WIFI tethering - AT&T, Rogers, Bell, Telus Samsung Galaxy S III

So wondering, if I'm tethering a tablet with same room as the phone 4.2.2 can AT&T tell I'm tethering? Wouldn't it look to them like I'm using my phone to brows etc....?
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gravedigger76 said:
So wondering, if I'm tethering a tablet with same room as the phone 4.2.2 can AT&T tell I'm tethering? Wouldn't it look to them like I'm using my phone to brows etc....?
Sent from my Nexus 10 using xda premium
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android tethering isn't set up to route data through an alternate APN (like iPhones) when the phone is in tethering mode – meaning AT&T would actually have to scan packets to determine whether or not you’re tethering. i dont know if they're taking the time/money to do that. i wouldnt do anything beyond some web browsing and email (like music/video streaming). you should be all set, regardless of whether or not your tablet and phones use the same rom.

xBeerdroiDx said:
android tethering isn't set up to route data through an alternate APN (like iPhones) when the phone is in tethering mode – meaning AT&T would actually have to scan packets to determine whether or not you’re tethering. i dont know if they're taking the time/money to do that. i wouldnt do anything beyond some web browsing and email (like music/video streaming). you should be all set, regardless of whether or not your tablet and phones use the same rom.
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Cool, thanks....how do they catch other people though? I've seen posts where people are saying they got a note from them..
Sent from my Nexus 10 using xda premium

It really depends. Someone here said they got a notice for connecting to their car via Bluetooth, but from what I've seen, the majority of people who get caught are using larger than average amounts of data via tether.
Some have said they got caught by just doing basic tasks, but I have been tethering for a year or two with my iPhone and now my gs3, and have never gotten a notice. Even played Xbox live a few times through my iPhone
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i and many other people, i believe, would like to get to the bottom of exactly HOW they catch you , i use to have a few iphones , i would tether one iphone without a sim to the other iphone and surf , i got text messages all the time saying they were gonna remove my unlimited,
if only i knew more ...

Related

Tethering app success since there is no root

What are people using for tethering since root isn't available yet?
Ive used the method described in the following thread. The best part about how it works is that it offers infrastructure mode, so I can tether my Galaxy Tab without any problems.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1079340
Note: See post #6
I heard that doing the ##778 edit causes a loss of phone data while tethered to the PC. Meaning data on the phone is dead but the pc has data. Is this true? After the edit do you just use the stock 3g mobile hotspot app?
Yes it's true, I've tried it.
Sent from my ADR6350 using XDA App
Meltdown03 said:
Yes it's true, I've tried it.
Sent from my ADR6350 using XDA App
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Click to collapse
But do you lose data on the phone while tethering? Also do you use the stock vzw app?
The answer to both questions is yes. I actually hadn't noticed it before but on my Dinc2 the signal meter only shows 1X instead of 3G when I activate the hotspot option. I guess I don't find that all too terrible as the only time I'm tethered I'm either using my tablet or my laptop.
Once the change is made, the hotspot app functions like it would if you were subscribed to the service.
What why would you do the hack if you only get 1x when tethering, that would be crazy slow.
Oops, My mistake. It appears my earlier reply was a load of crap!
3G is still clearly visible with hotspot enabled. Just ran a speed test on my Galaxy Tab. Downloads ranged from 473-329kbps with uploads between 303-193kbps.
So just to clarify. You did the following edits.
-in edit mode you will open 'security' and 'm.ip default profile' in turn. each time you look for the only entry containing "dun", as in:
<your actual phone number>@dun.vzw3g.com
edit out the "dun." so it looks like
<your actual phone number>@vzw3g.com
And you then use the stock 3g mobile hotspot app. After you enable the hotspot can you browse using the phone also? Or does internet on the phone stop working.
I think you're right, clarification is certainly in order.
Yes I simply removed dun from both of those locations and now use the standard, VZW included, hotspot app.
The phone cannot access the internet while tethering is enabled. Certainly a sacrifice, but from what I've seen so are the apps available with a rooted device which from my understanding cannot create an infrastructure hotspot, only ad-hoc.
Yeah the phone data loss kinda is a downfall. But I have an infrastructure connection with wireless tether on incredible 1 just for your info. Some apps are lucky and give good connections. well loss of data is probably a sacrifice I will make. thanks
Seems to me that the only time this would really matter is if you're sharing your connection with friends while still using your phone for data. Is there something I'm missing? I can see it being a minor annoyance but something I'd personally never run into.
Just so you know...
http://www.androidpolice.com/2011/05/30/psa-using-an-unapproved-tether-app-on-your-verizon-device-expect-to-have-your-data-session-cut-off-with-an-upsale/
brocksdad said:
Just so you know...
http://www.androidpolice.com/2011/05/30/psa-using-an-unapproved-tether-app-on-your-verizon-device-expect-to-have-your-data-session-cut-off-with-an-upsale/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm just amazed it's taken the carriers as long as it has on this.
sk0t said:
I'm just amazed it's taken the carriers as long as it has on this.
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Click to collapse
If the detection is at the app level (unauthorized), like the article suggests, the hack may still be under the radar for the time being since folks are probably using the authorized app pre-installed on their phone.

