I have unlimited high speed data with T-Mobile but only 5GB mobile hotspot.
I want to use USB tether to my PC without the carrier knowing. I don't want carrier to know or else it will use up my 5GB hotspot. Is it possible to tether without the carrier knowing and using up my 5GB hotspot?
What is the difference between the built in tethering method of my BlissPop ROM vs. the ClockworkMod Tether app? Will the ClockworkMod Tether app prevent the carrier from knowing?
I use PdaNet+ with my phones and unlimited T-Mobile highspeed plan. I haven't tried ClockworkMod Tether, so I can't speak for it, but it sounds like it works the same way. Both use a companion program on the PC. With PdaNet there is an option in PC application to "hide tether usage", which creates a sort of VPN that blocks the carrier from knowing what your data is being used for. I don't know how this option is set up in CWM Tether, but by its description it has the same function. No obnoxious user agent masking plug-ins to mess with
Both have a trial version, so give them a try before deciding which one you prefer. PdaNet's trial works for ~10 minutes before turning off (you can turn it on again), CWM's works for 14 days before limiting you to 20MB/day. You might have only have one installed at any given time though, as having both might cause complications.
I use about 300GB/month with my T-Mobile high speed plan. Saves me hundreds of dollars a year not needing home internet (I live alone). I browse, stream Amazon Prime, view risque pictures of attractive females, download torrents, etc. Never been throttled, cut off, gotten angry emails, or anything.
Even more fun is that you can run WiFi Tether Router (by Fabio Grasso) at the same time and give your other devices (if you have any) at the same time. However, this is murder on your battery. Wifi tethering takes a ton of juice, so your devices is constantly charging while discharging (sometimes not fast enough, and it discharges faster than it charges). Because of this, I'd recommend using a cheap phone with a removable battery (I use a Galaxy Light). I've already blown up (not quite literally) 2 batteries on my Galaxy Light doing this, so I wouldn't recommend doing this with a phone like the OnePlus One where the battery isn't easily replaceable. Not for an extended period of time, anyway. You don't need to worry about this if you're only USB tethering. It takes extremely little juice and doesn't create any heat other than typical charger and data use.
The one caveat I've found with using PdaNet is that Netflix won't load while you're USB tethered. Whatever the PC program does to mask your data messes with Microsoft Silverlight, and you'll get taken to the page about minimum required specs and browser versions. The way around this is to disable the "hide tether usage" option, load the video, then once it starts loading (the red ring), hide the tether usage again. It's a PITA, and you have to remain vigilant about re-hiding the usage, or you'll obliviously and quickly use up your tethering allotment. Small price to pay though, right? I don't know if the ClockWorkMod Tether app has this problem. I don't have Netflix anymore, so I can't check. Amazon Prime doesn't have this issue.
I can't speak for the tethering method within BlissPop, or any other ROM. I know carriers often disable and/or hijack the tethering that is natively built into Android. But without a companion program PC side, like PdaNet and CWM Tether offer, I'd expect that it'd count against the tethering allotment.
Planterz said:
I use PdaNet+ with my phones and unlimited T-Mobile highspeed plan. I haven't tried ClockworkMod Tether, so I can't speak for it, but it sounds like it works the same way. Both use a companion program on the PC. With PdaNet there is an option in PC application to "hide tether usage", which creates a sort of VPN that blocks the carrier from knowing what your data is being used for. I don't know how this option is set up in CWM Tether, but by its description it has the same function. No obnoxious user agent masking plug-ins to mess with
Both have a trial version, so give them a try before deciding which one you prefer. PdaNet's trial works for ~10 minutes before turning off (you can turn it on again), CWM's works for 14 days before limiting you to 20MB/day. You might have only have one installed at any given time though, as having both might cause complications.
I use about 300GB/month with my T-Mobile high speed plan. Saves me hundreds of dollars a year not needing home internet (I live alone). I browse, stream Amazon Prime, view risque pictures of attractive females, download torrents, etc. Never been throttled, cut off, gotten angry emails, or anything.
