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Captivate Update Removes USB Tethering

When I got my Captivate and first plugged it in to my laptop, I was surprised when I was greeted with four options on the screen, Kies, Music Device, Media Device, and USB Tethering. Of course, I tried out USB tethering and it worked nicely.
It looks like the latest OTA update just removed that functionality. The option isn't presented when I connect to my laptop. I wonder if they removed it all together or just hide the option.
Of course, there are several other tethering options available, so it's not a great loss, but I thought people might like to know about it. I'm just glad the update didn't brick my phone! Now if I could only fix the problem with the phone turning itself off randomly when it sleeps. This update doesn't seemed to have helped with that problem at all.

Captivate PC Internet (Tethering) Option Gone?
Wow, thanks for the heads up, I kind of figure that may happen they give a little and take a lot. Did you have the dreaded GPS issue and if you did was it fixed? Have you checked to see if the PC Internet option was removed from Settings>Applications>USB Settings?
Thanks Roger

Yes, the OTA took off the usb tethering option in USB settings. GPS does not seem to have been fixed on my end at all. Been about a minute, and navigation is still trying to get a lock.

Autarkhis said:
Yes, the OTA took off the usb tethering option in USB settings. GPS does not seem to have been fixed on my end at all. Been about a minute, and navigation is still trying to get a lock.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, I'll hold out for the Froyo update.
Roger

Why not use pre8?
From a phone on an app

What is pre8?
I just did the update and now I'm screwed. I'm at work with a bunch of homework to do and can't tether. How can I fix this before tomorrow night? I don't want to root my phone and can't use pdanet because my laptop doesn't have Bluetooth.

why not flash cognition ? That has mobileap in it...
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

Since I don't want to root my phone are my only options to either add Bluetooth to my laptop and pay for pdanet or add tethering to my plan?

jamespaulritter said:
Since I don't want to root my phone are my only options to either add Bluetooth to my laptop and pay for pdanet or add tethering to my plan?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you looked into the 1-click factory restore option?
i dont think that it requires root to work.

I just broke down and bought easy teather works great.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

still having a little bit hassle on having a lock or fix location. always needs the help of network. GPS alone is kinda........urrrrggghhh!

If you are ok with a USB cable, I found a way to still use tethering over the USB cable after the OTA update. It is just not a straight forward as it was before. Here is how I got it to work on stock ROM, no root access.
Plug in USB cable and connect to PC. Select Mass Storage mode (when you have activated the Ask on connection in the USB Settings - Application menu under Settings). Fully connect you phone to the PC, by pulling down the Status bar and selecting the USB connect line and making the internal (and optional if you have installed external) Memory card visible on your PC. The on the PC disconnect the USB drives again (you have to disconnect first on the PC) and then end the USB Mass Storage mode by pulling again down the Status Bar on the phone and turn off the USB connection. Then when you unplug the USB cable and replug it and now select the Kies connection type, it will successfully connect to Samsung Kies. If you now have Samsung Kies on your PC installed (the UK version)you can select there the Tethering and start it and you can connect and your phone will do Tethering.
I tried it several times and every time it worked. This is not as elegant as it was before, but at least if you need an internet connection and your phone is the only way to get to it, you can still tether.
Hope this will help someone out there who needs a PC connection!

thgoepel said:
If you are ok with a USB cable, I found a way to still use tethering over the USB cable after the OTA update. It is just not a straight forward as it was before. Here is how I got it to work on stock ROM, no root access.
Plug in USB cable and connect to PC. Select Mass Storage mode (when you have activated the Ask on connection in the USB Settings - Application menu under Settings). Fully connect you phone to the PC, by pulling down the Status bar and selecting the USB connect line and making the internal (and optional if you have installed external) Memory card visible on your PC. The on the PC disconnect the USB drives again (you have to disconnect first on the PC) and then end the USB Mass Storage mode by pulling again down the Status Bar on the phone and turn off the USB connection. Then when you unplug the USB cable and replug it and now select the Kies connection type, it will successfully connect to Samsung Kies. If you now have Samsung Kies on your PC installed (the UK version)you can select there the Tethering and start it and you can connect and your phone will do Tethering.
I tried it several times and every time it worked. This is not as elegant as it was before, but at least if you need an internet connection and your phone is the only way to get to it, you can still tether.
Hope this will help someone out there who needs a PC connection!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For anybody who is wondering this worked fine for me as well. I selected UK for my location and language. I'll post back up letting you know whether or not it works selecting USA. Once configured and installed, it takes roughly 60 seconds to be up...

