I just got my Touch Pro yesterday. When I ordered it I went ahead and added tethering. With my 6800/Titan/Mogul, I was able to tether via bluetooth no problem with a custom ROM that added "internet sharing".
The only way to tether via bluetooth on the Touch Pro stock ROM is via "Modem Link". I got it working fine on Vista. But my work laptop I commute an hour to work each way, is the MacBook Pro.
I absolutely do not want to use a USB cord as there is not much room when you have someone sitting next to you. So I want to be able to connect, and put the phone back in my pocket.
I've searched hi and low for a solution, but can't find anything useful that actually works.
Any suggestions/step by step walk through on a working solution would be much appreciated!!
Thanks!
go->utilities->bluetooth->add new device->phone....should be self explanatory from there.
nikon858 said:
go->utilities->bluetooth->add new device->phone....should be self explanatory from there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, this does not work. It only holds the connection for 5 to 15 seconds before it fails. It worked great with my Mogul, but I've looked everywhere and can't get it to work with my TP!
yeah same here. i've gotten it to connect a couple times, but then it's only for a for about 5-10 seconds and then disconnects. I just ordered a bluetooth dongle that works with mac osx just to be sure it's not the internal bluetooth on the mac. I could be wrong, but I think the reason it's not stable as my previous phone is because connecting via "internet sharing" created a PAN vs. DUN. On my MacBook Pro it would say "join network on <phone name>" and it would work perfect. Using "modem link" I think is just using the DUN profile. Maybe JETware will expose PAN profile and more profiles? I want to try it, but it looks like it's old software.
well no luck with the bluetooth dongle ordered for the mac as there is no software to install that came with it. plugged it in and the os x bluetooth used the dongle instead of the built in bluetooth hardware. that was the only difference.
But again, I don't think it has anything to do with the Mac. I believe it's just the lack of the PAN profile on the phone. DUN profile works fine on the PC, but sucks on the MAC. At least with Verizon and/or the Touch Pro.
I think I'll remove the tethering package until a custom ROM comes out that enables the PAN profile. Hopefully someone can unlock GPS too. Other than VZW locking down those 2 things, I think the phone is great!
http://www.wmwifirouter.com/
"WMWifiRouter instantly turns your wifi enabled smartphone* into a wireless internet hotspot. Now you can use your laptop and any other device with wifi to get online and surf, email, instant message, and anything else you normally use the internet for"
Internet Sharing App: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=321393
WOW! Thank you! http://www.wmwifirouter.com Works great. It took a little time to troubleshoot at first. But it's always those quick simple solutions that getcha. I just had to disable the power saving feature. But definitely a cool program worth shelling out $30 for. I had no idea that bluetooth limits bandwidth so much. Through WiFi I'm getting 2,418 kbps down and 516 kbps up. I think with bluetooth I was only able to get like 200-400 kbps down. I also had no idea pocket pc's were capable of acting like a router.
Thanks again. This seems to be the best solution for tethering VZW Touch Pro with a MacBook Pro.
By the way, I also tried the Interent Sharing app. Although it puts the program on your phone, it doesn't enable the PAN profile on the phone. So I'm guessing Verizon's a little smarter than just letting a simple app unlock it. I'm assuming a custom ROM in the future will unlock the PAN profile. Even if it does become unlocked, sharing through WiFi is so much faster that it's not even worth it going through bluetooth.
Hello all, I have the xv6800, dcd rom 3.3.4 and activesync and internet sharing setup on Windows just fine. However, I have recently gotten a MAC, and I have not been able to get the internet sharing to work via BT or USB. I can understand BT cause I was never able to get it set up on windows either. I don't mind the USB connection, it's alwasy been more stable and a snap to set up with the ROM. However I can't get it working on the MAC. Is there a driver or app that needs to be installed on the mac side? The only think I remember doing on the WIN side is installing the modem driver.
