Related
Found some old posts, back in May, where people were discussing whether PDANet could truly hide tethering from AT&T, or other providers. I was tethering with my rooted SGS2 and received the text, email, and snail mail notices from AT&T that I would lose my unlimited data and be forced to by a tethering plan if I continued to tether. I was utilizing the stock rom with the tethering manager frozen.
Has anybody utilizing the 3.02 version of PDANet been contacted by AT&T to c&d? If so, could the c&d be attributed to tethering done before installing PDANet?
thanks,
retnuh
I'd like to know as well.
I don't think pdanet does anything special...i use approx 3-5gigs a month all mostly teathering. I have never received any notices of any kind.
I think as long there isn't any high spikes in data usage, you'll be safe.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using XDA App
This is just an unproven theory by myself, but don't use internet explorer on the device you are tethering to.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using XDA App
Personally, I use Firefox with User Agent usually set to Iphone, but obviously if there was a galaxy s 2 user agent I would use it. I din't tether to much- maybe 500 meg a month, but I've never been caught.
I got hit with the top %5 text the other morning...managed to use just under 12gigz this billing cycle..MOSTLY from wifi tether Phone 2 Phone and i maybe used an hr tethering to a laptop..I work for the bastards..doesn't matter what you use...all ill say is the network is alot smarter than people think..trust me..
Sent from my SGH-I777 using xda premium
Supposedly Barnacle "hides" it and it's a free app. Google it.
I wonder if using an SSH connection would encrypt the connection enough to hide anything they sniff out to detect tethering.
If your rooted and have root explore just delete tehtering manager. Apk in system/app and if your on a custom rom it is more than likely already removed for you. Now if I could just get decent data speeds I would use it
Sent from my SGH-I777 using XDA App
That's the way I was tethering when I was told by AT&T to c&d. That's why I'm trying to find a way to tether and not get caught.
Hmmm odd you must have had huge data spikes because without that app they can't tell besides seeing you use like a gig a day. Interesting any thoughts guys?
Sent from my SGH-I777 using XDA App
If somebody knows for sure if PDANet stealth mode works - I'd really, REALLY like to know too! Had AT&T's "Unlimited" plan for a few years now. Been teathering, but for completely trivial amounts of data - during most months my usage didn't go over a gig or two. This month I went over 4 gig for the first time ever, and suddenly all hell broke loose. I get repeated "5%" messages over text and email, warning they will throttle down my 3G speeds (they are already a complete joke here in NY-NJ). So I stopped using all data for about a week now, but the messages never stopped, and now I am getting the tether notices.
I got the letter last May when I had an iPhone that was jailbroken. Now I got the rooted Android and I just don't want to lose unlimited data. I tried once with PDA bored at an airport and wanting to do basic surfing on my laptop. I used it again the other night on my laptop for simple surfing as my main internet went down and so far as I know (/knock on wood/) I'm okay.
Most say TTL is how they find out. My problem is they have intricate logs of every phone call and text you ever sent but can't tell me a MAC addy, time, etc. of when I tethered. Fact is known that only those with unlimited data plans were the ones attacked as it seems they are slowly trying to phase these out.
I just make sure to not have Windows Updates enabled when surfing on my laptop with tethering. It's obvious any mobile phone shouldn't be accessing this site.
I dont know how they can tell but it seems they are always able to. I used my android to tether with an iphone to download Wifi only updates and after about 3 months i got the notice saying I need to not tether or they will remove unlimited.
Apparently they say that the notices aren't always Instant (I was figuring i would get it right after i used tethering). I know for a fact i had not tethered after the last time so it was roughly 3 months behind.
I do not believe sirs (referring to OP)
Hi,
I have a Classic Family 1000 plan where I get 1000 shared minutes for two lines for $49.99 per month. I pay an additional $30 per line for data. I have a Galaxy 4G and a G2 on the account.
Both phones are able to turn on WiFi hot spot. This is an awesome feature. I use it all the time with my laptop and tablet. I don't push a lot of bytes, but it's super nice to use the laptop for email and light browsing. I rarely exceed more than a GB per month per line.
