t-mobile US USB tethering (not wifi) - HD2 General

Tried getting an answer on t-mobile's forums but it seems mostly people *****ing or having no clue about anything so couldn't get a straight answer and thought someone might know here.
I heard someone say wifi tethering is fine, but if you USB tethering and use more than 100mb they charge an insane per mb fee, does anyone know if that's true?
I just would rather be able to use USB because i've noticed the wifi on it (at least with the t-mobile US rom) is horrible and has issues holding a connection often even when a foot away from the computer connecting and I also noticed while HTC's wifi router is running the phone itself has no internet access and won't download emails, etc which is very annoying, but window mobile's internet sharing tool doesn't have that issue.

I use USB tether on a daily basis, and have been for at least the past six months. I just started using the feature on my Leo, but I've been with T-Mobile for over a year now and been tethering on a MT3G and Nexus One. I'm 100% certain that I've gone waaaay over 100MB, but I have never seen any additional charges on my bill because of data usage.
Edit: Actually, after thinking about it...each Leo ROM is over 100mb soo...

great! thanks, tethering has been my biggest concern switching to t-mobile with them lacking any official tethering plan, I don't mind paying for it if they offered it and did on at&t, just so long as I can do it averaged 4gb on at&t.
now if only the radios on the stock rom weren't so bad, and I'm kind off leary on the whole rom flashing thing.

I wouldn't be too leary on flashing. I was a bit when I first did it with my first phone. But I did a lot of reading, double/tripple checking. With the HD2, I'm just giving it enough bake time so people work out any kinks in flashing first.

shiltz said:
I heard someone say wifi tethering is fine, but if you USB tethering and use more than......
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Click to collapse
id be really interested in how they could tell the difference.

With an unlimited data plan, almost all US carriers kind of turn a blind eye to tethering (or suspected tethering) as long as you stay under the technical data cap (~3-5GB for the US carriers, I think 5GB for TMo).
I've tethered my MT3G with T-Mo for a long time, using nearly 1GB in a day as a wifi router for friends in an apartment, and heard absolutely nothing from TMo.

Thraka said:
I wouldn't be too leary on flashing. I was a bit when I first did it with my first phone. But I did a lot of reading, double/tripple checking. With the HD2, I'm just giving it enough bake time so people work out any kinks in flashing first.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I did try once with my Fuze unsucessfully and worried to try it and brick my HD2 because i've found the instructions i've seen on here not very clear, like I know there was one program it said to flash before flashing rom's but it was only for certain roms and none of the roms seemed to indicate which was the proper way to flash that specific rom :/
samsamuel said:
id be really interested in how they could tell the difference.
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Click to collapse
Well I know when I had my HTC Fuze on AT&T when I would tether the phone it showed 2 different active data connection, I belive one was called internet and one data, though I don't see that on T-mobile, just have internet so maybe they can't, just kind of want to be sure and not get some crazy bill.

I'm also not worried about a limit or being charged for it, but was hoping for faster connection speed with TMo. Averaging 800kbps 2 days after receiving my HD2, about equal to my omnia with verizon.
Havent readup on it much yet, but is the 7mbps a TMo rarity?
And I too plan on flashing a ROM, trying to wait...

Anyone have a cab to add the USB internet sharing to the menu that pops up when I connect to USB on my computer? It only shows 2 options, and on custom roms it shows internet sharing. Also has anyone found a cab to add the WIFI Router to the Sense Wireless Settings menu? Thanks

I have been tethering for almost 7 years with T-Mobile.
The OP stated 100MB may refer the original web2go thing. The truth is: you'll be upgraded to smartphone data once you go over 100MB, but it's never enforced.
To tether with HD2, you need to use internet sharing in tools sub-menu. T-Mobile Data or Internet doesn't really matter.
It's said there's a 10GB softcap and you're throttled thereafter till the next billing cycle, but I don't hear anybody (including myself) got hit yet.
You can tether, just use it sparingly. It's not your home internet replacement.

