Wireless Internet: BlackBerry Curve as Bluetooth Modem for OS-X Mac
Stay connected to the Internet wherever you go by using your BlackBerry Curve (8300) as a Bluetooth modem for your OS-X-powered Macintosh…
![[ Apple MacBook ]](https://perishablepress.com/wp/wp-content/images/2007/mac-berry/bluetooth-mac.jpg)
This tutorial guides you through the process of connecting wirelessly to the Internet using your BlackBerry Curve (8300) as a Bluetooth modem for your Macintosh (running OS X) via native Bluetooth functionality. The benefits of such wireless connectivity are numerous, enabling greater productivity and maximized Internet access. The procedure is straightforward, and the tutorial assumes no prior knowledge of either Bluetooth or BlackBerry. Knowing your way around a Mac will help, but is not required. Note that using your BlackBerry as a wireless modem for your Mac (or any computer) is classified as tethering, and may or may not be covered by your wireless plan1. Having said that, the setup time for this tutorial should be well under thirty minutes, and requires2 the following three items:
- Macintosh running OS X with Bluetooth
- BlackBerry Curve 8300 with Internet access3
- Blackberry Modem Script← Click to download version 8300 ( 2.08 KB ZIP )
All set? Let’s get started…
Install the BlackBerry Modem Script
Unzip the BlackBerry_8300.zip file and save a copy of the extension-less modem-script to the “Modem Scripts” directory on your Mac: Finder → Hard Disk → Library → Modem Scripts
Pair the BlackBerry Curve with your Mac
Okay, now to pair the BlackBerry and Mac via Bluetooth. Crack open your BlackBerry, go to “Manage Connections”, and enable Bluetooth via checkmark (the icon should then show a yellow minus icon). Then, go to “Bluetooth Options”, press the menu key, select “Options”, and ensure that the “Discoverable” option is set to “Yes”.
Now, open System Preferences on your Mac and open the “Bluetooth” configuration panel. Enable Bluetooth and make it “Discoverable” [ Screenshot ].
Next, within the System Preferences panel, select the “Devices” tab and click “Set Up New Device…” to begin the setup process [ Screenshot ].
The first step in the device setup process is a “Welcome” screen. Click continue. Next, in the “Select Device Type” screen, select “Any Device” from the list and click “Continue”. Next is the “Searching” screen, which eventually (it may take a few moments) should indicate your BlackBerry device as a mobile phone. After the device is found, select in the list and click “Continue”.
Next is the “Gathering Information” screen, which displays the progress of the information gathering process. Wait until the process is complete and then click “Continue”. The next screen displays the all-important passkey. [ Screenshot ]. At this time, your BlackBerry should display its “Enter Numeric Passkey” prompt. Enter the passkey in the field provided (Note: there is a limited amounted of time for this step — if necessary, click “Go back” on the Mac and try again).
Upon successful entry of the passkey, a “Pairing Complete” message appears briefly, and a confirmation prompt appears asking if you would like to “Accept connection request from mac?”. First, select “Don’t ask this again” and then click the “Yes” button.
Configure the Bluetooth Connection
![[ Image: BlackBerry Curve and Mac PowerBook ]](https://perishablepress.com/wp/wp-content/images/2007/mac-berry/bluetooth_00.gif "Tether your BlackBerry 8300 Curve to your OS-X-powered Macintosh")
BlackBerry Wireless Modem for Mac So far so good. We are almost finished! Now it is time to configure the Bluetooth connection. On your Mac, the “Devices” subpanel (System Preferences → Bluetooth → Devices tab) should display the BlackBerry 8300 on the Bluetooth device list [ Screenshot ]. Select the BlackBerry 8300 from the list and click on “Configure” to open the configuration dialogue (Note: the Device Configuration dialogue may have opened automatically after the device pairing process).
Next, in the “Select the services you want to use with your mobile phone” screen, select “Access the Internet with your phone’s data connection” and also select “Use a direct, higher speed connection to reach your Internet Service Provider (GPRS, 1xRTT)” [ Screenshot ]. Click “Continue”.
Then, in the Username/Password screen, leave the username and password fields blank, and enter *99***1# for the GPRS CID String. For the modem, click the dropdown menu and select the custom modem script, “BlackBerry 8300”. And finally, select “Show Modem status in the menu bar” and then click “Continue” [ Screenshot ].
Upon successful completion of the device configuration process, the “Congratulations” screen will display: “Accessing the Internet using a high speed wireless data service (e.g. GPRS) from your wireless operator.” — Excellent. Click “Quit” to seal the deal.
Connect to the Internet via BlackBerry
With everything properly connected and configured, we are ready now to connect to the Internet. Click on the small ‘Modem Status’ (telephone) icon in your menu bar and select “Open Internet Connect…” [ Screenshot ].
Within the Connections dialogue box, select the Bluetooth tab and populate the form fields with the following information:
- Telephone:
wap.voicestream.com(T-Mobile) orwap.cingular(Cingular/AT&T) - Username:
guest(T-Mobile) orWAP@CINGULARGPRS.COM(Cingular/AT&T) - Password:
guest(T-Mobile) orCINGULAR1(Cingular/AT&T) - [ Screenshot ]
All set? Click “Connect”! If everything went according to plan, your Mac should be using your BlackBerry Curve as a Bluetooth modem and you should now see the “Connection Status” dialogue box, indicating connectivity [ Screenshot ].
Footnotes
- 1 For Cingular/At&T subscribers: According to the customer service department, unless your plan specifically supports tethering, tethered connections will only work until the system catches on and blacklists your device (only as a tethered modem). Also, the representative assured me that pre-blacklist connections would not be billed.
