GNUBOX utility for mobile - go to the Internet through big brother

    Once I wondered: “If you can put a computer on the Internet using a mobile phone (smartphone), can it be done the other way around?” It turned out that it is possible. In this article, I will share my research on this issue and help to avoid some problems if, of course, you want to tinker with this. At the end of the article you will find links on the topic.

    How it works?


    The main problem is the creation of an alternative access point in a mobile phone. There are no standard methods for solving it in most devices, but there is a wonderful GNUBOX program that will help us (list of supported devices below). By installing this program on the phone, we can use it to create an access point for USB, Bluetooth or IrDA connection. I will not dwell on the configuration process itself - the links to the manuals are presented below.

    Further, it remains only to configure masquerading on the big brother (a computer that has bluetooth and Internet access).

    How can this be used?


    I use this scheme to communicate on Skype. The phone has Fring and, accordingly, GNUBOX. A bluetooth dongle sticks out on a computer (running Ubuntu) and a masquerade is set up. Those. my phone completely replaces my headphones and microphone. I can easily communicate via Skype while walking around the office (within the range of bluetooth). Thus, I use cheap high-quality Internet for optics, and not expensive and buggy EDGE / GPRS and at the same time I use the usual “phone” device, which was originally intended for conversations.

    List of supported phones:


    UIQ

    * SonyEricsson P800
    * SonyEricsson P900
    * SonyEricsson P910
    * Motorola A920
    * Motorola A925
    * Motorola A1000

    Series60 v1, v2

    * Nokia 3600
    * Nokia 3650
    * Nokia 6600, 7650

    Series60 v2 feature pack 1

    * Nokia 3230
    * Nokia 6260
    * Nokia 6620
    * Nokia 6670
    * Nokia 7610

    Series60 v2 feature pack 2

    * Nokia 6630, 6680, 6681
    * Nokia 6682

    Series60 v2 feature pack 3

    * Nokia N70
    * Nokia N90

    Series90 phones

    * Nokia 7710

    The list is taken from the official site, but it is not complete. This is only a list of those phones for which the ready binaries are compiled (also, there are source codes). I managed to google a binary compiled by someone for my Nokia E50 (s60v3), but I had to sign it before installation.

    To subscribe your phone (I’ll remind you again, this is only for S60v3) you
    will need IMAI. After learning a little about getting certificates and trying to do it manually, I used the free service www.symbiansigned.com . Everything is simple there: I fed my IMEI, uploaded the necessary application to them, and after about a minute I received an email link to download the file already signed for my phone. Very comfortable - I recommend.

    Also, it is worth noting that GNUBOX has not developed for a long time, the latest source update on the official website is dated 2007-01-31.

    Related links:



    * gnubox.dnsalias.org/gnubox - Official website
    * slawek.mikula.googlepages.com/nokiae50gnuboxandfring - "Nokia E50 Gnubox and Fring"
    * forum.allnokia.ru/viewtopic.php?t= 8141 & start = 0 - “Using the computer’s Internet through gnubox on 6630” (Russian)
    * www.symbiansigned.com - online service for subscribing applications for smartphones s60v3 (English)

    Comments and clarifications are welcome.

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