thats excellent. i do have Kies installed. I'll give it a shot tonight.

Wifi lost while charging from computer
Can any confirm since the update, wifi connections are now lost while charging from computer via the usb port. Edge or 3g is available if you turn off wifi before connecting. With wifi on, disconnect the usb from the computer and wifi access is again available on the phone.

Running Easytether now. Doesn't require root and seems to work fine. Available on the market, if you pull your sim card. $10 for the full licensed version.

Samsung Kies is free software specifically for the galaxy s series and allows you to tether.
The link is below. being a new member they wont let me post an actual link.
**in.samsungmobile.com/support/softwaremanuals/software.do?phone_model=GT-I9000&sw_type=SW**

Is there a way to re-enable the tethering option through the source code or rooting? Also if Froyo is OTA from AT&T, I would assume they would continue to keep this option hidden/removed. Am I right?

Zman28SS said:
Is there a way to re-enable the tethering option through the source code or rooting? Also if Froyo is OTA from AT&T, I would assume they would continue to keep this option hidden/removed. Am I right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea, check the android development section. The Cognition ROM re-enables both USB and Wireless tether...

Tethering was not removed by the update. You don't need Kies installed, you don't need root, and you don't need any tricks. If you select the "Kies (firmware update)" mode, tethering works fine, assuming you've installed the USB drivers and created the necessary dial-up networking connection for the USB mode.

Fixing the optimus 3d usb mass storage issue

Hello, I have been turning mad lately since my Optimus 3D began acting weird once I connected it to my PC to transfer large amounts of data in USB MASS STORAGE mode.
In the beginning, the transfer was ok and connection didn't show any problem. However, at a given (arbitrary) point, it just connected and disconnected by itself several times in just few seconds.
I thought it was the usb cable, so I changed it, but that didn't fixed it. Then I tried it with several other computers, and that happened randomly on all of them.
Then I thought it could be the micro-usb connector being damage, but as I closely analysed it in the computer side, I found that the phone was connecting ok, but was recognised the wrong way. (drivers were ok, as I reinstalled everything several times)
In fact, the LG update recognised the phone's model and connection. It simply didn't worked as a mass storage usb device.
I spent hours searching the web for answers about this issue, but the only thing I could found was one guy telling to remove the battery for 10 minutes in order really reset the phone's usb mode.
I did it and it worked! HOWEVER, the issue reapeared quickly once I connected the phone to the PC via USB. (it took several minutes to happen, but happened)
I finally found this forum and read a lot of complaints about LG phones.
However, it seemed to be a software error, not a hardware one. Wich was good news.
I was thinking to send the phone to LG for repair, but I had little hope they would even check such an arbitrary issue with usb connection and I thought they would simply say it's my computers fault, so I kept searching.
I finally found a similar issues with Galaxy S2 on the forums, and someone fixed it accessing the "PhoneUtil" hidden app in that phone.
This app don't exist in LG phones, but there IS a hidden menu to fix this, but you will have to install a free shortcut creator app form the market place in order to access it:
- download "ANY CUT" from the market place
- run it and create a NEW shortcut
- select ACTIVITY
- scroll down and tap on: com.lge.hiddenmenu.port_setting.PortSetting
- give the shortcut a short name like "Port Setting"
now you have created a new shortcut in your home screen (somewhere)
Once you tap on it, a menu will pop and let you choose the type of connection to be used by the USB port.
By default, "NO RETENTION" is selected.
If you want to force the phone to use the usb connection for data transfer with your PC, then select AP USB
(if you check the "retain AP USB after reboot" it will freeze your phone and you will have to long press the power button to shut it down, but it will actually work and will be set this way until you change it again)
Voila! That fixed my LG P920 Optimus 3D USB transfering issues.
If you need to make a software upgrade at some point instead of using it for USB transfer, just change the setting to "NO RETENTION" again and check the "reatin after reboot" option.
I just wanted to share this, as I found no fix for my problem in the net and I think this should be happening to someone else.
Feedback is very welcome! (even needed, just in case this is braking something)
By the way, it's a good idea to activate the "Debugging mode for USB" in settings/applications since it seems to make a more robust conection with the phone for mass storage transfer.
As why this entire issue is happening, it seems the USB conection can handle multiple transfer modes. One of those is USB Mass Storage mode (like every pendrive out there) but the other one is a LG propietary comunication mode that I suppose was done in order to have full access to the phone firmware through the computer.
The bug appears in the moment when the phone have to decide if it should engage on mode or the other.
I have noticed (since I forced the port setting to AP USB) that the phones screen will turn itself on randomly once connected and that it don't stay active even if you specifically check that option in the development menu.
I suppose the original bug is still there in someway, but at least it will not ruin the data transfers.