mingkee said:
I have been tethering for almost 7 years with T-Mobile.
The OP stated 100MB may refer the original web2go thing. The truth is: you'll be upgraded to smartphone data once you go over 100MB, but it's never enforced.
To tether with HD2, you need to use internet sharing in tools sub-menu. T-Mobile Data or Internet doesn't really matter.
It's said there's a 10GB softcap and you're throttled thereafter till the next billing cycle, but I don't hear anybody (including myself) got hit yet.
You can tether, just use it sparingly. It's not your home internet replacement.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When I went into the store an got my HD2 at launch, The sales rep and I were talking about tethering...he said that he tethers all the time on his rooted Nexus and now on his demo HD2 that he was given. He said that he has never run into a problem and has never heard of any customers having an issue with billing. He said that he uses anywhere up to 3-4gigs a month and personally I have never even come close to that. As the quoted poster put it "It's not your home internet replacement" so don't use it as such...
...he did say that they know when you do it though which is a bit concerning...and if you call customer care with a problem concerning tethering, they will not assist you.
...the first rule about tethering, you don't talk about tethering...

...the first rule about tethering, you don't talk about tethering...
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Click to collapse
lmao!
and I gotta remember my days of 14.4kbps tethering with sprint (tarred and feathered for talking about it back then) and be dang happy with 800kbps!... its stupid FIOS in our home making me think 7mbps is subpar.

I asked Customer care and they were quite helpful. I have the legacy data plan for all windows mobile phones. The plan is 19.99, but is grandfathered into the newer data plans that are going at 34.99. Now, for my plan at least, they told me I have a 10GB bandwidth limit and can use the 3G network as well as tethering is supported. I consider myself absolutely lucky with that data plan. And from what I heard, if you hit your limit, you will be dropped off the 3G network and will run on the EDGE until your limit gets resetted.

mingkee said:
You can tether, just use it sparingly. It's not your home internet replacement.
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Click to collapse
Man, what I wouldn't give to be those guys in Philly playing with HSPA+ right not...it could easily replace my home broadband...

noellenchris said:
Also has anyone found a cab to add the WIFI Router to the Sense Wireless Settings menu? Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know if this is what you were looking for but I attached the wifi router cab for you.

ddgarcia05 said:
I don't know if this is what you were looking for but I attached the wifi router cab for you.
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Click to collapse
Thanks, but I was looking for the Manila Settings Tab - Wireless, where it shows the Wifi Sharing. It's probably cooked in some roms that I used in the past...

I did a search for HD2 tether, and came up with this thread. I don't see my question answered in it though, although I may have missed it, or somewhere else.
My question has nothing to do with whether T-Mobile allows it or not. I have tethered for years on T-Mo (with other phones), with no problem.
My question is simple and basic--How to tether on the HD2?
Since this thread is about USB tethering, my question here could simply be about how to USB tether, although I would also like to find out the best way to Bluetooth tether. (I read something about wi-fi tether in this thread, and have no idea what is meant by that.)
For USB tethering, I assume a driver is needed, for the computer to see the phone connected via USB as a modem. In fact, I probably have an HTC USB driver from previous HTC phones I had, like the MDA (and even the Audiovox SMT5600), but I don't know if there is a newer driver more suited for the HD2. Where does one get the USB modem driver for this phone?
For BT tethering, I think there are two ways-Dial-Up-Networking, and a newer way, I think ICS. I have only used DUN before. I think I might have read that the other way is better though. Is there a thread I missed, with a guide to BT tethering with the HD2?
Thank you for your input.

http://www.htc.com/us/support/t-mobile-hd2/help/connectivity

And it has indeed replaced my home internet. Pings suck for games, but other than that, it's completely serviceable.
The way if was explained to me by TMO folks, is you essentially have an uncapped bandwidth limit. However, once they see you hit 5gigs for the month, they will throttle you down somewhat.

