Use a BlackBerry as a wireless modem in Linux

If you’re traveling and you can’t find a WiFi connection, it’s handy to be able to route your laptop’s traffic through your phone. Windows and Mac users have been able to easily tether their BlackBerries this way for some time, and Linux users can do the same with the help of Barry, an Open Source BlackBerry utility.

Barry is an Open Source application that will provide synchronization, backup, restore and program management for BlackBerry â„¢ devices. Barry is primarily developed on Linux, but is intended as a cross platform library and application set, targeting Linux, BSD, 32/64bit, and big/little endian systems.

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Today, it is possible to:

• charge your Blackberry’s battery from your USB port
• retrieve Address Book, Email, Calendar, Service Book, Memos, Tasks, PIN
• Messages, Saved Email, and Folders
• export Address Book contacts in text or LDAP LDIF format
• make full data backups and restores of your device using a GUI
• synchronize contacts and calendar items using the OpenSync framework
• use the Blackberry as a modem

The device basically simulates a modem connection, and your laptop can connect to it using AT commands and starting a PPP connection. The Barry installer comes with the necessary connection scripts and options files to connect to most networks, including Sprint, Verizon, and T-Mobile.

barry – BlackBerry Synchronization For Linux [via OStatic]
Using your BlackBerry as a USB Modem