Ok, just in case you don't want / can't make the shortcut for the hidden menu, you can use this method to access the full hidden menu right out of the box without any external app:
push the button to make a call,
now enter the number:
3845#*920#
This will redirect you to the full hidden menu. Once there, you can go to the PORT SETTINGS menu and set it to AP USB.

And if you want to upgrade with the LG software, you must set this to AP USB and make it stay. Then when you are upgrading, you must stay vigilant and press (and keep pressed) the volume up button in the moment it reboot the phone (or before it reboots, just to be sure)
This way, a white screen with red text "factory upload" will show and upgrades will have no problems.
(this mode normally only happens when you press the volume up button with the phone off, and then connect it to the usb port and there is an LG software commanding the phone via usb)

[Q] Tethering / driver problem N5 vs Win 8

Hi all
I've had my N5 a couple of weeks now, and it's working nicely, except for getting bluetooth and USB tethering to work smoothly. I wonder if anyone has any suggestions?
I can connect the phone to my laptop via USB (I'm running W8 x64, for my sins), and use MTP and PTP without a problem. Selecting USB tethering results in the phone saying "tethered", but nothing appearing in the list of network adapters.
I can pair the phone with the laptop, but the only services that seem to be offered are file-transfer and audio stuff.
If I enable USB debugging, the network shows on the laptop, and seems to work OK for a while. Sometimes the phone wants to reboot while doing this (typically after a couple of minutes).
Interestingly, Device Manager shows the phone as a Nexus 5 under the 'Other Devices' category only when USB debugging is enabled, otherwise it displays as 'ADB Device' only if 'PTP' is selected, and the phone is absent when 'MTP' is selected.
I'm guessing that this is a driver issue of some sort (I hate Windows), and have had a go at installing the LG United driver, to no avail. Any pointers gratefully received.
Cheers
Charlie

I'm having issues tethering with Windows 8, both wifi hotspot and USB tethering. I can connect and it will show up as internet connected then just die. Connection even goes on my phone.
However when USB tethering with OS X all I had to do was download a package from here http://joshuawise.com/horndis, after that it pops up straight away and I don't have any problems. Can tether for ages no problems.
Will probably try a custom rom soon see if it is to do with the Nexus 5 stock rom.

Hi Charlie,
I'm having the very same problem. With my Galaxy S3, I would tether (via BT, as it was a fast connection that didn't drain my battery like WiFi hotspot!) all day long with a Win8 ultrabook. Worked brilliantly!
Just picked up a Nexus 5 last night. My Nexus 7 tablet can use the phone's internet no problem, but my Win8 machine gives no such options. All I have is a "direct connection" service visible to the laptop, I suppose for file sharing.
Has anyone made any progress on this issue at all? It seems that the problem lies with Windows8. It boggles my mind why the Nexus 5's BT tethering implementation is so different than the GS3's...