Even more fun is that you can run WiFi Tether Router (by Fabio Grasso) at the same time and give your other devices (if you have any) at the same time. However, this is murder on your battery. Wifi tethering takes a ton of juice, so your devices is constantly charging while discharging (sometimes not fast enough, and it discharges faster than it charges). Because of this, I'd recommend using a cheap phone with a removable battery (I use a Galaxy Light). I've already blown up (not quite literally) 2 batteries on my Galaxy Light doing this, so I wouldn't recommend doing this with a phone like the OnePlus One where the battery isn't easily replaceable. Not for an extended period of time, anyway. You don't need to worry about this if you're only USB tethering. It takes extremely little juice and doesn't create any heat other than typical charger and data use.
The one caveat I've found with using PdaNet is that Netflix won't load while you're USB tethered. Whatever the PC program does to mask your data messes with Microsoft Silverlight, and you'll get taken to the page about minimum required specs and browser versions. The way around this is to disable the "hide tether usage" option, load the video, then once it starts loading (the red ring), hide the tether usage again. It's a PITA, and you have to remain vigilant about re-hiding the usage, or you'll obliviously and quickly use up your tethering allotment. Small price to pay though, right? I don't know if the ClockWorkMod Tether app has this problem. I don't have Netflix anymore, so I can't check. Amazon Prime doesn't have this issue.
I can't speak for the tethering method within BlissPop, or any other ROM. I know carriers often disable and/or hijack the tethering that is natively built into Android. But without a companion program PC side, like PdaNet and CWM Tether offer, I'd expect that it'd count against the tethering allotment.
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Thanks for the great detailed insight! I'll give pdanet+ a try. Btw, do you know if T-mobile allows you to track how much of the mobile hotspot data you have used?
I am curious to know if custom ROMS such as BlissPop prevent the carrier from knowing when using the native Android tethering. What if I use a VPN on my phone or on my PC along with the native Android tethering. Will the carrier find out?
Zythyr said:
Thanks for the great detailed insight! I'll give pdanet+ a try. Btw, do you know if T-mobile allows you to track how much of the mobile hotspot data you have used?
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Click to collapse
As long as there's a T-Mobile SIM card in the phone, you can download their account app. It tells you your minutes, messages, data usage (including tethering), when your bill is due, etc. You can pay your bill through it too. I find it to be very useful. Just make sure you turn off all the diagnostics and notifications. Not because they'll learn anything you don't want them to know, but because they're obnoxious and useless.
I know it's an old question but I'll post a response for those who arrive here via a Google search. It's incredibly simply to get around the carrier limitation. Follow the instructions in this link below which, while very detailed because they want to reach a wide audience, explains how to solve the problem. You just need to add a record to a database file. It's that simple. If you're an expert then just skip to the end of the tutorial for the database that needs to be edited and for the record that needs to be added. I tried this on my Note 4 on T-Mobile. I was throttled and after making this edit I'm back to full speed.
http://nexus5.wonderhowto.com/how-to/tether-your-nexus-5-without-your-carrier-knowing-0155546/
Quick edit: the battery drain is an issue but is easily solved with either additional batteries or with a phone/charger combo that allows for fast charging. With a fast charger on my Note 4 I easily stay ahead of the battery drain.
