I finally made AcuraLink work through Verizon cell phone!
Only two things appeared to be relevant: 1. DUN Bluetooth profile must be enabled on the phone and 2. You must have some dialup connection available.

About DUN. It is enabled by default on Verizon Motorola V710 and CAN be easily enabled on E815 by quick dialing "##DIALUP" (with no quotes of course).

About dialup connection. You can buy one from any ISP (Internet Service Provider) you like or you can use one of the many FREE dialup providers available. I personally tried provider named NOCHARGE. Details how to connect to it are here: http://www.nocharge.com

So I started my RL, pressed Setup button and went to AcuraLink Setup. There I selected Custom Setup and entered the following for every step:

1. Connection Name - "NO CHARGE" (or whatever name you prefer)
2. Dial string - phone number of the ISP. I took the one in my area from this page: http://www.nocharge.com/connect.htm
3. PPP user name - "guest" (name and password are specific to NOCHARGE ISP)
4. PPP password - "password"
5. Done (selection named "Done" is below the screen border so one must be smart enough to scroll down for it)

Then AcuraLink proposes to connect to Acura server to verify the connection. First time it failed for me, but then I repeat and hurray! Connection confirmed!
When it connects you see just a progress bar on the Nav screen, but on the phone you can see that it first calls the number you specified in the Step 2 and then the phone says "Data connection at 14.4k".

Here we are! Enjoy!

 

thanks again! I am going to try it out shortly.

 

Are you, by chandce, still getting the first 90 days worth of messsages on Acuralink? When I changed the dialup string in the car to match the car's strings to the new V3 phone with Cingular service, there were no more daily messages. I'd been getting one a day from the get go. Acuralink folks tell me that I was done anyway...I'd had the car about 6 weeks, but I'm kinda suspicious that changing my car settings may have upset something else. This is the reason I included a "caveat" with my last post on the subject. I've been meaning to change the car settings back to see if the messages would resume, but haven't had time.

 

I have had my car about 6 weeks now and mine are done as well. I have not yet tried this - so it seems that you are probably just done with the messages.

 

Thanks for the updates! Are you being charged for just the call? Or for a data service as well?

 

I'm reasonably sure that I was charged only my regular airtime, which is free on weekends. ISP is also free. So I believe that the whole experiment was free for me, although with Verizon you never know...

 

I agree with this... probably only airtime, but with VZW you never know.

It worked flawlessly with the E815. Thanks! Great job, I really appreciate it.

 

I made the same changes as you and I'm still getting the Acuralink messages and it's been a about 6 weeks. I'll let you know if I get any more messages this week.

 

Do you have to disable DUN for your HFL phone function to work, or does that occur automatically? I plan to try your process today with my Treo 650, but I believe my phone can only do DUN OR bluetooth link to the car, but not both at the same time or automatically.

 

I don't know about the Treo, but with the E815 I enabled it last night and used the HFL today without changing any other settings. I then tested the acuralink again and it worked fine. So with the E815 once it is setup you do not have to change anything.

 

I don't quite understand that, because DUN = DialUp Networking profile for Bluetooth! You can't have DUN without Bluetooth.

Oh, may be you mean that you can't use HFL at the same very time your AcuraLink is connected? Then this is probably true, but it is not really important, because AcuraLink is not permanent connection - it just calls its server, exchange info and then hangup. Usually takes about a minute. During that minute your phone will react to incoming calls as if you were already talking to somebody.

 

It's the latter-I think the Treo can only handle one or the other of the Bluetooth modes, but doesn't have the ability to autosense and switch back and forth. In any event, I plan to find out this evening if it can or not. I will first see if I can call the server, then see if I can leave it in DUN mode and call myself with my land line cordless phone. I don't think I can force the RL to call the server other than with the test setup. I also have an additional wrinkle in that I use my Treo to download my email via the GPRS connection, which does not work on the Treo when Bluetooth DUN is enabled.

 

Is there a bluetooth that works with Acura link without all this setting change hassle?

Does the sprint network let you access Acura Link? Why do you get it for the first 90 days...then lose it afterwards?

Please explain why acura Link is only good for 90 days.......is it a subscription service after that?

Confused
Steve c

 

www.handsfreelink.com you can find a list of phones which support the data features.

Yes, sprint has one phone - I believe the T608.

Cingular/Tmobile have a few more to choose from.

As far as the 90 days - that is just the features guide. It gives you those tips every morning about the different features. Acura link is not a service - you will use it when there is some sort of diagnostics that need to be done or something similar to that.

 

My backup phone, a SE T637, works perfectly with both the HFL and Acuralink server outbound messages. If it had the Treo's PDA cappabilities, I would still be using it as my primary phone. I have read that since SE was one of the instigators of the Bluetooth standard, theiir phones seem to have the least problems with these types of interfaces.

 

I ordered a new E 815 from Verizon and it should be here today. Am going to try your method. I have DSL with BellSouth at my office, which includes 20 hours per month for a DU connection. I guess I can use the local dial-up numer with my user name and password. I will post the results when I get a chance to try it.

 

I have a Treo 650 (Sprint PCS) and the HFL worked great but the Acura Server Link is a little quirky.

acurafox: how did it go? have you successfully linke with the ALS?