Progress report: it seems I have tethering over BT working!
I've tried a bunch of different things... the challenge now, is to figure out what it was that worked...
I would try this first: remove the Bluetooth pairing between your PC and your Nexus 5. Ensure that "Bluetooth Tethering" is indeed checked in "Tethering and Portable Hotspot" menu (under Android settings) BEFORE pairing. That might be what I did wrong, in fact.
I restarted my PC, and voila, when right-clicking on the phone pairing on my PC, under the "Connect" menu, suddenly there's an "Access Point" service visible.
I'm pretty confident the above might fix you up.
[PS: If not, the only other thing I did differently when I first tried, was I paired the phone through Win8's buried bluetooth devices menu (avoiding the alternative MetroUI interface at all costs, as I normally do). I don't see any reason why using either UI should provide different results, but hey.]

sprint s5 ... cant access files on PC---help

I have a note 2 I currently use- when I plug the usb in - in windows 7 I get the option to view files etc....
I just bought a used sprint galaxy s5 from my ol ladys sister who had it hooked up at one of those corner wireless shops.
I want to root it but read to make sure your pc recognizes it first- which it does not.
Ive downloaded the latest usb drivers for the phone.
Ive enabled debugging mode.
Ive used the original supplied cord and also tried my note 2 cord.
When I plug it in it recognizes it and detects drivers but the phone does not show up under my computer and I dont get the window popup asking if I want to view files etc.
Getting really frustrated.
Any ideas?

deezdrama said:
I have a note 2 I currently use- when I plug the usb in - in windows 7 I get the option to view files etc....
I just bought a used sprint galaxy s5 from my ol ladys sister who had it hooked up at one of those corner wireless shops.
I want to root it but read to make sure your pc recognizes it first- which it does not.
Ive downloaded the latest usb drivers for the phone.
Ive enabled debugging mode.
Ive used the original supplied cord and also tried my note 2 cord.
When I plug it in it recognizes it and detects drivers but the phone does not show up under my computer and I dont get the window popup asking if I want to view files etc.
Getting really frustrated.
Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When I plug the s5 into my pc and pull down the notification bar ...it doesnt even show usb connected.
I cant find any usb options other than usb debugging.
I just went through all this same crap with a galaxy mega a buddy had.
I just dont get why there is no "usb connected as" notification and why this is so complicated to connect to pc when my note connects fine

Bad cable? Maybe Bad Drivers? Where did you download them from? Windows is going to try to recognize it as a media device. Ill give you a couple tips
Just because the "popup window" doesnt popup, you probably just have auto play set to recognize it a certain way.
Just copy and paste this into your explorer window:
%windir%\system32\control.exe /name Microsoft.AutoPlay
and then reset it for your phone.
Also.
1. Make sure the cable is actually connecting, like charging the phone, consistantly, not on and off. If it is, then you know thats good, if not, switch the usb drive you have the cable plugged into. USB Ports actually on the motherboard are the ones Ive always had luck with never disconnecting.
2. If you want to root your phone, and you want the adb drivers, Windows wont find those for you.

Thanks for the reply.
I downloaded the drivers straight from the windows usb driver dowload page for my phone from samsung.
Ive uninstalled reboot,installed rebooted.
Ive set usb debugging off/on.
Tried dialling *#0808# which ive read is the code to enable usb but it doest work it just calls the #.
Tried all my moyherboard usb ports
Tried different cable
The original cable charges fine.
This sg5 NEVER has a usb icon when connected to usb... i find that odd.
A samsung mega a buddy had which was also previously hooked up at the same wireless shop that this s5 was..... also has the same exact issue.... no usb icon and not recognised as media by windows and no way to change usb settings.
Its like that wireless shop disabled usb on there phones for some reason.
I had the phone 2 weeks and cant do anything with it untill I can root it.
My note 2 works fine , i get usb icon in notification area,i can switch to media device from there.
On the sg5 theres no usb icon even though it connects fine to the pc as installer
Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk

Maybe Im misunderstanding you, but when I have my phone plugged into my pc there is no usb icon, its just connected as a media device and shows its charging. Both screenshots are of my phone while its plugged into my computer
When you plug it into your computer can you access the files on the phone through your windows explorer, like in the first screenshot?