On Mac, I have installed Missing Sync installed and I have been able to attach and sync my winmo phone without issue, so I know I have connection. but I cannot get the internet sharing to work. I checked out the verizon site and they state that they do not make a modem driver for the mac os.
I should also mention that I have winXP set up on the mac thru VMware, but I have been unsuccessful getting this to work the way my original windows laptop is setup. I dont want to set it up that way anyway if I can avoid it.
I am curious if anyone has this working via USB?? I apologize if this has been covered elsewhere. I couldn't find anything related and certainly not specific to this ROM.
I did find this, http://www.keithtastic.com/post/3997...-to-sprint-htc, but it states to buy an app called USB Modem program from www.mobile-stream.com. but wouldnt the ISC app on the dcd rom provid the same functionality?
Thanks for any/all help
i use BT in OSX... system prefs, bluetooth, setup a connection to the phone(+ button)... hit the bluetooth icon on the menubar, select the phone -> connect to network, thats all i have to do.
bmorrisj said:
i use BT in OSX... system prefs, bluetooth, setup a connection to the phone(+ button)... hit the bluetooth icon on the menubar, select the phone -> connect to network, thats all i have to do.
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Click to collapse
then just use internet sharing form the phone as normal?
no offense but that didnt help at all. I can connect my phone via BT themac sees it, but all I can do is browse device. I need to set up a connection with my phone to the mac and get online via my phone. I dont careif its bluetooth or not. I have the new macbook btw, if it matters
goon55: Like you, I always used a VM workaround to tether back when I had a Mac. I haven't tried this, but I've heard Syncmate allows Internet Sharing on Mac systems. Good luck!
I have no issues connecting my macbook for my 6800.
After you set it up like the other poster told you to, you should have a phone icon next to the bluetooth icon at the top right of the screen. click the phone icon then "connect bluetooth".
goon55 said:
no offense but that didnt help at all. I can connect my phone via BT themac sees it, but all I can do is browse device. I need to set up a connection with my phone to the mac and get online via my phone. I dont careif its bluetooth or not. I have the new macbook btw, if it matters
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
also when setting up the BT relationship, make sure you select the network services (i believe, there are one or two services you can check)...on the phone make sure you start BT and internet sharing (with BT selected) and when you go to the BT menu on the mac, your phone name should be under "devices", expand your phone name and select connect to network.
just trying to clarify a bit.
i had it
i had bt working for a bit and then was disconnected abruptly.
after deleting the profiles of the pairings on both the titan and the mac, it still wont share the connection although the phone will be connected in bt system prefrence pane, (where you select devices).
when it worked, i would select the phone in the device select, and underneath clicking on the gear to a menu option to 'connect to network'
it worked that wayfor 3 mins.
also, when i configure the device, if i set the phone to internet share while the mac is discovering the services, i get two options to select instead of just one:
access the internet
use device as network port.
edit: got it, apple talk active
best software you can use is http://www.wmwifirouter.com/ it works over BT or wifi and uses your phone's regular data access address which means you don't get tethering charges. NOTE I use the free version, and I have tried the tiral and although it does work, my mogul does not seem to like it and has little quirks after I install it (wifi turns on when I reset even if the switch is off, I don't why but its there).
Hi everyone, I've been trying to use my Windows Mobile phone as a modem for the Macbook, but so far I only see people being able to connect via BT. Problem with that for me is that BT drains both my laptop and phone battery quicker, so I'm trying to find a solution to connect via USB instead. Has anyone been able to surf on their Mac using their Windows Mobile phone as a modem via USB cable?
What you want is Mobile Stream USB Modem for Windows. Windows here being Windows Mobile, it works with my Mac.
Once you set it up, your phone is seen as a USB Modem and you dial from the Mac to this port. There is a free trial, take time to test it, read the forums, I had some initial issues to get it work right, but now it is good, I ended up purchasing it.
Tried BT sharing too, but too instable and drops. Tried the WiFi sharing, but eats battery...