[Q] Portable Wi-Fi Hotspot charges?

Hi guys...i just noticed that there is a native option for wifi tethering on the gnex. If i use this is verizon going to charge me ridiculous amounts? I know that the wifi tether app doesn't but will this?
Thanks!! (i know i'm sorta late on figuring this one out )
All carriers are going to charge you if you tether. The key is to do it only when absolutely necessary so you don't draw attention.
I should add I have no idea what app you're talking about, but if you're using a stock ROM, they're going to know immediately that you're tethering.
Psychemage said:
All carriers are going to charge you if you tether. The key is to do it only when absolutely necessary so you don't draw attention.
I should add I have no idea what app you're talking about, but if you're using a stock ROM, they're going to know immediately that you're tethering.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
its not stock...its cm9..its not an app. its just in the settings. (most carriers remove this...thats why i'm wondering since this is a google phone it would not be removed)
ezcats said:
its not stock...its cm9..its not an app. its just in the settings. (most carriers remove this...thats why i'm wondering since this is a google phone it would not be removed)
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Click to collapse
No custom roms usually disable the feature (Verizon Provisioning Removed) where the information gets relayed back to the carrier and it looks like you're just using data on your phone like any other app. But don't go using 50gb+ a month... might seem a little suspicious.
anton2009 said:
No custom roms usually disable the feature (Verizon Provisioning Removed) where the information gets relayed back to the carrier and it looks like you're just using data on your phone like any other app. But don't go using 50gb+ a month... might seem a little suspicious.
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50GB?!!?!? how the heck do you do that...coolio...thats what i wanted to hear.
I usually only tether when i'm on vacation and rarely at that...i just dont want a $50 charge on the bill
If you want to be smart, play it safe and use the WiFi Tether app you spoke of. You wont get caught using WiFi Tether.
ezcats said:
50GB?!!?!? how the heck do you do that...coolio...thats what i wanted to hear.
I usually only tether when i'm on vacation and rarely at that...i just dont want a $50 charge on the bill
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Click to collapse
Haha. Some people just get power-hungry and start downloading movies and music from PirateBay or use it as their one and only internet connection, and they pass 50gb in no time.
If you are not using a stock ROM Verizon will not know if you use native tethering. I have been using it for a while and it has been fine.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium

[Q] FoxFi app

Is this app safe to use, thanks
tongphan said:
Is this app safe to use, thanks
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So :good:far so good my friend
tyshemi said:
So :good:far so good my friend
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my phone is not rooted, do i need to root my phone to use this app
tongphan said:
my phone is not rooted, do i need to root my phone to use this app
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Click to collapse
The app is literally called, FoxFi (WiFi Tether w/o Root).
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...ch_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS5mb3hmaSJd
TheFiveDots said:
The app is literally called, FoxFi (WiFi Tether w/o Root).
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...ch_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS5mb3hmaSJd
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Lol this is very true
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I've been using Wifi Tether very occasionally, a few times a month maybe. A few days ago received message from ATT telling me that my unlimited plan is about to be changed if I don't call them.
So while I'm on phone with ATT pretending like I have no clue what they are talking about, the person I talked to gave me a list of about 10 apps that they can detect, one of them was FoxFi. Basically anything available at google play is no good...
[email protected] said:
the person I talked to gave me a list of about 10 apps that they can detect, one of them was FoxFi. Basically anything available at google play is no good...
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That's certainly interesting information. I guess the question is, do they care only because you're on an unlimited plan, or will they give anyone trouble for even limited tethering?
Is it legal for them to do that? I'm on a grandfathered unlimited data plan. Pretty sure there is nothing in my contract about restricted apps....
Samsung s3
The app is not illegal to use. If you get caught they will force you onto a tethering g plan, but not before warning you first
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I'm curious, how would they detect which apps I have installed?
Sent from my GT-P3113 using xda app-developers app
Is there no privacy laws that protect me from warentless monitoring on my cell phone?
Samsung s3
jcejohnson said:
I'm curious, how would they detect which apps I have installed?
Sent from my GT-P3113 using xda app-developers app
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I think it's more that they can detect patterns in tethering traffic that are not seen in standard mobile traffic, rather than knowing exactly which apps you have installed and are tethering with.
Keeping in mind I have no idea how this works (or if this approach would be legal), but it would be pretty simple to figure out based what content is frequently being accessed via your "mobile device". e.g. if your phone regularly contacts the Windows Update server, they may suspect you're tethering. Combined with some analysis of how you usually use data much more quickly and differently on a computer vs. a mobile, the patterns would become clear pretty quickly. I'm sure if you mapped out browsing traffic of 1 hour on a desktop vs. 1 hour on a mobile phone, they would look quite different for most people.
TheFiveDots said:
I think it's more that they can detect patterns in tethering traffic that are not seen in standard mobile traffic, rather than knowing exactly which apps you have installed and are tethering with.
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Click to collapse
OK, that makes more sense. I left my tin-foil hat at the cleaners and was worried that AT&T were sending their brain-rays into my head to determine what I've installed (e.g. -- that they have a deal with Google to get access to get a report of installed apps). While that could be true, I expect it is highly unlikely.
TheFiveDots said:
Keeping in mind I have no idea how this works (or if this approach would be legal), but it would be pretty simple to figure out based what content is frequently being accessed via your "mobile device". e.g. if your phone regularly contacts the Windows Update server, they may suspect you're tethering. Combined with some analysis of how you usually use data much more quickly and differently on a computer vs. a mobile, the patterns would become clear pretty quickly. I'm sure if you mapped out browsing traffic of 1 hour on a desktop vs. 1 hour on a mobile phone, they would look quite different for most people.
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Click to collapse
Indeed. But tethering my Android tablet for some bigger-screen browsing & such would't trip the sensors (or should I say "censors") with FoxFi's proxy mechanism. Like your Windows example, though, letting a friend tether their iDevice for a big app install might do so.
I beleive there are some proxies you can use to hide tethering but i have no idea as to how to find or implement them
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AT&T Galaxy S3, what tethering app is everyone using?