I use and am currently using clockwork tether in conjunction with nord vpn Most of the vpn servers are very stable I always link up with them for several days to make sure it is not killing the connection before I link it on my phone but it works great. All the traffic going through the isp is encrypted so they cant tell that I am hooked up to the xbox servers on my phone there is no way to tell that it is not regular phone traffic. If you are going to do this I would deffinitely reccomend spending the money fo a good vpn service. You will not be able to game over this connection but download speeds are good. I get nord vpn servvice for less than 3 dollars a month when I buy their 2 year plan for like 71 bucks. They havve servers all over the world and it also protects me from any backlash I might see due to my heavy p2p dowloading. Clockwork tether is great because it will utilize lte networks not just the 3g networks and it does not require any root access. I am currently on lg g6 through sprint so root will be a while out if ever (encrypted bootloader) but I can still utilize my unlimited lte data. I also have a grandfathered data line with them that is unlimited but they will not let me upgrade to lte. When they let 4g wimax die i was downgraded to nothing but 3g on that line but I cant give it up because I use 250 to 300 gigs a month on just it. I had a lot of problems with the wifi air cards because of the high discharge rates and heat problems but have solved that by going to the old 3g computer dongles now and running them directly into openwrt router. Good enough to play call of duty on but not good for download speeds and if my wife is looking up a recipe for dinner it lags out. Thus I use the tethering for all downloads and the data only line for regular traffic that is permitted. (Not pirating vvideos because i dont want to give them a reason to kick me off my unlimited plan) n0sec
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I recently got an HTC Fuze with a new contract from AT&T... I opted not to get the data plan, because 90% of the time I have a WiFi connection, and didn't think the monthly charge was worth it.
Fast forward to today, and I have a $35 charge on my bill for 3.5MB of data. What I think happened, is that since I was a bit of a WM noob at the time, I didn't know to set the connection settings to default to WiFi instead of 3G, and every time a program tried to connect it enabled the data connection (even when I had it disabled in the connection manager) and tried to download through that. Now I know how to set it, but I still have this charge, for more than it would have cost me for a month of unlimited downloads. There was also no warning ANYWHERE that it would cost me money to use these programs.
Is there anything I can do to get them to drop it? I'd really rather not pay this ridiculous charge, and I don't plan on adding a data plan in the near future.
Also, does anyone know if there's a way to get AT&T to disable data on my plan altogether? I'd rather not have something like this happen again.
call att and tell them that this is your first time this has happened and you won't do it again. they usually take off the charge first time this happens. i'm not sure if they will disable data for you altogether, but there is a way to do this via your phone. Download and install the Diamond Tweak program to your phone and go to 6. Data and for 6.3 (Enabled: MEdia Net and Enabled: AT&T ISP GPRS), disable both of these. that should take care of it.
good luck with att!
nhshah7 said:
call att and tell them that this is your first time this has happened and you won't do it again. they usually take off the charge first time this happens. i'm not sure if they will disable data for you altogether, but there is a way to do this via your phone. Download and install the Diamond Tweak program to your phone and go to 6. Data and for 6.3 (Enabled: MEdia Net and Enabled: AT&T ISP GPRS), disable both of these. that should take care of it.
good luck with att!
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Well, I've since HardSPL'd my phone and installed Elite RC3, and I think I have it permanently disabled.
I'll give them a call though, thanks.
Well, I just gave them a call, and the rep I spoke to said the best they could do is sign me up for 1 month of data, and credit me back the charges for last month. I pushed for a direct refund, but they said they couldn't do that, so I just bit it and signed up for the plan.
It would have came out to around $22 (i have a govt. discount), and he said it would be even cheaper because I signed up in the middle of the billing cycle. So all in all, I came out ahead, but I'm not sure if I could still have gotten the charges dropped outright or not.
Anyway, I now have unlimited data for the rest of the month... any ideas on how to use it? Can they detect tethering?
not that i know of
make sure u make the registry edit to enable it!
nhshah7 said:
not that i know of
make sure u make the registry edit to enable it!
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Don't get too greedy but as long as you don't download torrents or movies and stuff you should be fine.
I called and they removed Internet from my phone completely.
Just remember you can't send MMS messages if you disable internet from their side.
This happened to me when I had the Tilt and again with the Fuze. The stupid things are set to go out onto the internet automatically for certain features (like weather). When I get a new phone, the first thing on my mind isn't disabling the internet, so I racked up a few pay-per-use charges because I was silly and assumed the thing wouldn't go online unless I told it to. AT&T immediately applied a credit both times when I called, no need to sign up for a month of data service.
I currently don't have have a Fuze but am planning to get one within a month or so and the Weather tab had been a worry becuase I don't have a data plan at all. In the TouchFLO settings tab inside connections you can flip off the data service along with WiFi, & Bluetooth wouldn't that work as well?
