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Connect Windows XP Computer to the Internet Using the Samsung A900M Camera Phone

I have a Samsung A900M camera phone with a Sprint PCS account. The phone is a real marvel at broadband connection. Even its built-in browser is quite capable for accessing various web sites, such as this one. But I'm more ambitious than using a broadband Internet on a small cellphone; I want to use it with my notebook computer as well. Basically I want broadband Internet on the go.

Using the Samsung A900M with your notebook computer is relative easy once you get it set-up. I have been using this set-up quite some times, and the broadband speed is pretty close to using your broadband at home. This guide will help you tether the Samsung A900M to your Windows computer for broadband Internet.

USB Cable

The Samsung A900M cellphone comes with an USB cable for connecting the phone to your computer. This cable is fine for the purpose of accessing the Internet. Unfortunately, this USB cable does not charge the cellphone at the same time. That means how long you can stay on the Internet is limited by the battery life. And the small battery that came with the phone doesn't last that long.

There are two solution to the battery life problem. One, you can buy more batteries. Various vendors provide extended batteries that last far longer than the small battery that came with the phone. I listed several places and reviews on replacement batteries in the "Related Links" section below.

Another solution to this energy problem is to purchase an USB cable that has the battery charging capability. With a USB cable that can transfer data and charge the phone at the same time, you can practically stay on the Internet 24/7 (assuming you have an unlimited airtime plan, that is). I've listed an excellent USB cable for this phone in the "Related Links" section.

Download the Software

After you've found the USB cable that you are going to use to connect your computer to your phone, you'll need to get the software that makes them work together. Download the A900M driver software from Samsung Wireless Phones Drivers.

After you accept the license agreement, you will download the SPH-A900.zip to your computer. With Windows XP, you can automatically open the ZIP file and see its content by double-clicking on the ZIP file. If you can't see the content, download a free ZIP utility from the Info-ZIP web site (see "Related Links" below).

Extract the "Samsung (MCCI Driver 4.16)" folder from the SPH-A900.zip file. In Windows XP, you can simply copy it out by drag-and-dropping the folder on your destination (say your desktop).

Install the Software

Installing the driver software is easy. Open the "Samsung (MCCI Driver 4.16)" folder. Then click on "setup.exe" to run the software.