As far as tethering goes, TMO is probably one of the friendliest towards it in the US. Just don't call into 611 asking for support or how to tether, they wont throw you under the bus and start billing you extra, but they just don't officially support it, you might get a rep in a good mood and willing to help though
I've been tethering for at least 6 years on TMO, started with a seirra wireless GPRS aircard then upgraded to an EDGE card. I would swap my SIM out of my phone when using the card. technically not tethering i guess, but then I got a Samsung phone that supported bluetooth and always tethered with it to my laptop and winmobile PDA

Related

Sprint SERO users and phone as modem

I have not read or found anything on this before. So I thought that I would share what I just found. in the support section under sprint power vision it give a tutorial on to use your phone with the phone as modem and it make no mention of a charge for that service. So I asked a online chat rep. they said that it was included with power vision. So I said thanks disconnected started a new session asked again they said that it is not included. So I asked for a number to call they gave me a number for sprint employees as I have the SERO program, and apparently that is considered an employee account.
I called and asked them the same question to the live phone support person. She took a look at a few things and said yeah on the SERO program it is included but not on the power vision. So I asked her If there was anything I needed to do. She said nope I will add it onto your account. I once again verified that it was no charge she said that the SERO plans have it as a option for free but it is not by default turned on.
The number I called is 1-888-503-3078. It was given to me by the send online support person.
I am going to sparingly try it for a few days and then check it out the billing to be sure. I will let all you SERO users know for sure.
Hey i just called and asked the rep the same questions and what she told me was that sero is not covered under the phone as modem deal. She said it would cost 40 dollars a month for it so i decided that it didn't work for me. On the other hand i own the mogul and i asked her if i was unhappy with the performance of my phone because of it having crappy firmware update etc... she said i can call insurance and have them replace my phone with one of my choice for a 50 dollar deductable.
you should try these guys.
you pay a small fee one time till the exp of the license which should last a few years if i remember. just read the details of it. i have used it on sprint network with my treo 650. it works like a charm. you dont need to call sprint to ok this. just as long as you have a data plan on your cell phone. preferably the unlimited one as you will be on there for a while.
http://www.junefabrics.com/pdanet/index.php
personally, i could never get pdanet to work for me so i used usbmodem. after a while, i got lazy and just started using internet connection sharing and bluetooth.
oh yea, no charges for any data whatsoever
I just use Internet Sharing and bluetooth, I'm on the SERO plan, and it works *fantastically*. I get 60Kbps downloads w/out problems and have run VOIP over it.
I couldn't get ICS over bluetooth working correctly, it always drops the connection and shuts down bluetooth on the phone after about a minute, even with the latest ROM. WMWifirouter works great though, I'm getting around megabit/second in places with good coverage.
From primenall's posting in this thread:
There is one edit that should be done, that will eliminate a step in the connection process and will hide your tethering activity. Credit goes to Luv2Chill..... here's the Qoute
""""" OK I've poked into things a bit more and yes it seems Sprint is up to no good in regards to tethering. Those of you running Sprint ROMs should remove the following registry value:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Comm\InternetSharing]
"Extension"="rilphone.dll"
Usual caveats about editing the registry apply here--don't do this unless you know how."""""
Removing means Deleting that entry from the registry, (it doesn't delete rilphone.dll just the shortcut to it when you open I.S.)
Once done tethering is simple using the included Internet Sharing....
USB should only be plugged into PC at this point...
1. Open Internet Sharing and hit connect (it opens a data connection to Sprint)
2. Plug usb into phone, wait a minute for PC to set up and that's it.
Always hit "disconnect" in I.S. BEFORE removing USB, always.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I deleted the regkey and connected via Internet Sharing without issue.
Once you get that working, check out WMWifiRouter. Turn your PPC into a wireless modem/router.
That reg key removal worked just fine for me. Did a small test with it and seems to work just fine. Now the wait until next billing cycle!
keep us updated on the outcome of that bill!!
taxilian said:
I just use Internet Sharing and bluetooth, I'm on the SERO plan, and it works *fantastically*. I get 60Kbps downloads w/out problems and have run VOIP over it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You should really try WMWifiRouter. The Sprint EVDO network is capable of much more than 60KB/s, but thats about the limit that you can achieve with bluetooth. WiFi on the other hand has much greater bandwidth and won't be a bottleneck like bluetooth. I don't use it much, but I can get around 130KB/s down using WMWifiRouter.
I was wondering... If you have unlimited data plan and setup your phone to act as a modem via the USB connection how can they stop you from using your phone as a modem? Shouldnt we get the full bandwith of Sprints network just doing it that way?
im using that WMWifiRouter thingy, and at first I was doing PAM conneciton (didn't realized it till I knew), then i started getting remote disconnected error. I assume Sprint stopped it on their end. Now I'm using PCS Vision. I really doubt I'm gunna get charged for tethering with the PCS Vision connection, I didnt even do any registry mod/delete.
My question is... Will I get charged for those time I was PAMing? I just wanted to seperate my usage charges to know if I'm getting charged for either both PCS Vision connection and PAM, or just PAM.
I get download speeds of 95 to 150kbps using rapidshare, btw
wonderboy2005 said:
You should really try WMWifiRouter. The Sprint EVDO network is capable of much more than 60KB/s, but thats about the limit that you can achieve with bluetooth. WiFi on the other hand has much greater bandwidth and won't be a bottleneck like bluetooth. I don't use it much, but I can get around 130KB/s down using WMWifiRouter.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure, if your WM hardware uses BT1.2. If it uses BT2.0, then no
BT2.0 is gonna give you 3mbit/sec on the link, vs .721mb/sec
The 3mbit should be faster then any EVDO network you can find
Power drain should be significantly lower on the phone as well.

