Foo - plain english wireless modem info?

I have been looking around the web & have some basic wireless modem questions:

If I have a droid phone that has an unlimited data package, is there a way to connect it to my laptop for the laptop to connect to the web? Without additional fees? (verizon)

The wireless modem usage charts don't appear to address IM & face-book like usage - how does this stuff eat data compared to regular surfing, e-mails, or gaming?

And, if a cell phone works in an area, will a wireless broadband lap top USB thing work, or does one have to be near a wireless hot spot for that to work?

I counting on you, foosters, to not confuse me with C-Net-like jargon!!

Do you mean modem or router? Your modem connects directly to your phone line and gives you an internet connection base. A wireless router connects to your modem and makes that internet connection wireless. If that is the case then your phone should connect directly to the internet through your router at no additional charge. Just make sure that your phone is connected through wifi rather than 3G or 4G.

Your 3G or 4G signal comes from the cellular towers and that's where your internet usage is counted by your cellphone company.

so for a droid phone with an unlimited data usage, how would you hook it to a laptop for internet - the laptop has wireless stuff, but I don't want to use the "phone" minutes from the droid, just the unlimited data. Can that be done?

I think the more accurate term would be "mobile broadband", not the wireless modem.

You are trying to figure out if you can tether your laptop to a cell phone that has unlimited data without actually being charged for airtime? Since I have yet to actually tether a phone to a laptop, I'm not qualified to even guess.

Do a google search for: Motorola Droid tethering verizon

Or something like that.

Data across it would be treated like all data - part of the "unlimited" plan. Be careful, most unlimited data plans are limited to 5GB / month.

http://www.taranfx.com/how-to-tether-motorola-droid

What you’ll need:


USB Driver – Download (http://www.motorola.com/consumers/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=bda09ec8009a0210VgnVCM1000008806b00aRCRD)or Download (http://www.smilepak.com/temp/Droid_USB_Driver.zip)(Mirror)
Tethering Software – [PDANet] Download (http://www.junefabrics.com/android/index.php) (Full version costs $29, onetime)

Step 1. First, Install PDANet software on your desktop and Phone. The moment you install it on desktop, it will automatically install the USB (http://www.taranfx.com/blog/tag/usb) driver for you, if it doesn’t, you can use the USB driver above to install.
Step 2. Make sure you have USB Debugging still enabled. Connect your Droid (http://www.taranfx.com/blog/tag/motorla-droid) to the USB and on phone, launch the PDANet software. Click on “Turn PdaNet On“.
Step 3. Once it is turned on, you can then go to your PC and “Connect” on the PDANet software on your taskbar. You are done, You have Tethered Droid successfully, enjoy the High speed wireless Internet.
Step 4. (Optional, only for Bluetooth) If you need Bluetooth (http://www.taranfx.com/blog/tag/bluetooth) Tethering, first thing you need to do is pair your phone with your PC via bluetooth connection.
Step 5. Once successful, create a Dial-up Networking (http://www.taranfx.com/blog/tag/networking) Connection (DUN). When asked what modem to use, select the Bluetooth Modem Driver. It will ask you for a username and password, select you won’t need to use one. It will ask you to for a phone number to use to dial out. Use “123″ as the phone number.

Do a google search for: Motorola Droid tethering verizon

Or something like that.

Data across it would be treated like all data - part of the "unlimited" plan. Be careful, most unlimited data plans are limited to 5GB / month.

Verizon's unlimited data plan is not limited, however to officially use tethering your supposed to have an additional tethering plan which is limited to 5G.
There is lots of discussion around using software like pdanet as to weather or not verizon can tell and weather or not they will force you to pay the tethering plan or not. It seems that if your careful and don't use up a lot of data then they either can't tell or don't mind. If you go trying to torrent a dvd then they will say something about it.