How does wireless internet work through cell phone hook up? Can it be hooked up to a regular desktop?

I live in a rural area where only dial up is available. I don't know anything about wireless internet. I have heard that it is now available through cell phones.How does wireless internet work through cell phone hook up? Can it be hooked up to a regular desktop?
Firstly Wireless Internet is not used by phones. It is used by computers to connect to the net via a ';modem';.



In the case of cell phones the internet is accessible through the carrier using your mobile phone. One needs to have a capable phone that would communicate with the carrier to access the internet (Nokia N95).



A cell phone is also capable of connecting to the internet through a wireless device like an ADSL capable wireless modem. The phone in this case connects to the internet via the modem instead of the carrier. Again Nokia N95 does this because I have one and that is exactly how I connect around wireless capable modems.



Wireless internet on the other hand is similar to a wireless network with an ADSL wireless modem except that the wireless connection is made through a carrier signal using a ';wireless card'; that would connect with the carrier to access the internet.



Microwave technology is hazardous to health if you reside in close proximity to the transmission antennas.How does wireless internet work through cell phone hook up? Can it be hooked up to a regular desktop?
It can but it's not cheap. You might see if someone in your area is offering RF internet.



What you're talking about is an ';Air Card'; and service is about $80/mo.



It's not through a regular cell phone. You can do that, but most carriers can detect the phone being use as a modem and they charge accordingly. Usually something like 10 cents per MB, which is EXPENSIVE!!!
There is now something known as ';broadband wireless';, it uses a technology called EVDO. It works over the same network as cell phones. To use it, you need to get a broadband wireless card from your cellular provider that works with your desktop and be sure your cellular service account supports data. Broadband wireless can be mobile, i.e. in a laptop you could use it where ever you can get a signal.



There is another up coming technology called ';WiMax';. The idea behind wimax is ';fixed' broadband wireless - it's used for providing broadband to locations where it's not practical to run wired broadband (cable or dsl).
Cellular phone companies are offering a cellular internet technology. It does not use the cell phone. It uses an adapter that connects to your pc. It does not work with a router or Internet connection sharing so it will provide Internet connection to only one user. It is fairly costly.



Another alternative you may find more suitable is a dish version of Internet. The dish TV providers offer this. It can use a router and therefore provide feed to more than one pc. Perhaps this would work better for you. Dish Network an Direct TV offer these (perhaps others do as well). Not all dish TV people will install it however because installers need FCC licenses.