I see that T-Mobile is now charging an extra fee for WiFi tethering/hotspot. I'm curious to know what actions I might take will result in me losing the current "free" (no extra charge) capability I have now.
Is it my plan that gives me this capability or is it my phone? If I upgrade to a Galaxy 2, Galaxy Nexus, or HTC Amaze will I lose "free" (no extra charge) WiFi hotspot/tethering?
What if I keep the same phones, but switch to the $99.99 per month (2 lines, unlimited voice/data/text) plan. Will I then lose "free" (no extra charge) WiFi hotspot/tethering?
If I root the phone a install CyanogenMod (or some other non T-Mobile ROM) will I circumvent having to pay for WiFi hotspot/tethering? I have CyanogenMod on a Vibrant that my kids play games with and I like it enough. I feel comfortable rooting a phone and installing a new ROM, but I'm not the kind of guy that does this just for sport (there has to be a reason).
John
As far as I know, the "free" wifi hotspot is not disabled on any T-Mo phone. I can confirm it's on the SGSII. I don't know of anyone who has ever been forced to pay for the hotspot, I certainly have never been texted or warned when I use mine. I do tend to stay under my 5GB high speed limit, though.
If you change your plan, it wouldn't be disabled, either. As long as the phone has an unmolested android mobile ap on it, I think you're good to go. Even more so if you don't over use it.
Edit: I would think that if you're tethering an android tablet, T-Mobile wouldn't even pay attention. With a laptop the data packets are different and possibly detectable.
Free tethering
I don't know what triggers the restrictions but my daughter moved out and used tethering as her only internet for a couple of months. Then one day she tried it and got a message that tethering was a separate service she would have to pay for.
And, yes, she was using a laptop.
I think they can only detect tether if you use a tether app from the market which uses ad-hoc . If you have a custom rom with a native tether built in and is a true AP I don't think it will be detected .
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
I just lost mine when I bought my new SGS2 and they replaced my SIM. I had Hotspot for free on my Vibrant, when I tried it on the new phone today it took me to the $14.95 webpage.
I called TMo today and they said it shouldn't have ever been free...I explained that I've used it for free for the last 1.5 years...he didn't have an answer...but offered to add it to my account...I kindly said FU*K NO!!!!
zombie55 said:
I just lost mine when I bought my new SGS2 and they replaced my SIM. I had Hotspot for free on my Vibrant, when I tried it on the new phone today it took me to the $14.95 webpage.
I called TMo today and they said it shouldn't have ever been free...I explained that I've used it for free for the last 1.5 years...he didn't have an answer...but offered to add it to my account...I kindly said FU*K NO!!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Most likely this is because you were using a custom ROM before. Most ROM's have been edited so that when you enable tethering it treats it as Phone traffic as apposed to PC traffic. I am pretty sure you will get it back after you install a good ROM.
Raistline said:
Most likely this is because you were using a custom ROM before. Most ROM's have been edited so that when you enable tethering it treats it as Phone traffic as apposed to PC traffic. I am pretty sure you will get it back after you install a good ROM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope...phone was stock never flashed a ROM to it.
Well I can tell you, that tethering never worked on the stock ROM for me. As soon as I installed a custom ROM it has never failed. I would try this if I were you, otherwise you may be SOL
There is no problem tethering on the ICS Passion ROM. My kids used it on a three hour trip last week while we drove from SC to GA.
Tethering and custom ROMS
As mentioned above my daughter ( stock ROM ) was cut off from tethering.
I am still able to tether, but am using Bionix 1.3.1, and have never used it very much.
I am very interested in the info above that custom ROMS have been modified so that tethering is not detectable. I hope this is true. Does anyone know this is true for Bionix 1.3.1?
Thanks
It is that's why I said it . Trust me flash a custom rom with tether built in and you will have no problem .
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
That's great news and explains why I can still tether and some can't. THANKS!
Tethering should still work, just not with the TMobile 'Wifi Hotspot' app....
Stuff like PDANet, Wifi Tether for Root, etc...
