AT&T Mobility FAQ/Data Connect Configuration

This is a setup guide for AT&T Mobility Data Connect (as distinct from MEdia Net). Important Notes:

This information is provided as a public service without warranty of any kind. Use at your own risk.
Items not covered here should be left at default values unless you really know what you are doing.

Differences between Data Connect and MEdia Net

Data Connect uses AT&T Data Connect profiles (settings) to provide standard Internet connections with AT&T as the ISP (Internet Service Provider). Connections can be configured with or without Data Acceleration (which significantly boosts throughput by means of image compression [which reduces image quality], caching, and transport optimization). Data Connect is more expensive than MEdia (as of this writing).
MEdia Net uses the AT&T WAP profile (settings) to support most types of Internet access (e.g., HTTP [Web browsing], SMTP/POP3/IMAP Email, FTP, Telnet, SSH, SSL). However, not all protocols seem to be fully supported, so problems may be seen with such things as VPN, and Data Acceleration is not available. Note that MEdia will not work with AT&T Data Connect profiles. MEdia is less expensive than Data Connect (as of this writing).

Handset (Phone) Configuration

If WAP isn't already working on the handset, the handset and SIM must first be configured for AT&T WAP:

This is best accomplished by asking AT&T Support (dial 611) to "push" WAP settings to the handset (normally done automatically by SMS when a WAP package [e.g., MEdia] is added to the account).
Alternative: Cingular On-line Phone & Device Support
Select your Network, and handset Manufacturer and Model (or a similar device) to access Device Setup.
Another alternative (untested), for Sony Ericsson devices, is to use the Configurator on the Sony Ericsson website. Select Configurators, Phone model, WAP Read more, and then follow the prompts. (Email and MMS can also be configured this way.)

This configuration is sufficient for WAP and/or Web browsing with the handset alone. It's also sufficient for Email given an Email client in the handset that has been properly configured (including selection of the WAP profile for connections).

Using Windows XP Dial-Up Networking

Create a handset modem entry. If your handset connection (serial cable, USB cable, IrDA, Bluetooth) created a modem entry for your handset (e.g., Standard Modem over Bluetooth link), then you can skip to next major step (Create DUN connection); otherwise:
- Obtain the latest handset modem driver.
- Make sure your handset connection (serial cable, USB cable, IrDA, Bluetooth) is installed properly, and note the COM port assigned. Make sure the handset is connected and powered on.
- Use Control Panel → Modem to Add the handset modem. Windows should detect the modem, and then search for the best driver. When it does, give Windows the location of the modem driver, and complete the installation. (If auto-detection fails, try to Add the modem manually using the appropriate COM port with the driver.)
Create a new Windows Dial-Up Networking (DUN) Connection:

Control Panel → Network Connections → Create a new connection

Network Connection Type

Connect to the Internet

Getting Ready

Set up my connection manually

Internet Connection

Connect using a dial-up modem

Select a Device

(Select just your serial, USB, IrDA, or Bluetooth connection)

Connection Name

AT&T Data Connect (or whatever you want)

Phone Number to Dial

*99# (uses default GPRS profile)

User name

WAP@CINGULARGPRS.COM (must be all uppercase)

Password

CINGULAR1 (must be all uppercase)

Confirm password

CINGULAR1 (must be all uppercase)

Make this the default Internet connection

(probably not)

Completing

Click Finish

Set the port speed. (Especially important for EGPRS/EDGE!)

See How To Set the Port Speed in Windows XP?

Use this Dial-Up Connection to connect your computer to the Internet with AT&T GPRS/EGPRS(EDGE).

Using AT&T Communication Manager (Handset)

AT&T Communication Manager is a software package that makes it easier to connect your computer to the Internet over AT&T. Available for free download (inc. help files on same download page). Includes drivers for mobile devices sold by AT&T.

Do not connect your mobile device before starting this procedure:

Install and launch the software

Select Configure a phone as a tethered modem.

Select the method of connection

This example is Bluetooth.

Connect your mobile device when instructed to do so

Give Windows time to recognize it before proceeding.

Device recognized and configured

With your mobile device showing in the box, click Finish.

Edit Connection Profile

You're not really ready to go yet because the port speed needs to be configured! Select Connections Edit → Connection Profiles

Profiles → Add

Profiles for Data Connect are pre-configured, but you'll have to add a profile for MEdia, so click Add.

GSM

Select AT&T Internet

Create Custom Profile

Service Type		Packet
Dialed Number		(leave unchanged)
Access Point Name		wap.cingular
Username		WAP@CINGULARGPRS.COM
Password		CINGULAR1

IP Settings

Leave both on automatic

General

Change the Profile name to whatever you want (e.g., AT&T MEdia), set any other options as desired, and click Finish.

Launch your new Profile

Select (verify settings) and click Connect.

Connected!

