Tether your Verizon Blackberry over Bluetooth

I see a lot of posts online requesting help tethering their blackberries, especially the newer models. I have solved this problem, and I use my blackberry often when on business travel. As the first step before you tether, make sure that your cell plan includes the tethering option.

Once verified, pair the phone with your desktop and then edit the following files:

Note: You can use 'hcitool scan' after making your phone discoverable to get the phones MAC address.

/etc/bluetooth/rfcomm.conf - This is the virtual bluetooth modem interface configuration file.

Code:

rfcomm0 { # Automatically bind the device at startup bind yes; # Bluetooth address of the device device YOURPHONEMACADDR # RFCOMM channel for the connection channel 3; # Description of the connection comment "Blackberry"; }

For a Verizon phone, you'll want to configure chat, disconnect, then the pppd configuration file:

/etc/chatscripts/gprs-connect-chat - This is the modem dial script.

Code:

ABORT "BUSY" ABORT "ERROR" ABORT "NO DIALTONE" ABORT "NO CARRIER" '' +++AT '' ATZ OK AT&F OK ATE0V1 OK AT OK ATS0=0 OK ATDT#777 CONNECT

/etc/chatscripts/gprs-disconnect-chat - This is the disconnect script (note, it doesn't always work, if not just turn bluetooth off and on to disconnect)

Code:

HANGUP ON ABORT "BUSY" ABORT "ERROR" ABORT "NO DIALTONE" ABORT "NO CARRIER" '' +++AT OK ATH0

/etc/ppp/peers/gprs - This is the pppd configuration file to dial out through the blackberry. It uses the other files above.

Code:

lcp-echo-failure 0 lcp-echo-interval 0 #nodetach #debug debug debug show-password connect "/usr/sbin/chat -f /etc/chatscripts/gprs-connect-chat" disconnect "ifconfig ppp0 down; /usr/sbin/chat -f /etc/chatscripts/gprs-disconnect-chat" /dev/rfcomm0 115200 crtscts local :10.0.0.1 noipdefault ipcp-accept-local defaultroute usepeerdns novj nobsdcomp novjccomp nopcomp noaccomp noauth user ""

Last, create a desktop or menu icon, I downloaded and use a generic blackberry image that I found in an images search. Make the command syntax look like the following:

Code:

xterm -T "Verizon GPRS Bluetooth Connect" -e "gksudo pppd call gprs"

When you click, it will ask your sudo password then dial. Firefox users may notice that even when dialed it claims they are offline, just click File -> Work Offline to clear the checkbox and Firefox should function normally.