Connect your Mac to cellular networks the easy way using launch2net

It happened to -almost- all of us, at least to those owning an Apple laptop and using the 'net. You're on duty travel, in the train or on holidays and you need to connect to the Internet to check your email, get some directions on Google maps or whatever you do when you're online. Except there's no WiFi or dial-up access (or there IS a phone line but, like me, you own one of the recent Apple 'books and they don't have a modem anymore). You're stuck. Unless... unless you have cellphone that can be used as a GSM/GPRS/EDGE/3G/... modem through Bluetooth or USB. And a little help from a friendly software.

I own a SonyEricsson Z520i (Bluetooth) and MacBook Pro core2duo 2.33GHz. The week between Christmas and New Year's eve, I went skiing (well, almost since there was no snow but that has nothing to do with the topic at hand). The chalet where I stayed wasn't completely finished, so there was no phone line, which means no access to the Internet using dial-up and the Apple USB modem I had bought. But I needed to be able to check my mail for a client's answer to a quotation. So, what was I to do? I decided to try and use the "data" part of my cellphone subscription and, before leaving, went to my carrier's website (orange.fr, not to name them). after looking around in the tech support area and not finding the connection parameters I needed, I decided to phone them directly where some vaguely competent guy (that's no small miracle) gives me a bunch of login parameters I need to enter in OSX's Network preferences for the Bluetooth modem, and tell me it should work, but if it doesn't then I can try and add some custom connection script... Urgh...

OK, I give it a try and, of course, it doesn't work... even with the custom magical connection script. Damn!

By some happy coincidence, a guy from Nova Media MDS GMBH, a German software developer, contacts Hardmac to have some information about the upcoming MacWorld Expo. Out of curiosity I go and check their website and see that they sell a software called launch2net, which allows you to easily (or so they say) connect to almost any cellphone carrier in the world and use your cellphone (or wireless modem card) as a modem for your Mac. I download the demo version, pair my cellphone to my Mac (note: when pairing your phone with your Mac, make sure to check the "use my phone to access the Internet" option), and start launch2net (the version used in this review is 1.5.8).

The rest starts on page 2.