Thanks for replying and the screenshots.
When my phone is plugged into the computer it shows the charging status but no "connected as media device" it doesnt show a connected as anything so nothing to touch for options.
The phone does not show up under windows explorer in my computer.
Ive been using galaxy phones since the original galaxy and never had issues like this.
I just dont get it

I'm similar issues...my phone will just time out in the middle of transfers or won't see the phone at all

Both of your issues sound like driver issues. Heres the link from Samsung for Windows for the S5
http://www.samsung.com/us/support/owners/product/SM-G900PZKASPR

To make this issue stranger....
My neighbor came over to borrow juice for her ecig. I noticed she has an s5.
I ask if i can connect it to my computer and as soon as I plug it in with my s5 cable...bam ...connected as media device , touch for usb options.
And my computer brought up the screen to view files.
So i now know its not my pc,drivers, or cables.
I did however notice when I plugged my s5 in.... in the notification area where it would say touch for usb options.
It says "system update"
But i have no sim or service on the phone so it doesnt update.
Could the system update be needed for the usb to work?
How would i even update system ?its nolonger on sprint. I wouldnt want any more over the air updates anyway as im wanted to root so i can save a straight talk apn and probablly flash a custom rom

Yea... this is nuts.
This sprint s5 i got looks and performs like a brand new phone.
But cannot for the life of me get "connected as ......" to show when a usb is plugged in. When i search settings for "pc connection" , "media" , mtp" , usb" etc.....
Theres nothing I can find to enable how to connect when usb is connected.
I dont even know who or where to ask anymore.
Bought this phone weeks ago and cant do anything with it.
My neighbors s5 connects to my pc no problems. So does my note 2.
I just dont know anymore what else to do

i dont see where not having a sim would matter. does the usb port on your phone seem loose or anything? do you have access to another pc to try connecting to that?
ultimately you can get around most things that require needing a usb connection. theres even a wireless adb.
i doubt this will work either, but have you tried seeing if odin will recognize the phone in download mode? (power off the phone and press the power+home+volume down buttons)
also what version of android is on the phone now? if its still on 4.4.2 or 4.4.4 then you might want to look into towelroot, but i think i remember reading thats not working with 5.0
as for rooting, you could try looking for a flashable update.zip , put it on a external sd card, put that in your phone and boot into recovery (power off the phone and press the power+home+volume up buttons) and flash it, then find a custom recovery like clockworkmod or philz touch or something
all in all im 99% sure theres a way to root the phone without having to do anything on a pc, its just a matter of finding a way to do it, and the before choosing a method to tell you to try, i need to know the android version. also im just assuming the model number is SM-G900P, is that right?
Go into your settings and tell me the
Software Version
Model Number
Android Version
and the Baseband Version

once factory reset...usb works fine.
Im now rooted and flashed MOAR
thanks for all who tried to help

Glad you got it figured out

Can't connect to Windows 10 PC?

For some reason I can't connect my Pixel 4a to my PC with a USB C - USB A cable (or USB A - USB C, not sure what the official name is) , even though it worked fine on my previous phone.
Included with the phone is a USB C - USB A adapter, but I see no use for it unless you have a special USB A cable which I don't.
My motherboard does have a USB C slot on it and it does read my phone when I plug it in that way but for some weird reason it's really loose and doesn't stay connected unless I keep physical pressure on it.
I'm not going to update to Android 11 until the November update because I've heard the current build has a few bugs, but does anyone know if Android 11 fixed the USB C - USB A issue?