WTRU will be impacted, however, in that some phones where it 'worked' through the stock app may have trouble...
Pre-ICS, my phone would run WTRU, which would 'route' through the stock hotspot app... Now, it doesn't - which leaves me with unsecure ad-hoc wifi only (OK for PCs, not ok for tablets, etc - and the only available security is MAC-address access control, not WEP or WPA)...
Apps like PDANet (the ones that don't need root to work) use proxying, so they won't be impacted at all because the internet usage actually is occurring on the phone... Of course, you need to buy PDANet, and it may not work with all internet apps (eg, stuff other than mail/web/etc)
I would like to be able to tether my HTC View to my iPhone 4 via bluetooth to share the internet connection. It works successfully via MiWi with the wireless hotspot. I would like to use the bluetooth instead though since the wifi hotspot kills my battery and makes my phone physically hot to the touch after a few hours of it. Is this possible?
The 2 devices do pair through mywi using bluetooth. But when i click to connect and use for internet access the View just sits there and says connecting.
iPhone is running 5.0.1 and is jailbroken
HTC View is running 3.2.1 and is rooted and s-off
jonesychris said:
I would like to be able to tether my HTC View to my iPhone 4 via bluetooth to share the internet connection. It works successfully via MiWi with the wireless hotspot. I would like to use the bluetooth instead though since the wifi hotspot kills my battery and makes my phone physically hot to the touch after a few hours of it. Is this possible?
The 2 devices do pair through mywi using bluetooth. But when i click to connect and use for internet access the View just sits there and says connecting.
iPhone is running 5.0.1 and is jailbroken
HTC View is running 3.2.1 and is rooted and s-off
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, I don't have a solution for you. I was just more curious if your wireless carrier has found out about you tethering and tried to force you into a tethering plan? I really want to jailbreak my iPhone for tethering but it sounds like there isn't a fullproof way of not letting carriers find out you are doing this.
I would like to do the same. I've read on other forums that some have success with honeycomb connecting to 4.0 miwi
I've been using tethering for about 6 months now. In the beginning it was only when wifi wasn't available for my laptop, or my wife's iPhone on trips (she has 200mb data)
They have not complained yet but it was very low data usage before. I'm sure my data will increase now so I will have to see. I work in IT, everywhere I go has wifi. I've used 702mb of data this month (1/2 through cycle). I'm normally around around 300 - 400mb of data a month. I'm also grandfathered into unlimited plan, so they get $30 a month from me for data. I doubt they are complaining much since i'm such a light user. This bill will be my first full month with the view, so we will see if I ever get any complaints.
jonesychris said:
I've been using tethering for about 6 months now. In the beginning it was only when wifi wasn't available for my laptop, or my wife's iPhone on trips (she has 200mb data)
They have not complained yet but it was very low data usage before. I'm sure my data will increase now so I will have to see. I work in IT, everywhere I go has wifi. I've used 702mb of data this month (1/2 through cycle). I'm normally around around 300 - 400mb of data a month. I'm also grandfathered into unlimited plan, so they get $30 a month from me for data. I doubt they are complaining much since i'm such a light user. This bill will be my first full month with the view, so we will see if I ever get any complaints.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah ok, well keep us updated. I too am grandfathered in on unlimited data on my iPhone 4. And I also am a fairly light user (< 1GB/month), but everyone makes it sound like the carriers are jumping on illegal tethering pretty hard. Regardless of how much data is actually used, they know from the ports that tethering is happening. I almost wouldn't mind paying for a tethering account, but the worst part about doing it is that you lose unlimited regular data.
Reading your posts, I can't understand why tethering is "illegal" or forbidden. I you pay for a data plan, why can't one use it on any device?
Because they want to charge for it. Not sure
No one has successfully tethered with bluetooth?
Sent from my PG41200 using Tapatalk
I found this article with some searching.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1374213&highlight=bluetooth+tether
I wonder if this would work with the View. Same WPA file work?
tito12 said:
Reading your posts, I can't understand why tethering is "illegal" or forbidden. I you pay for a data plan, why can't one use it on any device?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its not "illegal", in that I don't think you can get thrown in jail or sued for it.