Only downside: as you dial the data modem, it will fail if it is already in use (background email checking on your phone...). I have to disconnect the data connection on the phone to be able to dial from the Mac, otherwise it reports Port Busy.
Thanks for the recommendation, will try it out. Any other solutions in the meantime to connect and share the Internet connection from my Windows Mobile phone to Mac via USB?
I had the same problem, and tried everything recommended in the thread - no dice. I ended up just installing WMWifiRouter and that works like a champ.
http://networkjew.com/2009/03/30/tether-windows-mobile-phone-mac/
This is for cingular, but I'm sure this can be attempted no matter what the provider.
I've been looking for a solution as well, and have yet to find one for USB Internet Sharing on a Mac. I currently just use Bluetooth with an external charger on the phone and laptop since it'll eat the battery of both quickly.
Has anyone been able to successfully connect DUN over BT using wmodem? I have installed the addon cab and can find the DUN connection when pairing my phone with my laptop, but when I go to connect it gives me a 678 error. I have no problems connecting wmodem over USB or using "Internet Sharing" to connect cover BT and USB.
dun
Had issue with wmodem but Internet Sharing that was on my custom rom works like a champ. I'm pulling 1.0 to 1.2 Mbps almost all the time. I can't remember if it was on my stock rom, but if not, I'm sure it's available somewhere on here.
Nate
i was just about to do a search on this. then i scrolled down the list and found this post. I'm very interested in getting BT DUN working on my Mac, since you can't use USB.
If you find an internet sharing cab, can you post here?
Thanks.
yeah i do not mean to hijack your thread but when i try to tether via bluetooth to my new macbook with internet sharing, the internet connection crawls!! i mean CRAWLS!!! lol
I have BT and USB connection with a windows laptop and it runs perfect. any ideas on how to speed up the connection?
Thanks!
http://www.wmwifirouter.com
this is really the best solution if you want to connect to a Mac. Works perfect and is worth the money! Hella fast too when connecting through WiFi. But you have the option to connect through WiFi, Bluetooth & USB.
When I connect through WiFi, I'm getting 1.2mb down and 500kb up.
It worked great for a while about a month or 2 ago when I bought it. But then I was playing with the Mac network settings and stuff and managed to jack it up. But here's what I was doing wrong:
Connecting through WiFi, there is open & wep. I chose wep. So on WiFiRouter you select your wep password. I chose a simple word, let's say "keyboard". On the Mac when you select to connect wep, using keyboard for the password won't work. You need to enter the 20 digit hex value that WiFiRouter gives you after you put in the password "keyboard".
Hope this helps anyone who might have problems setting it up. I didn't change any settings on WiFiRouter. Works right out of the box. You just have to make sure you set it up correctly on the Mac.
I use ICS over Bluetooth all the time. works great.
I now have ICS. Unlocked my HTC Touch Pro and used Scott Scrosler's ROM. But I'll most likely use WiFiRouter since it's about 3-4X faster going through WiFi. Need the speed for VPN.
I have an HTC Touch Pro and an asus eee pc and have tried and searched everywhere to figure out how to bluetooth pair these two, but I've had no luck. I can USB pair just fine with Internet Sharing. Has anyone had success with this? I'd rather go the free route than spend the $ for wmwifirouter, if possible. TIA
Well on W7 at least all I have to do is select Bluetooth as my connection option in ICS and then right click on my phone in the Bluetooth Devices window on my PC and go to where it says "Join PAN" and it connects faster than it would by USB. The range sorta sucks though. Has to be within like 5 feet to keep from disconnecting. But GRemote works from like 25 feet away.
Internet Sharing NO Registry Edit Needed
Hi. For those with ATT FUZE Stock Rom
I got this CAB (ICS INstaller) from a website with a topic of the last free version of WMWifiRouter by chainfire, just install the CAB and it will enable Internet Sharing, and NO registry edit needed.
As far as I remembered this is needed in order to use Internet Sharing and also if you want to use WMWifiRouter by chainfire.