So I know AT&T, being the disgusting American capitalist corporation that they are, decided to completely disable wireless tethering and make you pay for it with a monthly fee on your bill. This is completely unacceptable if you ask me.
This is a thread to see what Wi-Fi tethering apps you guys are using, with and without root. Hopefully we can get a list going so people can try out some different ones if certain ones don't work for them.
I'm using a completely stock phone, unrooted. Just downloaded FoxFi from their website, and installed the apk on my phone. It's usually available on Google Play but AT&T decided to block it. However, I can confirm that if you download the APK and install it that Wi-Fi tethering works perfectly. I connected my work laptop to my phone just now and used dropbox for a bit, and I also tried a few different websites.
Elixir 2
Foxfi here. It works great on my unrooted phone.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app
Easytether
When I used to tether with an Iphone att noticed it right away and sent me automated messages... Can they also detect tethering with Android??
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium
if you download an app, the only thing AT&T would be able to see is your data usage. if your data usage all of sudden goes up, that's usually related to tethering.
i use FoxFi on my unrooted Galaxy S3.
mrhomiec said:
if you download an app, the only thing AT&T would be able to see is your data usage. if your data usage all of sudden goes up, that's usually related to tethering.
i use FoxFi on my unrooted Galaxy S3.
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Click to collapse
definitely not true.
they can tell by the number of 'hops' that data traffic goes through to the end client. that is how they found me. i was using CM9 (built-in enabled hotspot) for 3 months on my old phone and they finally sent me the "Did you know tethering requires a plan?" text, and sent me a letter telling me I had to stop before X date or they'd change my data plan. when I called in playing dumb they listed off a number of apps that i might have used 'accidentally', which was the list of all the tethering apps i've heard of, and asked if i used them.
IMHO, the only safe way to tether via wifi on an unrooted phone would be to set up ADB via wifi, then use Easytether over that wifi ADB connection. Anything that resembles straightforward "phone as transparent access point" is too easy for carriers to detect. You have to masquerade your traffic, and the more opaque you can make it (say, by further tunneling it over a PPTP or L2TP VPN), the better.
A rooted phone has a few additional possibilities, but they involve completely replacing the tethering app that's bundled with the phone with one that goes out of its way to masquerade your traffic and disguise its wifi-routed origins.
You can also change over to a mobileshare plan. It's saving me a few bucks per month, and tethering is allowed with no additional fee.
"Tethering and/or mobile hotspot use is permitted with Mobile Share plans with capable Designated Devices; provided, however, that such use is limited to a maximum of five (5) simultaneous users per Device." "If you use a tethering and/or mobile hotspot Device with more than five (5) simultaneous users, you agree that AT&T may suspend or terminate service to the account."
So it looks like they're watching for multiple receivers in the traffic and if they see more than 6 (the device itself and 5 attached clients), then it flags.
Good Call
Srgsx said:
Elixir 2
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Good call on Elixir 2. Works really fast on an non-rooted Galaxy S III
Foxfi worked perfectly for me up until this latest OTA update and now it won't work at all. Was using Power Toggles to activate it, but this is no longer working. I've been searching for a working replacement for the last few days without any luck so if anyone has found an app that works after the update I would greatly appreciate you sharing the name. Thanks!!
I use wifi tether on a rooted S3. It works pretty well. It has similar options to that of a router.
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dLo GSR said:
definitely not true.
they can tell by the number of 'hops' that data traffic goes through to the end client. that is how they found me. i was using CM9 (built-in enabled hotspot) for 3 months on my old phone and they finally sent me the "Did you know tethering requires a plan?" text, and sent me a letter telling me I had to stop before X date or they'd change my data plan. when I called in playing dumb they listed off a number of apps that i might have used 'accidentally', which was the list of all the tethering apps i've heard of, and asked if i used them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So what app were you using when you got caught? Rooted?
I use the built in CM10 tether.
t-tyme01 said:
So what app were you using when you got caught? Rooted?
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Click to collapse
He was using the built in tethering feature of CM9, which is also part of stock Android.
I use wifi tether. It was the only thing that let me connect to my vpn and tether at the same time.
Haven't used it very much tbh. Maybe 2 hours total in the past couple of weeks. But so far so good
I don't think att would have an idea I was tethering since all the data is going through my vpn and is encrypted.
If they somehow managed to find out, I'm prepared to take them to court and will ask for proof in discovery which would make everything public as far as how they caught me.
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Stock from settings in AOKP.
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Was working...
Hello all,
I have been using this tethering method for a few weeks now, but all of sudden, my phone gets stuck on "Please wait while verifying..." message. It never errors, and I can cancel the process. I have tried to restore the offical tethering files, in hope to get the "Please call blah blah for more information message, but the same result happens too. My phone did recently download a system update, but I haven't allowed it to install. If anyone can shed some light on this I would greatly appreciate it.

[q] tethering usage amount

Longtime customer of TMobile and really fed up with the entire data issue. I still can't believe they were able to get away with the "unlimited" throttle back which was worthless when it happen. I admit to a little resentment.. Anyhow I digress. My current plan allows for unlimited data on my phone and 6.5GB Hotspot (tethering). I do not listen to music, or watch videos on my laptop the device being used for mobile hot spot. However last few months I max out. This month I received a text on the 4th I had used 6 and less the an hour later another text used 6.5, so I bought up to the 8 and 3 days later received text saying I had used the 8. Its not possible I am only sending emails and simple web browsing on laptop. ALL DOWNLOADS, software, music, videos, etc are being done on my phone. I went round and round with TMobile and all they can tell me is the total amount used. How can I tell amount being used on laptop?? And if the CSR at Tmobile cannot give me those amounts individually am I suppose to blindly trust them? I DON"T. Something is not right here.. can anyone give me any suggestions or advice?
This is a really hard thing to diagnose.
Are you running a custom rom?
On staock rom the phone is setup to push all data when tethered through a specific APN that is different from what your phone uses for it's data.
That is how they knw how much data is being used.
It is possible that if you are running custom rom that it is sending data through the wrong one.
And I know this is going to sound to obvious, but the hotspot you make with the phone is it password protected and different from what anything else has access to?
If it is unsecured that could just be that someone else is leaching off your connection.
If neither of these is the case you would want to then find a bandwidth monitor for your computer to see if there is any other programs that are running in the background that are doing something without your knowledge.
I know I accidently has windows check and update on its own and between a office service pack and other updates it used 2gb on mine. Never knew it was doing it.
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Running stock and hotspot is password protected. Is it possible all data when tethered is going through that same apn? If I decide to download something on my phone while tethering and that is being or charged to my hotspot??? There must be some explanation for this...
If you're not using tether, turn it off as that may be a possible explanation. The other option is to flash a ROM that circumvents the tethering apn through tmo and carry on as usual.
Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk
If you have updates constantly that eats you up the amount of data as well I wasted 2.5 on 1 day just doing that without noticing
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