Have you made sure to switch to file transfer mode? It defaults to 'no transfer' mode when I plug into my laptop.

Most likely you need to toggle the phone connection settings to data transfer, originally it will be set to charge only I think.

WAusJackBauer said:
For some reason I can't connect my Pixel 4a to my PC with a USB C - USB A cable (or USB A - USB C, not sure what the official name is) , even though it worked fine on my previous phone.
Included with the phone is a USB C - USB A adapter, but I see no use for it unless you have a special USB A cable which I don't.
My motherboard does have a USB C slot on it and it does read my phone when I plug it in that way but for some weird reason it's really loose and doesn't stay connected unless I keep physical pressure on it.
I'm not going to update to Android 11 until the November update because I've heard the current build has a few bugs, but does anyone know if Android 11 fixed the USB C - USB A issue?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had this issue too. Windows file explorer would just crash after one or two files and stop transfer, no matter the size and type. (Yes I had file transfer selected on my phone ?)
Then windows update gave me a driver called "Google Inc. - Other Hardware - Kedacom KDB Composite Interface". I also updated to the newest firmware on the phone. No idea which of these did the trick or if it was the combo. However. Smooth sailing now ??
Hope this helps
(If windows update refuses to give you the driver, you can get it from Microsoft's update catalogue online. A Google search will do)

Ok it's completely messed up. When I search for USB settings it doesn't let me change anything at all, even though when I first got the phone I could and I changed it to transfer files. EDIT: No actually the setting that I changed was a developer option called "Default USB configuration" which I changed to transfer files but that still did nothing.
I just plugged in my phone and looked for the USB setting in the notification area but it wasn't there, but I noticed an option called "manage"
I went in there and noticed this. (see attachments) it's locked to be off and I can't change it. Very odd.

WAusJackBauer said:
Ok it's completely messed up. When I search for USB settings it doesn't let me change anything at all, even though when I first got the phone I could and I changed it to transfer files. EDIT: No actually the setting that I changed was a developer option called "Default USB configuration" which I changed to transfer files but that still did nothing.
I just plugged in my phone and looked for the USB setting in the notification area but it wasn't there, but I noticed an option called "manage"
I went in there and noticed this. (see attachments) it's locked to be off and I can't change it. Very odd.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're in notification settings. Try short tapping rather than long tapping to get the menu to pop up allowing you to select data transfer.
Changing default USB settings in developer options doesn't work for me either.

GoldElocks said:
You're in notification settings. Try short tapping rather than long tapping to get the menu to pop up allowing you to select data transfer.
Changing default USB settings in developer options doesn't work for me either.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My point is that the notification that normally comes up when you plug in your phone to a computer to change to data transfer, charge only ect ect isn't even coming up because the firmware is stopping that notification from coming up altogether and I can't change it so it does.

WAusJackBauer said:
My point is that the notification that normally comes up when you plug in your phone to a computer to change to data transfer, charge only ect ect isn't even coming up because the firmware is stopping that notification from coming up altogether and I can't change it so it does.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Almost certainly a cable or host port issue. Swap cables and see what happens. Same for hosts/host ports. You're not going to have toggling options if the phone does not 'see' all expected lines/pins.

I had the same issue and changed to a different cord to fix the problem.

You have an non certified cable it seems, I've confirmed this pixel 4a works with only certain cables for usb transfer, also the usb a to c cable you have will not charge the device as well.
Get a cable from know manufacturers like Samsung, it worked for me.

Yeah turns out it was a cable. Strange how my cable worked with my old phone but not with the Pixel 4a

Had this issue with my new 4a just now. Cable was fine, even used the new cable that comes with it using a Usb C to Usb A adapter. Nothing worked. Upon opening Device Manager I found a new device called 'Kedacom USB Device'. After trying random things, I decided to uninstall the current drivers by right clicking on it and clicking 'Uninstall device'. Suddenly the phone connected, and even showed the adb prompt.
So for anyone still facing this issue, hopefully this solution might help