Enjoy.
hidavi said:
The range sorta sucks though. Has to be within like 5 feet to keep from disconnecting.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm facing a lot of disconnects using Bluetooth PAN, however over USB works great! If I have to use the cell phone near the computer, I'd rather use the cable.
I only wanted to use bluetooth because I could put the cell phone near the window which is where I have better signal when I'm on the mountains with GPRS-only..
I've searched around for some solid technique or, preferably, app that allows you to trick apps into thinking you are using Wifi when in reality you are still on 3g/4g.
- I am NOT looking for alternatives or workarounds for a specific app
I found it crazy that the iPhone has over a dozen apps, tweaks, etc that can easily do this type of thing, but the only stuff I've found on the subject for android were either ridiculous techniques that don't work, or people questioning WHY you'd want to do this...
If anyone has ANY information on this subject, please tell.
Is there a reason why this is so much harder on Android than on iPhone? I'd be happy to learn exactly what the problem is here.
bump
Im also interested on this. I have unlimited data and i find it ridiculous that devs make apps to only work on wifi. I use to use 3g unrestrictor all the time back when i had my iPhone.
bump
bump again...
Well i know this works with certain android games like zenonia and modern combat which require wifi not data connection so you can try it with other stuff. You have to be rooted.
The first step is to turn your Wi-Fi on and*download Android Wi-Fi tether app*available in Market.
Once you have the app downloaded, launch the app and go to Menu > Settings > Change > Setup Method and select Softap option.
Now start tethering and drag down the notification bar.
In case your Wi-Fi icon is still enabled, it means that you have done it right so far.
Do not press the Wi-Fi toggle icon and launch the game you want to play
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I am a dishonest man, and you can always honestly trust a dishonest man to be dishonest. Honestly it's the honest ones you have to watch out for.
xMrArnoldx said:
Well i know this works with certain android games like zenonia and modern combat which require wifi not data connection so you can try it with other stuff. You have to be rooted.
The first step is to turn your Wi-Fi on and*download Android Wi-Fi tether app*available in Market.
Once you have the app downloaded, launch the app and go to Menu > Settings > Change > Setup Method and select Softap option.
Now start tethering and drag down the notification bar.
In case your Wi-Fi icon is still enabled, it means that you have done it right so far.
Do not press the Wi-Fi toggle icon and launch the game you want to play
-------------
I am a dishonest man, and you can always honestly trust a dishonest man to be dishonest. Honestly it's the honest ones you have to watch out for.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It didn't work.. My wifi is turned off as soon as the tethering starts. What app exactly am I supposed to use?
Thanks!
Try wifi tether for root users.
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Give me a thanks if i helped
Lg Lucid running Cm10
w/ Cm10 Kernel
Asus Tf700 running Cromi-X 4.6.5
w/ Max's v4 kernel
Some Android games and application require a Wi-Fi connection due to the large amount of data that they use. If you don't have Wi-Fi available, however, you won't be able to use the apps or play the games, even if you have a fast 3G connection. You can trick your phone into believing that the Wi-Fi is connected by saving a small text file to your SD card so the phone will play games and apps as if it's on Wi-Fi when it's only connected to 3G.
Things You'll Need
PC
Data cable
Text editing app
Instructions
1) Launch a text editing program on your computer and type "FALSE" in all caps. Save the file and give it the name "qaWifiOnlyMode.txt" exactly with all the lower-case and capital letters duplicated precisely, otherwise the Android operating system won't see the file. Close the text editing program.
2) Plug your Android device into your computer and drag your finger down from the top of the screen to open the notification area. Tap "USB Connected" and then confirm that you want to mount your SD card as a drive on the computer.
3) Find the qaWifiOnlyMode.txt file on your computer and click to select it. Press "Ctrl" and "C" to copy the file. Browse to the location of your Android device's SD card on your computer. In the base(root) directory, not in any sub-folder, press "Ctrl" and "V" to paste the text file to the card.
