simple step possible if you’re using latest BlackBerry Desktop Manager (Version 5.0.1 or more)

If you are using 5.0.1 or later version of BlackBerry Desktop Manager, you can ignore the above said Second steps and follow the below steps instead:

1. Connect your BlackBerry to your PC or Laptop
2. Double click on the BlackBerry Desktop Manager icon from Desktop to start it
3. If any password is asked, provide the same and wait until all operations are done and you get the window with the lower left corner showing your connected BlackBerry’s ID.
4. Select the option IP Modem
5. Click on the Configure button in the left side Connection Settings box
6. Choose your Carrier in the drop down list of Connection Profile. Most providers are supported automatically (including Indian ones. AirTel is under the name Bharti (AirTel) India)
7. If you want, you can select Keep an IP Modem connection open after the BlackBerry Desktop Manager is closed option to close the BlackBerry Manager and continue to use the connection.
8. Click on OK.
9. Now, at the right side Connect to the Internet box, click on Connect.
10. You’ll be connected. You can now close the BlackBerry Desktop Manager (if you selected the checkbox for the same). Otherwise, just minimize it and start browsing. If you keep the BlackBerry Desktop Manager open, you can see the statistics of your connection lively (a cool feature).

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