FYI: Opera 9.7 is claiming a turbo feature to compress files to speed download times for mobile users & may help to squeeze that extra bandwidth for you
I was stuck with this same problem just recently too, however i still cant figure out how to disable the internet but keep it just for MMS. Can someone help me out?
Another thing to check is make sure AGPS is off. It will connect to data no matter whether you disable connections through Diamond Tweak or NoData.
It's extremely obvious to providers if you are using your phone to tether. First of all, a mobile phone sends different packet headers than a desktop. Also, desktops are constantly making connections to places mobile phones don't, whether it be to a Microsoft update server, Starcraft II connecting to a game server, your automatic java or chrome updates, or itunes sending back your play count info to apple.
So the question is, how can we tether without leaving a single trace?
All I can think of to do would be to disable all connections with a firewall, and then only allow those connections which arent suspicious, such as a browser(of course the browser would also need a custom mobile identifier that matched your phones identifier).
Is there anything I'm not thinking of? Any other way the provider might figure out?
I use a Samsung Focus (windows phone 7) on att&t. I have no need for a pricey tethering plan because I only very infrequently and sporadically feel the need to tether just a few times a year. I understand that I'm probably okay if I only do it infrequently, but I would rather not find out for peace of mind's sake.
I was wondering this too. I went into AT&T today and asked if any Androids could tether without having a tethering plan (I'm looking for a new phone). Ask expected, I was told I needed to have a tethering plan to use tethering. Although, I did a little research and PdaNet apparently has the feature to "hide tether usage." It says so on their site, just google PdaNet. I would post a link, but I'm new and can't. Try it out and let me know if it works, I would but I don't currently have an Android.
http://www.androidpolice.com/2011/0...unauthorized-android-tethering-and-may-never/
SOrry, didn't see you were WP7
I know there is at least 1 method for bypassing T-Mobile tethering restrictions for the Nexus5
For example: This thread ( http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2512674&page=8 )
However, are there any other simpler methods that don't require rooting your phone?
T-Mobile's unlimited data plan includes unlimited data for the Nexus5, but not for tethering. T-Mobile gives you 2.5GB tethering hotspot for free, so you can use your Nexus5 to tether. But it appears that not even apps like FoxFi help when you've reached your 2.5GB tethering limit.
I used my Nexus7 tethered to my Nexus5 yesterday, and when i went to a chrome webpage on the tablet, it prompted me to upgrade my tethering plan....
I was stunned.........
First) because I didn't know T-Mobile could track tethering on a Nexus5......... and I still dont exactly understand how they track it...
Second) because even if they could somehow track tethering, I assumed that since I was using another android device, they wouldn't even be able to detect the traffic difference between Nexus5 and Nexus7
Third) because FoxFi didn't work !
Are there any methods (similar to FoxFi) that work? or are T-Mobile tethering restrictions unavoidable unless rooted?
Based on my understanding, Google built something into the Nexus 5 that reports tethering back to the carrier. It's unfortunately but certainly understandable as I'm sure the carriers have been asking for it for a while. The reason this breaks FoxFi as well is that FoxFi seems to use the built-in tethering with a hack to mask traffic. Since the built-in tethering is reporting it as tethering to the carrier anyway, masking the traffic doesn't help.
The modification to settings.db appears to disable that reporting with a single value, a setting that is obviously not normally available to the user. Since apps like FoxFi have been able to use the built-in tethering to work around carrier restrictions in the past, I think you will need to see development on a new app (like the old Wireless Tether for Root Users that predates the built-in tethering) to get around the restrictions without modifying system files.
What bothers me more is that my plan includes tethering and I am still hitting the paywall on my Nexus 5.
Any updates to this?
I have the $20 unlimited and unthrottled 4G data add on, it comes with only 2.5GB of tethering, then I get the upsell message.
try this link
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2581035
Pretty sure that they check more ways than one. They did ask Google to put in a checker (found in the changelogs for official update) but also they check via the header of the packet of info that passes through their towers. Some have had success with just changing the user agent of their browser, but if you are completely stock then I think you have to edit the framework, the sqlite option, and the browser agent. Might be easier to use a custom rom that doesn't have the framework stuff in it. I don't use Tmo anymore, so can't test this stuff out. When I had my S4 on Tmo, I had to use a VPN, custom wifi tether app, and only then could I tether without being sent to the upsell page (my plan at the time did not even include tethering either).