[Question] tethering for free

does anyone no how to use my tp2 as a wirless card for my laptop without having to purchase the tethering plan
I have heard some people say that WiFiRouter and ICS do not show to Telus as tethered data. You could try them. I, however, have a plan that includes tethering so I can not test. Be sure to keep your amount very low at the start, I would hate for you to have a $1000+ phone bill.
i just run the internet sharing app and away you go, t-mobile have never said anything to me about it and ive been doing it between different handsets for 3 and a half years now
Telus CDMA - Wifi Router is the trick... it does the business quite well.
i um just use the bluetooth PAN for data or just to do it via usb directly.
i am using an ancient data plan from tmobile in US and they don't seem to care that I am tethering.
I saw this the other day but I can't test it (don't have my TP2 yet)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=4170499#post4170499
Seppuko said:
I saw this the other day but I can't test it (don't have my TP2 yet)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=4170499#post4170499
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This works very well- I tried it on my TP2 as soon as it came out. Permanent part of my TP2 bag-o-tricks.

Couple of quick questions

Hey all,
I have a few quick questions, i have been using search but i havn't found my answers yet. I was wondering if there is a .cab for a barcode reader app like on android. Also is does anyone know if t-mobile USA has a fair use limit such as 5gb for data (i know verizon does). Also i'm having trouble connecting to anything online with my phone after updating to TMOUSA's new rom today.
check out omarket for a barcode reader, i use i-nigma, it does the job.
Tmo usa will definately have a "fair use" policy on data usage, it'l be in your contract or their site, the last time I checked in the UK it was only 1gb. They say everythings bigger in America though.......
Cant help you with your rom problem im afraid......
tmobilehas has disabled internet sharing capability.
try wmwifirouterapp you gotta pay but it'll work
sherlockpwnz said:
tmobilehas has disabled internet sharing capability.
try wmwifirouterapp you gotta pay but it'll work
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you mean that they didn't include an app for it? I've been using it since the HD2 came out (and before that I used it on my HD) and it works just fine. Pretty much all custom roms have it cooked in, but you can always just download and install wifirouter cab.
As for the limit, I believe it was 5gigs and has been changed to 10gigs (pretty sure it's one or the other). If you go over, I believe they just throttle you down but they don't cut you off and there's no overage charge.
no there is an internet sharing app tmobile is doing away with it. i bought my phone back in march and it had an internet sharing shortcut and worked up until this new update. it blocks communication to their network when the phone recognizes the phone is connected via usb
I'm not a fan of the WIFI app, i think WMWIFIROUTER is much better. It seems that the Wifi app on winmo just piggybacks on my wifi network at home and extends the range. I noticed that it still has the same hostname under "status" on my pc.