But you agree to the carrier's Terms & Conditions when you sign up to use their network, whether you like it or not (or bothered to read them). Violation of the Terms means that the carrier can terminate your service, add charges to your account, or other repercussions, depending on what the Terms state.
Not sure what carrier's policies are in Israel. But in the US, most of the big carriers have specific statements in their Terms of Use, that prohibit tethering other devices to your phone without a tethering specific plan. If you are caught violating this policy, they reserve the right to add that plan to your account, or even drop your account if they want.
And yes, its of course so they can charge you extra. I completely agree that data should be data. And if you pay for a certain amount of data, or on an unlimited plan, then ideologically it should not make a difference if you are tethered or not. But there are many times in life where the most logical or fair concept is not what happens in reality. Especially in the for-profit business world.
No one has any ideas? Surely i'm not the first person who has tried to do this.
I just posted a possible solution related to this except I did it on the View:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1469997
Since most of us who use this forum are aware of AT&T's draconian policies regarding tethering, especially the one whereby they bump you from unlimited to crappy tethering plan policy, I'm going to ask those of us who are successfully tethering their Atrix with an unlimited data plan to help correct some information.
Basically AT&T is changing their plans, and with 3gb HSPA and 5gb LTE throttling the reality for us unlimited data plan users, I and others would like to know what this has wrought for our tethering capabilities.
Previously AT&T was monitoring our accounts to see if we were tethering, seeing if our phones were using ports and protocols for checking windows update for example(used to determine that your phone is tethered to a PC), or user agent strings, or other means of packet inspection. They were hitting people with the 45$ tethering plan left and right 12 months ago, but now, Verizon has just gotten the smackdown on their charge-for-tether practices, and I recall hearing that AT&T doesn't care about tethering anymore because they are putting most people on the unified data package where a whole set of devices use one pool of allotted bandwidth. Which would mean AT&T can ream those people with encouraged tethering.
But that leaves those of us with an unlimited plan......uninformed. Are they still doing the plan bump if they detect an unlimited user tethering? Furthermore, can they even detect the kind of tethering I've tried before, namely Atrix CM7 connected to HP touchpad CM9, I think built in tethering app. Can't they tell from the amount of hops, its one further on the Time to live?
Or do I have to use PDANET for the encryption?
Surely there must be someone out there using their unlimited with tethering who can chime in, maybe you can say what rom and tether app/built in your using/technique.
And if it's safe, this would make my job so much easier to tether with my laptop. And since that work is volunteer search and rescue flying, this could be invaluable information for me and my team.
Thanks, TL ; DR, AT&T sucks. But they have a fat data pipe and large network...
Grandfathered unlimited plan here. I'm running neutrino and tether to my iPad mostly and some pc tethering I used about 2 gigs in 3 days and so far so good. No scary text or anything.
Of course ymmv but that's been my experience with tethering so far.
Btw located in more rural southeast
Interesting
Thanks for the reply, I've tethered roughly 3-4 gb using netflix and some web browsing from Atrix to Touchpad, but that was last Thanksgiving, so I'm sure AT&T's network has changed since then. I guess I'll start off with trying to push 3gb+ using netflix on the touchpad, followed by browsing on the touchpad to see if any warning bells go off at AT&T. Because frankly having freedom to tether is a joy, I used to use my HTC Touch Pro to tether like mad on AT&T going through 5gb with a laptop easily. But that was 2.5 years ago
Anyone else get slammed?
I thought they just throttled you after you used more than 3gb+. Are they guys not getting throttled anymore?
Sent from my MB860 using xda app-developers app
jarsh92 said:
I thought they just throttled you after you used more than 3gb+. Are they guys not getting throttled anymore?
Sent from my MB860 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have tethered on my unlimited plan, using my Nintendo 3Ds, and my laptop which is running linux, so they probably wouldn't be able to detect the devices easily.
No text messages yet.
