"Internet Connect" via Nextel Cell Phone

OI forgot to mention that I tried "Manual Dial" under "Connect" and did as a screen said: Dial number and when connected, click "OK" and close phone, and since it's a flip phone, I closed the flip. It said "Connecting" for about a minute and then disconnected with a message that says: "No dial tone detected. Please check line connectoin and try again."

You're right - no dial tone. I'll try checking the "Ignore Tone." I saw it whle playing around with the settings, but now I can't find it. Where is it?

Found it and checked off "Ignore dial tone." Still doing the same thing.

From top down in the order they have been "checked":

Internet Modem
IrDA
Built-in Internet

I also get an error message that says: "A modem error occured. Please check your settings and try again."

Under modem type, it states: Apple Internal 56K Modem )v.90)

When using "Manual Dial" here's the screen that come up right after I dial the number on my cell phone: "Internet Connect" at the top, and then says: "Pick up the phone and dial 465-0020 (my local number). click OK when th ephone rings and then hang up."

I've tried that with my flip cell phone left open, and closing th flip on it which is the same as hanging up.

Still does the same, menu bar says "Connecting..." Continually for about a minute, then disconnects.

I think an "Arrgh! is warranted here!

I'm using a data cable I bought that has one end to plug into my Nextel phone. The other end of the cable is a USB end and plugged into the computer.

Under "Port configuration" what's avaliable are what I posted above plus "Built-in Firewire."

Under "Modem" in the "Show All" screen, I have checked "Enable error corection and compression in modem." I did not check the only other optoin which is: "Wait for dial tone before dialing."

On that same "Internal Modem" screen, I have also checked off Tone under "Dialing", and On under "Sound."

I was assuming the my cell phone is being used just as a land line phone, and is why I'm using my internal modem, which, BTW, works fine when I do connect the computer to an actual land line phone line.

Thanks for the help so far from you all.

Well, I just got off the phone with a tech guy from Nextel He said the data cable I have will not wrk on a Mac. I need a certain type of USB cable other than the one I bought, plus I need to buy a "data plan" for everyting to work properly.

Sound bogus to me, but...........

Maybe I'm better off taking my Pismo to our local Sprint/Nextel store and pay the bucks to get a broadband card and the $50 month fee for service.

WOW! they want $50 for the card - on sale and after rebates - but $80/month for unlimited service.