4) Drag down the notification area on your Android device and tap the USB connection to disconnect the device from the computer. Unplug the USB cable. Your device will now play games and apps as if it's on Wi-Fi even if it's only on 3G.
Diablo67 said:
Some Android games and application require a Wi-Fi connection due to the large amount of data that they use. If you don't have Wi-Fi available, however, you won't be able to use the apps or play the games, even if you have a fast 3G connection. You can trick your phone into believing that the Wi-Fi is connected by saving a small text file to your SD card so the phone will play games and apps as if it's on Wi-Fi when it's only connected to 3G.
Things You'll Need
PC
Data cable
Text editing app
Instructions
1) Launch a text editing program on your computer and type "FALSE" in all caps. Save the file and give it the name "qaWifiOnlyMode.txt" exactly with all the lower-case and capital letters duplicated precisely, otherwise the Android operating system won't see the file. Close the text editing program.
2) Plug your Android device into your computer and drag your finger down from the top of the screen to open the notification area. Tap "USB Connected" and then confirm that you want to mount your SD card as a drive on the computer.
3) Find the qaWifiOnlyMode.txt file on your computer and click to select it. Press "Ctrl" and "C" to copy the file. Browse to the location of your Android device's SD card on your computer. In the base(root) directory, not in any sub-folder, press "Ctrl" and "V" to paste the text file to the card.
4) Drag down the notification area on your Android device and tap the USB connection to disconnect the device from the computer. Unplug the USB cable. Your device will now play games and apps as if it's on Wi-Fi even if it's only on 3G.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, this whole text file thing didn't work for me. Do you have to be rooted for this to work?
It didn't work for me either and I'm rooted
Work for anyone
Did the above fix work for anyone?
.txt thing didn't work for me either and I'm rooted]
I am having a rooted phone with busybox and this text file trick doesn't work.
Sent from my GT-S5360 Gadget of Mass Destruction using xda-app
Using CWM........Busybox Commands........No I use my hands
I've been searching for a way to fool apps into thinking their on WiFi. No luck.
I hate to beat the dead horse but I switched from an iPhone to a HTC One and its turning out to be a bad deal. Your telling me all these yrs and no one has been able to make one of the most basic apps the iPhone can get via cydia yet.
We should start a bounty ...
I'll throw in 100 to start it off with.
omf05 said:
I've been searching for a way to fool apps into thinking their on WiFi. No luck.
I hate to beat the dead horse but I switched from an iPhone to a HTC One and its turning out to be a bad deal. Your telling me all these yrs and no one has been able to make one of the most basic apps the iPhone can get via cydia yet.
We should start a bounty ...
I'll throw in 100 to start it off with.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's pretty pathetic really
I'll be abroad next week and wanted to catch a bit of the French Open Tennis but one of the TV apps I'm using requires a wifi connection. The fact there is no workaround yet is almost as idiotic as the morons who implement this "feature" in their apps.
Why should I care if someone is dumb enough to rinse their 1GB Data limit when I have unlimited 4G internet?
I asked about this in the Xposed forum, since it seems like an Xposed module might be the way to trick apps into thinking you're on wi-fi.
For me, the issue is with PdaNet+. I have unlimited data with T-Mobile, and I can pair my tablet via bluetooth and use my phone's data on my tablet. However, some apps don't work because they don't detect a data connection (ie: wi-fi), even though there is one. I can browse the internet. I can browse Google Play. But I can't download anything from Google Play, because it keeps waiting for a network connection. I can use Facebook, but I can't use the Facebook Messenger.
The work-around I can use at home is to use a virtual wi-fi router program on my laptop, connect my tablet to my laptop's wifi, and then connect my tablet via PdaNet+ bluetooth. Even there's no data going through the wi-fi, it still "tricks" my tablet into thinking there's a network connection, and it proceeds to download through bluetooth. Of course, this only works at home or if I have my laptop with me.
Yeah, I can always just tether my phone to my laptop and run my tablet off the laptop's virtual wi-fi router (which I typically do), but that's slower, and again, only works when my computer is with me.