[Q] tethering caught with fox fi- with proxy
i have been a big fan of tethering since my old iPhone days.
the switch to android has been a big step and i am not telling anyone to tether so please don't abuse this.
i used foxfi with proxy for about 4 months until last night. got a email from AT&t stating that i would be moved to a tethering plan for 65 dollars more a month and one less gig than i had before. so for all those that use foxfi with proxy, it doesn't work. i know pda net dosent work from friend who also got a letter, before me.
so i am stuck .. no more tethering for me.. i am actually retiring from it. but i still keep the option on my phone if such an emergency arises.
hears where i am asking for the opinions of the xda members. i am not sure how at&t knows, but they did, and it doesn't make sense that they scan all every packet of data. any ideas how they know?
i did do one thing that i found hidden on my samsung notei717. under network settings it only shows ONE apn. but... if you download a apn-manager it shows a hidden APN-att-entitlement. is this how they know? i thought it was only used for people who pay for tethering? is it also used to track tethering?
i ended up using a sql editor and removed the line for this APN from the(/data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/telephony.db) rebooted phone and now its gone, phone works well and i havent seen any problems yet. ( i did make a copy if anyone wants to see the original)
might anyone in here have any ideas of how at&t knew ?
i am more curious if anything.. even my wife told me, that i have a big enough screen, just use it as a computer from now on.
was it this APN that gave it away? (i tethered a android tablet for internet and games)
I'm on T-Mobile and have been caught tethering, I use chrome extension user-agent switcher. Choose the Android user-agent. If some pages require IE then just precede with HTTPS.
Try it.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda premium
Another thought you could use the tether, establish a VPN tunnel to a home machine and then use the internet that way. it'll encapsulate your traffic from your laptop to your home PC so AT&T could see is traffic but not what and where. From what I've read it's either 1 of 2 ways how AT&T detect if you're tethering:
1) by detecting what type of response headers and ports your connecting on. A VPN tunnel would protect you.
2) the other rumor is that by using a tethering program (or one that's built in for that matter) uses a tethering specific APN which AT&T tracks that way. So in theory if you could specify which APN you use for tethering that would protect you.
I haven't wanted to test out these theories because I have unlimited plan and don't want to risk it.
Theoriginalgiga said:
Another thought you could use the tether, establish a VPN tunnel to a home machine and then use the internet that way. it'll encapsulate your traffic from your laptop to your home PC so AT&T could see is traffic but not what and where. From what I've read it's either 1 of 2 ways how AT&T detect if you're tethering:
1) by detecting what type of response headers and ports your connecting on. A VPN tunnel would protect you.
2) the other rumor is that by using a tethering program (or one that's built in for that matter) uses a tethering specific APN which AT&T tracks that way. So in theory if you could specify which APN you use for tethering that would protect you.
I haven't wanted to test out these theories because I have unlimited plan and don't want to risk it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i have deleted the alternate APN ( which is hidden even from root users) so i am not sure if that is it.
is it possible to alter the TTL ? and if so how?
- also how would i tweak my note to use a VPN?
mac1845427 said:
i have deleted the alternate APN ( which is hidden even from root users) so i am not sure if that is it.
is it possible to alter the TTL ? and if so how?
- also how would i tweak my note to use a VPN?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Personally I'd handle the VPN on the laptop/computer instead of the phone itself. Inherently there's an overhead for a VPN and requires processing power which would slow down your throughput on your phone if the phone was handling that.
Here's a link that has a decent walk through if you want to use the phone for the VPN.
http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/smartphones/securely-connect-your-android-smartphone-via-vpn/3321
What APN did you delete? can you post the values of it? Also why do you want to change your TTL?
I do not know how at &t does it, but a friend was one of the first owner of a 10" tablet with internal 3g years ago. His provider accused him doing tethering.
We assumed that they check the screen resolution of the browser which some web sites use to optimise the layout.
After short discussion, he could convince them and they droped the case.
Not that I'm in any way knowledgeable in the context of this topic, but when you mentioned the alteration and/or deletion of hidden APN data...
Bear in mind that a stock GB build for the ATT note, contains 1352 separate APN's....