Hey I'm trying to find a way to work around my hotspot tethering limit. I have unlimited data and want to use the most out of it, I have had unlimited data for about 3 weeks now and I have used 200 gigs of data and I want o be able to co next my Xbox and laptop for more than just a day or 2 because I only get 5 gigs of hotspot. So if anyone has a workaround for the tmobile s5 please comment and let me know
sgs5tetherhelp said:
Hey I'm trying to find a way to work around my hotspot tethering limit. I have unlimited data and want to use the most out of it, I have had unlimited data for about 3 weeks now and I have used 200 gigs of data and I want o be able to co next my Xbox and laptop for more than just a day or 2 because I only get 5 gigs of hotspot. So if anyone has a workaround for the tmobile s5 please comment and let me know
Click to expand...
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Are you rooted?
Yes via towel root
sgs5tetherhelp said:
Yes via towel root
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Click to collapse
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.snclab.wifitetherrouter
I use it on my T-Mobile phones. Follow the link in the description for settings. Gotta warn ya though, it might not work without further tweaks. You might need to google up some more specific instructions. The problem with this app (not the app's fault though) is that every phone/brand/ROM is different and needs different settings, and unfortunately these settings don't have descriptions. Plus the author is Italian and his English ain't too good.
You'll probably also have to create a new APN for tethering. Go to your System Settings, More networks, Mobile Networks, Access Point Names, then hit the menu button to add a new APN. Copy everything in the default APN down, then make everything in the new APN exactly the same, but instead of IPv6, use IPv4.
For tethering to just your laptop though, I recommend PdaNet+ (not a root app) and using USB tethering. The reason is that using your phone as a wifi hotspot is a processor and battery hog, and the more it's used, the hotter your phone will get and the more your battery gets used (shortening its overall lifespan). USB tethering however basically turns your phone into a conduit, rather than a rebroadcaster, and won't fry your phone. It works by using a companion program on your computer (also does bluetooth, but it's much slower), and has the option (which you need to use) to "hide tether usage". Another cool feature is you can set it up so text messages will pop up on your computer. The one single issue with USB tethering with PdaNet is with Netflix. If you try to watch something, it'll take you to the page saying your computer doesn't meet the minimum system requirements. Whatever VPN/proxy/whatever that it uses to mask your usage doesn't jive with Microsoft Silverlight, which Netflix uses. The way around this is to disable the "hide tether usage" option when loading a video, and as soon as it starts loading, select "hide tether usage" again, and you're good to go.
The really cool thing is that these two apps work simultaneously. I use PdaNet to USB tether my phone to my laptop (which is plugged into my 42" TV). The same phone is running Wifi Tether Router so I can use my tablet on wifi. Seriously, how cool is that?!? Complete home internet and cell service for $89.08/month (after taxes).
All I’m finding is conflicting information, for both stock or rooted z4’s. I’m living where there is no available internet, except for my unlimited data plan, which has hotspot data capped at 15 gigs. That means, I can not use chromecast.
What I’d like to find out is if it’s possible via MHL cord, to mirror media to my tv. If it requires rooting, I’ll need some serious research time, but I’m not an idiot and can figure it out. At this point, I’d buy more hardware if that’s required. I dig the phone, but I really need something I can run kodi, Netflix or other stuff on, and mirror to my tv’s.
I guess another option might be if there was a way to get around the hotspot caps?
If you're able to edit your APNs, you could probably make the device route tethering through the data APN instead of the tethering APN
That's what I did with my Galaxy S6 and unfortunately you have to be rooted to do it (at least with Sprint, they disable APN editing so you have to find the database file and use a program to edit it)
However, your carrier might still be able to tell you're tethering and if they find out they won't be happy about it. I was lucky, and Sprint seemed to not care.