Planterz said:
I asked about this in the Xposed forum, since it seems like an Xposed module might be the way to trick apps into thinking you're on wi-fi.
For me, the issue is with PdaNet+. I have unlimited data with T-Mobile, and I can pair my tablet via bluetooth and use my phone's data on my tablet. However, some apps don't work because they don't detect a data connection (ie: wi-fi), even though there is one. I can browse the internet. I can browse Google Play. But I can't download anything from Google Play, because it keeps waiting for a network connection. I can use Facebook, but I can't use the Facebook Messenger.
The work-around I can use at home is to use a virtual wi-fi router program on my laptop, connect my tablet to my laptop's wifi, and then connect my tablet via PdaNet+ bluetooth. Even there's no data going through the wi-fi, it still "tricks" my tablet into thinking there's a network connection, and it proceeds to download through bluetooth. Of course, this only works at home or if I have my laptop with me.
Yeah, I can always just tether my phone to my laptop and run my tablet off the laptop's virtual wi-fi router (which I typically do), but that's slower, and again, only works when my computer is with me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Could you provide a little more detail in how to do this? What program are you using on your laptop? So the phone is running PDANet and then you connect it to your laptop via Bluetooth. Then after that you connect your tablet to the laptop's virtual wifi router?
Don't know if I understood completely but thanks in advance.
taino211 said:
Could you provide a little more detail in how to do this? What program are you using on your laptop? So the phone is running PDANet and then you connect it to your laptop via Bluetooth. Then after that you connect your tablet to the laptop's virtual wifi router?
Don't know if I understood completely but thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have T-Mobile's Unlimited plan, which has unlimited data and 5gb free hotspot. My phone is a T-Mobile branded Samsung Galaxy Light SGH T399. On my phone I have PdaNet+ installed, with the full unlock key purchased ($8).
There's a free one to try, to make sure it works with your phone; whether it works or not depends on the phone itself, the version of Android it runs, and the provider from which you got it (if you didn't get an unlocked version). For example, a particular phone might work fine with T-Mobile, but the Sprint version of that phone might not. That's why there's the free version - to test before purchasing. The limitation with the free version is that it times out after about ~10 minutes and you have to reconnect.
PdaNet can connect to your computer in 3 ways. Wifi, Bluetooth, or USB tethering. Again, depending on your phone, carrier branding, and Android version, some methods may work while others won't.
Wifi works just like any wifi hotspot. However, depending on the afore mentioned conditions, wifi hotspot might not work the way you want it to. For example, on my T-Mobile branded Samsung Galaxy Light SGH-T399, using the wifi hotspot on PdaNet also loads up the pre-installed T-Mobile hotspot, which drains the 5gb mobile hotspot allotment. I haven't found a way to break that on this phone. On other phones (like Nexus devices), I know there are ways to only use your phone's data, and not the hotspot allotment, but frankly, these are very complicated and need a VPN subscription (ie: more money) to work. Wifi hotspot use is often broken anyway, depending on your carrier and Android version.
Bluetooth and USB tethering work differently than wi-fi, but otherwise work essentially the same way as each other. Both require a companion program to be installed onto your computer. A good idea is to keep a copy of this program on your phone, so you can install it on other people's computers if necessary (and perhaps the USB drivers for your phone as well).
I haven't messed around with Bluetooth much, because the Bluetooth on my laptop (via a dongle) is glitchy as $#@!, and I've never been able to get PdaNet to work with it properly except for a couple times which didn't last. Actually, I've never gotten anything to work properly with Bluetooth on my laptop, so this is probably just a problem with my computer/dongle/drivers, and YMMV. On the few times I've gotten PdaNet or other internet via Bluetooth (which some phones have built-in, and don't require PdaNet at all), speeds have been much, much slower, and I'd rather tether via USB anyway.