And I'm not sure if the hidden file will capture the additional data or not to prevent detection, but I thought I'd post anyway just in case it helps at all ...g
Edit : I can't say for sure where these APN logs are stored or how/when they are accessed, but I know they exist as they can be seen when backing or restoring the GB or ICS UCLF6 Builds when tracking the line by line process.
Good luck to you gentlemen, I have nothing else to offer on the subject ....sorry ....g
xblosa said:
I do not know how at &t does it, but a friend was one of the first owner of a 10" tablet with internal 3g years ago. His provider accused him doing tethering.
We assumed that they check the screen resolution of the browser which some web sites use to optimise the layout.
After short discussion, he could convince them and they droped the case.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If that's the case, that sort of data can be masked by a VPN tunnel. But I think it's a little more complex than that because there's quite a few tablets on AT&T now.
Theoriginalgiga said:
If that's the case, that sort of data can be masked by a VPN tunnel. But I think it's a little more complex than that because there's quite a few tablets on AT&T now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure, they will have improved their detection, but it will be based on fingerprinting for the traffic of commonly used desktop applications. VPN will avoid this, but using VPN all the time might be suspiscious per se.
xblosa said:
Sure, they will have improved their detection, but it will be based on fingerprinting for the traffic of commonly used desktop applications. VPN will avoid this, but using VPN all the time might be suspiscious per se.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed, it would look suspicious, but suspicion isn't enough to warrant AT&T to switch your account.
I got the email from AT&T about a year ago warning me about tethering and I called the number and she said their system looks for many thing and throws up red flags when it can prove you are tethering. She said they have to have proof before they can warn people. I was using my device to tether an iPod touch and she told me the reason I was caught was because I had downloaded apps from the App Store on an I device but my sim card was never shown to be inside an Idevice. It was crazy because I used several devices to tether for at least three years without being caught and within a week of using the iPod I was caught.
How dare we use the services we pay for! Such arrogance I have never seen to think att shouldn't be able to double dip. Vote Romney 2012 and deregulate more!
I got a warning once after watching Netflix... on my phone. They're usually bull****.
Sent from my SGH-I717 using xda premium
Earlier this month, I was on vacay and decided to use my phone to tether to my laptop (wasnt going to pay $12 at the hotel for damn sure), and I forgot and left it on thru one night. I didn't really "tether" per say, I turned my phone to a hotspot actually and it's not like my internet usage was higher than normal neither.
Why does at&t trip when you gotta pay anyway? (if no unlimited plan of course)
SayWhat10 said:
Why does at&t trip when you gotta pay anyway? (if no unlimited plan of course)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well because AT&T wants to get you for every single penny they can. They want to charge you for a data plan, then a tether plan and roaming plan, and idevice plan, a non-idevice plan, a gps plan, a navigation plan, a text to speech plan, your grandma is a dirty girl plan, your connected to more than one tower at a time plan, a video chat plan. I'm sure you get the point, if they can squeeze that extra penny from the people and force them to pay higher prices, even though it alienates their consumers, they know people aren't going to leave. The market isn't who has the best service gets the most customers anymore. It's you will use us because we're all owned by the same company and we just give you the illusion that you have choices, but in reality all your money are belong to us.
/climbs off of soapbox
I have a 3 gig plan and use about 8 gigs a month.. I tether my ps3 and play online and stuff like that.. I have never heard from AT&T..
Surely they can see when I'm connected to Playstation Network using massive amounts of data..
Its powered by Jellybeaned AOKP!
Did you delete the tethering manager program?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda premium
johnrippa said:
How dare we use the services we pay for! Such arrogance I have never seen to think att shouldn't be able to double dip. Vote Romney 2012 and deregulate more!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly !!..g
drnecropolis said:
I have a 3 gig plan and use about 8 gigs a month.. I tether my ps3 and play online and stuff like that.. I have never heard from AT&T..
Surely they can see when I'm connected to Playstation Network using massive amounts of data..
Its powered by Jellybeaned AOKP!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
aside from charging you for tethering...they dont charge you for the overage from the 3gig to 8gig? that has to be a lot