[Q] Tethering - an option?

Is tethering going to be an option you can sign up for, or rather, something that they will detect and bill you for ?
I can't seem to find anything on their website as far as adding tethering to your plan. I have no gripes about paying for it, especially since now I have WiFi calling... I just dropped my plan down to 500 minutes as I plan on doing most everything via WiFi anyhow.
I do not know their plans. I am tethering with my Nexus while I am waiting on my order for this phone from the retention department.
I will be watching my billings to see if they are able to charge for this beginning today.
JWhipple said:
Is tethering going to be an option you can sign up for, or rather, something that they will detect and bill you for ?
I can't seem to find anything on their website as far as adding tethering to your plan. I have no gripes about paying for it, especially since now I have WiFi calling... I just dropped my plan down to 500 minutes as I plan on doing most everything via WiFi anyhow.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was curious as well...I dont know if they can detect that you are tethering, especially in places that have 4G service. The phone itself is capable of pulling quite a bit of data.
I can say that I have already flexed the tethering app installed on the phone and it works great...even on 3G. Its not something I abuse. If I need to tether to my laptop here at work, I do...then get off. I know some people who have cut out their home ISP and rely on tethering even to run their PS3 and XB360. That I think is being a little greedy for a service that T-Mobile has been pretty lenient with thus far.
On a side note...you would think that there would be a popup disclaimer "this app may result in charges...blah,blah,blah" when you open the default hotspot app...but there is not, leading me to believe that they may never take notice of casual tethering.

T-mobile Blocking all forms of Tethering.