I connect my phone's internet to my laptop with USB tether. Make sure USB debugging is enabled, and plug it in. Make sure it's set as a Mass Storage device (4.1 or earlier), or as a Media Device (4.2+). Then on your phone, open PdaNet+ and Activate USB Tether (you can do this before plugging it in, it doesn't matter). On your computer, load PdaNet, and select Connect Internet (USB). If everything has been set up correctly, it should say "Connected", and you can now use your phone's internet on your computer.
Here's the important part:
If you don't have an Unlimited plan, tethering (via any method) will suck down your data. If you do have an unlimited plan, there's an option in PdaNet's settings (on your computer) to "Hide Tether Usage". This uses a proxy or VPN (not sure which) to fool your provider into thinking you're on your phone, and not on your computer. This works for me, with my phone, on T-Mobile. No guarantees that this will work with other phones, or other providers. Try the free version first, monitor your data usage (use your provider's account app, not the built-in Android one), and see if it works for you.
As for the virtual wifi network, there are a couple ways to do this. The PdaNet program for your computer actually has this built into it. Once you're connected, select the "WiFi Share" option, and it'll set up a wi-fi network that you (and others) can use on other devices, like other phones, tablets, computers smart-TVs, etc. Obviously, the computer you're tethered to needs to have wi-fi capability for this to work. But as long as you have a wi-fi modem, it can be turned into a wi-fi router with this option. It's not as strong as a real wi-fi router, but you don't have to buy and network a different piece of equipment either.
There are also stand-alone virtual wi-fi router programs. The one I've used mainly is Virtual Router Manager beta 0.9. A while ago, I tried a newer, non-beta version, but it was extremely unstable, so I went back to the 0.9 beta. I haven't tried any newer version in quite some time. I used this when I had proper internet (cable) in my apartment, but wanted to use wi-fi instead of my phone's data to do downloads or updates on my phone.
Neither the Virtual Router Manager or the WiFi Share option on PdaNet are 100% stable. Every once in a while, something glitches out, and I have to reboot my computer (I usually reboot my phone at the same time, just to be sure). But hey, apart from the $8 for PdaNet+, I get unlimited mobile and home internet for $80/month, so I can't complain.
To recap, I have my phone USB tethered to my laptop (which is plugged into a 42" HDTV) via PdaNet+. I use a virtual wi-fi router option to give wi-fi to my tablet. One internet connection, 3 devices connected.
My problem is that, even though I own a laptop, it practically never goes with my anywhere. It sits on a cooling pad, plugged into 2 external HDDs and my 42" HDTV, and I sit at my couch with a wireless mouse/keyboard. But when I'm away from my apartment, and I have my tablet, there's certain things I can't do on the tablet connected via PdaNet and Bluetooth, because it doesn't have a wi-fi connection, and these certain apps don't detect a network connection.
Planterz said:
I have T-Mobile's Unlimited plan, which has unlimited data and 5gb free hotspot. My phone is a T-Mobile branded Samsung Galaxy Light SGH T399. On my phone I have PdaNet+ installed, with the full unlock key purchased ($8).
There's a free one to try, to make sure it works with your phone; whether it works or not depends on the phone itself, the version of Android it runs, and the provider from which you got it (if you didn't get an unlocked version). For example, a particular phone might work fine with T-Mobile, but the Sprint version of that phone might not. That's why there's the free version - to test before purchasing. The limitation with the free version is that it times out after about ~10 minutes and you have to reconnect.
PdaNet can connect to your computer in 3 ways. Wifi, Bluetooth, or USB tethering. Again, depending on your phone, carrier branding, and Android version, some methods may work while others won't.
Wifi works just like any wifi hotspot. However, depending on the afore mentioned conditions, wifi hotspot might not work the way you want it to. For example, on my T-Mobile branded Samsung Galaxy Light SGH-T399, using the wifi hotspot on PdaNet also loads up the pre-installed T-Mobile hotspot, which drains the 5gb mobile hotspot allotment. I haven't found a way to break that on this phone. On other phones (like Nexus devices), I know there are ways to only use your phone's data, and not the hotspot allotment, but frankly, these are very complicated and need a VPN subscription (ie: more money) to work. Wifi hotspot use is often broken anyway, depending on your carrier and Android version.