- 2 These are the devices used for the production of this tutorial. It may be possible to connect via alternate devices/software with similar features.
- 3 Different carriers provide different data/internet access plans and thus have different connection credentials (e.g., username, password). While covering every different plan is waaay beyond the scope of this article, the tutorial does provide connection credentials for both Cingular/AT&T and T-Mobile.
281 responses to “Wireless Internet: BlackBerry Curve as Bluetooth Modem for OS-X Mac”
Having abandoned bluetooth attempt tol connect. – am now trying to tether Tiger os with att bb8310m via usb. Any help? – see rooster claims sucess with genric driver but I could use a hint here. I see bb drivers in my system library but how do I actually use them? I think I was off sick that day…..
I have a Blackberry curve and I cannot seem to connect it to my Mac via bluetooth. I was able to pair it with my computer, but when I go to system preferences-bluetooth-devices, and I select the Blackberry 8320, it says: configured-Yes, Paired-Yes, Serial Ports-yes, Connected-No. I just want to be able to send files back and forth with my phone and the computer. T-mobile tech support was not helpful. Do you happen to know the answer? Thank you in advance.
I am really sick and tired of this crap. You would think that someone would have a solution by now. I was told at the store (typical) that T-Mobile fully supports tethering the Curve to a mac for no additional fee and here I am at 1am trying to get it working by installing some hacked modem scripts and wondering if it is a problem that can be solved without blackberry fixing their own code. I am now off to start hunting for a USB solution. Anyone else have a better idea?
I just got my Pearl setup using this procedure. BlackBerry Pearl 8100 on TMobile running OS 10.5.1. I used the modem script for the 8300 from this page, selected “other” under phone model, entered “wap.voicestream.com” for the number, left the username/password blank under the bluetooth preferences, and used guest/guest for the network preferences. Connected to the phone with no problems and connected to the internet with no problems for over 20 minutes. I used it with Mail, Safari, and Firefox and all 3 worked fine. (Slow, but well, ie Google, Drudge, etc. are slow/medium speed and GMAIL was very slow but did work)
Hopefully this helps. I know this is not as clear as it could be but it is late and I tried so many different things until this worked. Good Luck.
Any ideas if a fix is coming for this? What happened here? I just got my curve and I’ve gotten EVERYTHING to work, and I mean everything – ripped DVD videos, opera installed, etc., and I even got this to work on the first connectin, but it subsequently did not work.
Curious if anyone has found any updates on the situation. I’ve heard of others writing new modem scripts… any of those out there for the 8320? Any news of someone trying?
I think we should keep this thread going or make an agreed upon meeting place at crackberry or some other forum as a clearing house for new information.
our firm is considering switching from treo to blackberry but a crucial peice of our puzzle is to get wireless modem functionality from the bberry. we use Verizon, Mac Leopard, and Windows laptops. From what I can see here no dice if you use Verizon and want to get btooth modem service to your mac from a blackberry. True? The treo’s are buggy but they do provide wireless modem for our mac laptops – which is very valuable to us and we must not lose.
apologies as I suspect this may well have been dealt with before. looking for an answer, nonetheless. thanks.
I got my 8320 yesterday and now I am in the same boat.
Matthew, you were told by BB engineer to wait for a firmware update. Any indication why?
Meanwhile, RIM knowledge-base tells us that the problem is in lack of OS X support. Can anyone confirm it works with a PC?
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http://www.blackberry.com/btsc/search.do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&externalId=KB05196&sliceId=SAL_Public&dialogID=1114305&stateId=1%200%201132277)Additional Information
Apple® Macintosh® computer users will not be able to use their BlackBerry smartphones as tethered modems with either their Macintosh laptops or desktop computers. There is no support capability for Macintosh computers at this time. The Macintosh computer does not use or recognize the standard modem drivers used by Microsoft Windows.
At present, there is no tethered modem support using Bluetooth® technology for Macintosh computers.
Hi all! I just got my Tmo 8320 yesterday and have been trying to connect it to my MBP via bluetooth starting last night. It DID work using the wap.voicestream.com and I was able to connect uninterrupted the whole night. Today morning, I turn on my macbook, it just won’t connect anymore. Anyone know why?? It DID work and I’m using Leopard too. Is this really just a 8320 problem or all the blackberry?
someone please help me….using the tethered modem for my mac is the reason I brought the blackberry. If it really is unfixable, that means I just brought myself a piece of trash at a high price.
It’s slow slow slow, but working! I’m pretty sure I have the same set-up as Bob Jackson.
Here’s my configurations:
* Mac Leopard
* New BB Curve
* T-mobile
* On bluetooth menu:
** telephone: wap.voicestream.com
** username/password: guest/guest
* Leave APN on BB Curve blank
Interestingly, at first I got a failed connection error (the “PPP Server” error), but as I was searching for what to do next, the connection started up and appears to be working.
Nonetheless, I’ll keep following this conversation on the hope that someone will figure out how to make the connection fast enough to do basic things (like load gmail!), although Google searches work fine, which is a great start.
i have leopard and the curve. seems when using the script with leopard it doesn’t give the option of APN and CID. Anyone notices the difference in the bluetooth config in leopard?
i used the tutorial step by step,the only thing that did not fit is on the drop down menu after adding the gprs cid my menu does not have blackberry 8310 listed, i used the default which was apple internal 56k modem as i finished my mac recognizes the blackberry but denies connection reading modem error check settings and try again. thank you for your help.