# Connecting Palm Pilot to internet via hotsync cable? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 21, 2003, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-palm-pilot-to-internet-via-hotsync-cable/214552 "2003-11-21T18:32:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrianS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c6cbf5/32.png) [@BrianS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrianS)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2003, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-palm-pilot-to-internet-via-hotsync-cable/214552/1 "2003-11-21T18:32:13Z")
Is there any way I can configure my Palm Tungsten E to access the internet via it’s mini USB hotsync cable and my PC’s network connection? Some more info: - PC is on a LAN. - I’d like for the Palm pilot to connect directly to the internet, via my PC’s LAN connection, through the Palm hotsync cable. - Palm is a Tungesten E running Palm OS 5. ---
**Author:** ![BrianS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c6cbf5/32.png) [@BrianS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrianS)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2003, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-palm-pilot-to-internet-via-hotsync-cable/214552/2 "2003-11-22T08:18:51Z")
Anyone have an answer? Bueller? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2003, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-palm-pilot-to-internet-via-hotsync-cable/214552/3 "2003-11-22T13:01:26Z")
You can’t do it with the cable- The only way Palm indicates it can be done is with a clunky cell phone connection. The only efficient way you could possibly do it is with a wifi SD card and even then the E’s processor, a TI OMAP 311 126MHz, is not that powerful so it’s not optimal for surfing. Palm doesn’t even show wifi SD card use as an option on the E so whether it will work even with the card is open to question. The E is not really built to surf. One of the higher end Tungstens with integrated browsing and wifi like the W is really what you need. You can probably get a deal on a W as I don’t think they are selling that well, and Palm offered a half price deal on some W refurbs the other day for around $ 200 or so. . ---
**Author:** ![St.Urho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@St.Urho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St.Urho)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-palm-pilot-to-internet-via-hotsync-cable/214552/4 "2003-11-23T20:55:08Z")
It is possible to connect to the internet while hotsyncing. Both [ePocrates](http://www.epocrates.com) and [Taracon Pharmacopeia](http://www.tarascon.com) update their databases through an internet connection made with hotsyncing. I don’t know if this would work for you, but you could look into how they do it.