Bluetooth and USB tethering work differently than wi-fi, but otherwise work essentially the same way as each other. Both require a companion program to be installed onto your computer. A good idea is to keep a copy of this program on your phone, so you can install it on other people's computers if necessary (and perhaps the USB drivers for your phone as well).
I haven't messed around with Bluetooth much, because the Bluetooth on my laptop (via a dongle) is glitchy as $#@!, and I've never been able to get PdaNet to work with it properly except for a couple times which didn't last. Actually, I've never gotten anything to work properly with Bluetooth on my laptop, so this is probably just a problem with my computer/dongle/drivers, and YMMV. On the few times I've gotten PdaNet or other internet via Bluetooth (which some phones have built-in, and don't require PdaNet at all), speeds have been much, much slower, and I'd rather tether via USB anyway.
I connect my phone's internet to my laptop with USB tether. Make sure USB debugging is enabled, and plug it in. Make sure it's set as a Mass Storage device (4.1 or earlier), or as a Media Device (4.2+). Then on your phone, open PdaNet+ and Activate USB Tether (you can do this before plugging it in, it doesn't matter). On your computer, load PdaNet, and select Connect Internet (USB). If everything has been set up correctly, it should say "Connected", and you can now use your phone's internet on your computer.
Here's the important part:
If you don't have an Unlimited plan, tethering (via any method) will suck down your data. If you do have an unlimited plan, there's an option in PdaNet's settings (on your computer) to "Hide Tether Usage". This uses a proxy or VPN (not sure which) to fool your provider into thinking you're on your phone, and not on your computer. This works for me, with my phone, on T-Mobile. No guarantees that this will work with other phones, or other providers. Try the free version first, monitor your data usage (use your provider's account app, not the built-in Android one), and see if it works for you.
As for the virtual wifi network, there are a couple ways to do this. The PdaNet program for your computer actually has this built into it. Once you're connected, select the "WiFi Share" option, and it'll set up a wi-fi network that you (and others) can use on other devices, like other phones, tablets, computers smart-TVs, etc. Obviously, the computer you're tethered to needs to have wi-fi capability for this to work. But as long as you have a wi-fi modem, it can be turned into a wi-fi router with this option. It's not as strong as a real wi-fi router, but you don't have to buy and network a different piece of equipment either.
There are also stand-alone virtual wi-fi router programs. The one I've used mainly is Virtual Router Manager beta 0.9. A while ago, I tried a newer, non-beta version, but it was extremely unstable, so I went back to the 0.9 beta. I haven't tried any newer version in quite some time. I used this when I had proper internet (cable) in my apartment, but wanted to use wi-fi instead of my phone's data to do downloads or updates on my phone.
Neither the Virtual Router Manager or the WiFi Share option on PdaNet are 100% stable. Every once in a while, something glitches out, and I have to reboot my computer (I usually reboot my phone at the same time, just to be sure). But hey, apart from the $8 for PdaNet+, I get unlimited mobile and home internet for $80/month, so I can't complain.
To recap, I have my phone USB tethered to my laptop (which is plugged into a 42" HDTV) via PdaNet+. I use a virtual wi-fi router option to give wi-fi to my tablet. One internet connection, 3 devices connected.
My problem is that, even though I own a laptop, it practically never goes with my anywhere. It sits on a cooling pad, plugged into 2 external HDDs and my 42" HDTV, and I sit at my couch with a wireless mouse/keyboard. But when I'm away from my apartment, and I have my tablet, there's certain things I can't do on the tablet connected via PdaNet and Bluetooth, because it doesn't have a wi-fi connection, and these certain apps don't detect a network connection.
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Thanks for the great explanation! This helps quite a bit. I'll give this a shot to see how it goes.