I was just using PDANet on my friend's laptop and I got two texts from T-Mobile saying the following: "Free T-Mobile Msg: Phone Tethering & Wi-Fi Sharing access has been blocked. Please add a Phone Tethering & Wi-Fi Sharing plan available at my.t-mobile.com"
Now I ignored it until the browser sent me to a signup page. I've tried WiFi Tether, Bluetooth, and Barnacle and it blocks each one. Anyone else get this?
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App
using wireless tether right now... no problems...
maybe they'll end up sending me a text.
I don't have my laptop with me, so I can't test this myself. But if it's true, the Nexus One forums are about to A-SPLODE. You'll be able to hear it from space...
ryaninc said:
I don't have my laptop with me, so I can't test this myself. But if it's true, the Nexus One forums are about to A-SPLODE. You'll be able to hear it from space...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A-SPLODE!! Lmfao just made my day!
But yeah... if this is true then all I can do is throw the f-bomb around because I rely heavily on tethering and no way in hell am I going to pay for a service I've been using for free...
No problems with Wireless Tether on my G1...and I tether a ton. I was up to 7gb last month :/
Kazan22 said:
I was just using PDANet on my friend's laptop and I got two texts from T-Mobile saying the following: "Free T-Mobile Msg: Phone Tethering & Wi-Fi Sharing access has been blocked. Please add a Phone Tethering & Wi-Fi Sharing plan available at my.t-mobile.com"
Now I ignored it until the browser sent me to a signup page. I've tried WiFi Tether, Bluetooth, and Barnacle and it blocks each one. Anyone else get this?
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=840423
Not just you.
That would suck. Would this apply to USB tethering as well, or just WiFi?
PDANet IS usb tethering.
:O
oh... and someone at the Vibrant forums is having the same issue... which is why I'm here.
:X
I am tethering from my G2 (USB tether) to post this message. It works fine, though TMO might be rolling this block out.
Edit: I am posting this via Wifi tether, so that seems to be working for me currently.
I just checked PDANet and WiFi hotspot and they both worked, so I guess they're "rolling" this out.
Makes me wonder...some of us never got the OTA rollout. I wonder if perhaps I'll never get this rollout either.
I think they can affect PDANet and Easytether since they are market apps. Wireless Tether for Android and Wired Tether for Android aren't market apps so im pretty sure those are beyond T-Mobile's grip.
Might have something to do with the G2 not being rooted and trying to tether. I think after its rooted it should work without a problem. At least thats what a tmo rep told me.
When I read all this on the xda app, i went ahead and hooked up to wifi tether. thats how i'm writing this msg. I am rooted and do have the largest plan tmo offers which includes the unlimited data. idk. we shall see. oh yea, no tmo msg as of yet.
I'm unrooted and used wifi tether this morning for 3 hours with no problems. I just don't understand how they can detect us using it.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using Tapatalk
johnbibbs said:
I'm unrooted and used wifi tether this morning for 3 hours with no problems. I just don't understand how they can detect us using it.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are various techniques they could use to do this; if we know exactly what they're doing, we can probably bypass it.
Probably one of the simplest techniques would be user agent sniffing; if they see desktop user agents from the same device, they'd know something funky was going on.
I'd be interested to know whether the OP can work around this situation by changing his user agent string on his desktop browser. I'd also be interested to know whether the phone browser continues to work properly even after he's been caught, and if so, whether changing the user agent string on the phone causes it to report the block message as well.
Another test for whether they're sniffing user agents is to try to make an ssl connection instead of http from the desktop browser. Assuming that the phone browser still works, SSL on the desktop browser should also still work, if all they're doing is user agent sniffing.
In an HD2 thread one guy was saying that he was downloaded a movie to his phone, but wasn't tethering when he got the text. Perhaps they're determining by the amount of data used in a specific amount of time. If that's the case it supports the theory of TMO seeing all data as data.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=840360
ddgarcia05 said:
In an HD2 thread one guy was saying that he was downloaded a movie to his phone, but wasn't tethering when he got the text. Perhaps they're determining by the amount of data used in a specific amount of time. If that's the case it supports the theory of TMO seeing all data as data.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=840360
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's actually good, then. If they're using such a naive detection method, it's sure to result in a ton of false positives from people legitimately using a lot of data with their phones, and consumer complaints should result in them disabling it before too long.
If this works like any of T-Mobile's other services then they prorate the add-ons so you can add it when you need it, then cancel it when you don't and you would only pay a fraction of that $15. I do this with the hotspot feature all the time - enable it for a trip when I'll spend a lot of time in a hotel (or airports, etc.) where they offer wireless and then cancel it at the end of the trip and I pay less than a single day of wifi at a major hotel.
(disclosure - I snatched this post off the T-mobile.com forum but I was going to say the same thing!)
I need to confirm this "add it when you need it". Not good for everybody but for those of us that need tethering a few times a month it's not so bad, 50 cents for one day. Tried via the chat on T-Mobile.com to confirm this but they are useless!
When I first applied the OTA and started playing with the built in tethering, I noticed some log entries from DataConnectionTracker whenever I turned tethering on or off. When I enabled temp root with Visionary and tried using the stand alone Wireless and Wired tether for root apps, these entries did not appear.
I haven't had time to play with it much, but it might be useful to run logcat with a filter for only DataConnectionTracker activity while trying a variety of tethering techniques under root and non-root circumstances.
Of course the experience reported by the HD2 user does not line up with this theory, but there may be multiple things going on. If T-Mo really is blocking based on data volume, it will completely blow up on them as people start intentionally doing data intensive things without tethering.
I sure as hell hope they don't do this to the grandfathered plans... cause if they do, I'm gonna go on a *****-storm.
Edit: I'm tethering on the WiFi hotspot app and I didn't get any notice. Everything is as it has been since I've had this app. If not, I have Wireless Tether for Root Users. I refuse to pay $15 extra bucks a month when I paid for an unlimited plan a couple of years back.

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