 

The features guide that appears for the first 90 or however days didn't need a bluetooth cell phone; at least not in my case because I didn't have a bluetooth phone until many months after I got the car and had the messages come and deleted by the dealer.

 

I'm just now noticing this post! Are you still getting messages?

 

Yes, I still getting the AcuraLink messages.

 

I followed the insturctions and got a connection. My only question is after reading about the AcuraLink is this. What does this really do ? As far as I can see it will communicate with the Acura server (via my cell ph) should I have a problem. It will also communicate to me through my cell phone (Motorola V-710) to confirm appointment. Am I missing anything else. How can I receive a test message?

 

So far, has anyone been able to link using Sprint PCS? More directly in relation to the Treo 650? DUN was just enabled in the latest build version (1.12) but when you activate it, it doesn't not allow syncing or pairing with other devices. I haven't played with it too much because once the connection fails, I cannot try another one until I restart the car or something.

 

One more problem. I have a v710 and it is all set up. When I want to call out using the handset and not the HF, sometimes it goes through the handset and other times through the HF speaker in the car. I cant control which one. ANy suggestions?

 

Push the handsfreelink talk button and say "transfer" and it will transfer the call between the phone and the HFL (both ways)

 

Has anyone tried to connect the LG 8100 bluetooth phone from Verizon yet? I will be getting one next week and would like to make the connection go as effortless as possible.

 

Okay, newbie here. Exactly what is the benefit of setting up AcuraLink data communication with my bluetooth phone? And has anyone effectively done this with a Cingular phone (Motorola V551 here)? As far as I can see, I do not have a data communication established.

 

I tried the way described using the free ISP, but I just wasn't happy. So I investigated. After reviewing many pages on v710.org I was successfull in configuring my 2005 Acura RL to talk to verizon through only verizon services.

Configuration:

Name: Verizon
Dial String: #777
Username: 123456789@vzw3g.com (phone number. Case sensitive)
Password: vzw (case sensitive)

This worked easily.

Only concern is billing. Rumor has it that if you don't have a data plan that verizon might bill you for the minutes used at a crazy rate. I am not sure. I won't know till I get my bill this month.

 

Actually I switched to this configuration long ago, just forgot to write about it. No worries - no crazy bills from Verizon - just airtime.

 

Mike...

I hope this question isn't too basic....but what "phone number" do you input where indicated in your post? My cell phone number, or some other access number? If it is some other access number, where would I find it? Thanks in advance.

 

It's your phone's number.

 

Hi, having acualink work through the phone - what benefit or feature does it provide that my bluetooth connection doesn't??

 

It mutes the audio system. Keeps things out your ear and allows anybody in the car to join in on the conversation, and allows you to keep your hands on the steering wheel.

 

Didn't work with my Rl using the Audiovox xv6600 Pocket PC. I have unlimited data EVDO connection.

Used my phone number and vzw as the password. couldn't connect. Activaed DUN

 

It worked.....at least I think so.

After setting up glassermike's recommended settings, it prompted me to do a test, I said, "yes". After that, I watched as my cellphone (Verizon Motorola i710) switched off HandsFreeLink, then went into "data" mode. After that I'm not sure what it did, but I'm pretty sure it exchanged information with AcuraLink and after it did, it switched itself off.

I hope this worked the way it is supposed to work. If not, someone please let me know. May I assume from now on, if and when a problem develops with the car, the settings and Bluetooth will "notify" Acura Link of the problem by uploading data from the car; and thereafter Acura Link will download to my car the appropriate message.

Man, this car doesn't get any cooler.

 

GOT IT TO WORK with the xv 6600 POcket PC. All I had to do was remove the 1 before putting in my phone number.

Now i have working in coming calls/outgoing calls and voice integration with the RL phonebook.

Only thing left is the Icons in the menu. Not a biggie.

Dr K

 

Thanks for all the info on this, guys. I had asked the Salesman and Service Tech how to set this up and no one seemed to have a clue. My mobile provider is Verizon. I called them today as I was having difficulty setting this up and I was told by the Verizon tech that this is not possible through Verizon's network. Once I read back through the post and realized that I had neglected to enable DUN on my phone (E815), I realized where the problem was (me). Once I enabled DUN, the connection was confirmed. However, I did not get any additional messages from Acura. I guess I'll wait a few days and see if/when I'm prompted to connect to Acura's server. All in all, there is some great info in this thread. I just picked up my car about 10 days ago. So, I'm still trying to set it all up and acclamate myself with all this "stuff".

 

I have an 815 with VZ. Bluetooth is great but why would I need a data connection? Acuralink has not sent me a message since I had the "one-a-day tips" for the first 60 days and why would I want to talk to Acuralink? Please excuse my ignorance but I fail to see the use of Acuralink except to probably tell me to go to a dealer if my check engine light came on (which I already knew).

 

You don'tneed your phone setup to be able to rcv messages (they will come through the satellites). You only need your phone ot be able to transmit error codes to acura which will then be analyzed and they will tell you if you must go to your dealer immediately or if it can wait.

 

Thanks for the info but doesn't onstar monitor error codes or is that only GM? My Cadillac allowed me to call Onstar and a human would tell me why my Check Engine light was on and what I should do about it. Of course, they invariably said that I should take it to the dealer, which is what everybody does anyway - with or without Onstar.

 

I think the GM goodwrench is only on the GM cars - not the acura, but I am not sure...