You should now be connected to AT&T MEdia.

Using BVRP/Motorola mobile PhoneTools

BVRP mobile PhoneTools works with a wide range of devices.
Motorola mobile PhoneTools (branded version of BVRP mobile PhoneTools) works only with Motorola devices. (Low-cost sources include Shopoem.)

Illustrated with Motorola V551:

Create Internet Connection

After starting mobile PhoneTools, click the Internet Connection icon.

File:BVRP mobile PhoneTools config 1.png

(click to enlarge)
Screen © BVRP Software
Fair Use (educational, non-profit)

Launch it

A new Internet connection should be created automatically. Launch it to test it.

File:BVRP mobile PhoneTools config 2.png

(click to enlarge)
Screen © BVRP Software
Fair Use (educational, non-profit)

Connection opening

Here's how it should look while launching the new Internet connection.

File:BVRP mobile PhoneTools config 3.png

Completed

File:BVRP mobile PhoneTools config 4.png

This process should create a standard Windows Dial-Up Networking (DUN) connection that can be managed and used in Windows (Control Panel → Network Connections) without having to launch mobile PhoneTools. Be sure to set the port speed...

Set the port speed. (Especially important for EGPRS/EDGE!)

See How To Set the Port Speed in Windows XP?

PC Card (PCMCIA) Configuration

Using AT&T Communication Manager (PC Card)

Use the procedure in Using AT&T Communication Manager (Handset), selecting PC Card as the method of connection

Using Sony Ericsson Wireless Manager

Works only with Sony Ericsson [PC Card devices:

Install the Sony Ericsson Wireless Manager:
- This is best accomplished by downloading the latest version from the Global support area of the Sony Ericsson website. Select Location, Enter product name and click on the appropriate Matching products link, Software, Applications, Wireless Manager, Download here, and Download.
- Or use the CD that comes with the PC Card.
When the Wireless Manager is run for the first time, the Connection Wizard will start automatically. Enter the following settings:

Create a new connection

AT&T MEdia (or whatever name you prefer)

Type of Connection

GPRS (selects the default GPRS profile)

Choose network

Other

Primary APN

wap.cingular (must be all lowercase)

User ID

WAP@CINGULARGPRS.COM (must be all uppercase)

Password

CINGULAR1 (must be all uppercase)

Save password

Check

Finish

Use the Wireless Manager to connect your computer to the Internet.

Troubleshooting

Email

The usual problem when sending email from a handset with SMTP capability is the outgoing SMTP server. Thanks to spammers, outgoing SMTP servers now generally require some form of authentication when you're off the provider's network. You should be able to find out what kind(s) of authentication are supported by contacting the email provider (e.g., your ISP). Finding out what your handset supports may be a bigger challenge—documentation is often woefully inadequate in this area.
If the email provider supports POP3 before SMTP authentication, then you need to find a way to have the handset do a POP3 check or download before sending mail.
Some handsets (e.g., Sony Ericsson Z600) now have support for SMTP-AUTH (Authenticated SMTP, different from POP3 before SMTP). For this to work, you usually need to configure the handset with a valid mailbox id and password for the email provider.
On the AT&T network you can use cwmx.com (preferred, no footer added) or photo.mycingular.com (adds a photo messaging footer) as an outgoing SMTP server. Since you're authenticated by being on the AT&T network, no further authentication is required.

Speed

Handsets and PC Cards do not all have the same data performance—maximum speeds are limited by GPRS/EGPRS/EDGE Multislot Class (and the carrier). In general, all reasonably recent GPRS/EGPRS/EDGE-capable devices from Ericsson and Sony Ericsson support Class 8 (4+1) and Class 10 (4+2, max of 5), whereas most Nokia devices (as of this writing) are limited to slower Class 4 (3+1) and Class 6 (3+2, max 4). Motorola has both Class 4 and Class 8 devices. (The first number is the maximum number of downlink slots, and the number after the "+" is the maximum number of uplink slots.) This can translate into a substantial difference in throughput—if supported by the carrier, Class 8 is 33% faster on downlink than Class 4.
Connections between handsets and "tethered" devices (e.g., notebook computer, PDA) are typically implemented as a serial port, either real or virtual, and port speed usually defaults to 115 Kbps. (Bluetooth is typically implemented on a computer as a virtual serial port that will go as fast as 921.6 Kbps, but which runs at only 115.2 Kbps by default.) While 115 Kbps is generally fast enough for GPRS, it can be a bottleneck for EGPRS(EDGE) (as well as UMTS/HSDPA). In general, port speed should be at least 230 Kbps for GPRS and 460 Kbps for EGPRS(EDGE) (920 Kbps for UMTS/HSDPA).

WAP

WAP as built into many handsets is much more limited than standard HTTP—much of the Internet (World Wide Web) cannot be accessed through WAP.