[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.
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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?
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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)
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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!
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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!
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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
Related
Well - it was only a matter of time before AT&T stepped in. BGR reports that AT&T is cracking down on people tethering without the appropriate data plan.
This leads me to two questions:
(1) How do you suppose they know who is doing this? (Excessive use? Looking at data flows? etc.)
and
(2) For those who are using tethering without plan, what method do you use and does it make a difference?
(A) Adding APN (via aRoot script or other method).
(B) Modifying existing APNs (via richhed's method).
(C) Using App like Barnacle or Wifi-Tether.
Lets discuss!
Ed
Use C, they can't prove you're doing it. Modifying your APN is an idiotic method to use.
i dont go over 2-3gb much
but i want to know i have it when i needed it
this is totally crap
That report is coming off of the iPhone. It's likely something they've done in iOS 4.3 that checks for something specific. Using the APN method is risky since it's easy for at&t to spot.
I've been tethering my Captivate since August and nothing yet....although I am a light user.
As soon as AT&T warns me that I'm using too much data, I'm going to warn them that their ****ty network and lies about 4G violate MY terms of service.
Meursau|t said:
As soon as AT&T warns me that I'm using too much data, I'm going to warn them that their ****ty network and lies about 4G violate MY terms of service.
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you tell 'em!
n7slc said:
That report is coming off of the iPhone. It's likely something they've done in iOS 4.3 that checks for something specific. Using the APN method is risky since it's easy for at&t to spot.
I've been tethering my Captivate since August and nothing yet....although I am a light user.
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Click to collapse
" It is safe to assume that a large portion of the unofficial, tethering populous is jailbroken iPhone users and rooted Android users."
Glad i have unlimited data plan and no need for tethering
tomlee337 said:
Read on engadget today that AT&T is cracking down on people using tethering without a tethering plan. So far only people that have an Iphone are getting cracked down. I use the APN method. Will this be safe because I dont want to lose my unlimited data plan and get knocked down to 4gb + tether because thats what they are doing.
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i dont believe any android users have gotten the email/text YET. But you wont lose your unlimited data until after you receive the first warning email/text
There was an informative comment in the engadget comments:
For all you wondering how they can tell:
All IP packets have something called a TTL associated with them. It stands for Time To Live. Every "hop" along the network from one router to the next reduces the TTL by one. When it reaches 0, the packet is dropped. This was introduced to keep routing problems from overloading the network. If for example, by some error a packet was going around in a circular path, the TTL would eventually reach 0 and prevent a packet storm.
The thing is, ALL routing devices do this. OSes use standard TTLs. For example, let's say both your iPhone and laptop use 127 for the TTL. AT&T will receive packets from your iPhone with a TTL of 127, but since the packets from your laptop pass through your iPhone first, they arrive at AT&T with a TTL of 126. They can detect a tethered device this way.
Apple uses a TTL of 64 for the iPhone, by the way. So change the TTL on your computer to "65" and there should be no problem. Here's how to do it:
1. Click Start - Search and type “regedit”. This launches the WIndows Registry.
2. In the registry, navigate to the following registry key [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters] HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
\SYSTEM
\CurrentControlSet
\Services
\Tcpip
\Parameters
3. In the right pane, right-click and select New – DWORD (32-bit value) and set its name as “DefaultTTL” and set its value anything between “0? and “255?. The value sets the number of Hops or links the packet traverses before being discarded.
REPORT
+ 81
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Click to collapse
and..
TTL is a good start. However, deeper packet inspection would reveal HTTP requests from sources other than "approved software packages" (i.e. the http request would show a browser name like chrome). Protocols other then HTTP would be equally revealing.
Deep packet inspection is expensive; so they probably look for people whom consume a generous amount of monthly bandwidth and sniff their traffic.
The only way to protect yourself would be to encrypt your packet payload, until it reached a non-AT&T intermediate node. And of course, eventually that type of behavior would be a red flag. However, they would not be able to PROVE you were tethering, they would only have a reasonable suspicion (which appears to be enough for AT&T).
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Im not sure what the default TTL is for the plethora of Android devices or if this is even how ATT is finding out. Maybe Android users have not gotten letters yet is because of what someone said earlier: apple included something in 4.3 to detect this. Also, IF they are using TTL to detect, there are way too many Android devices with presumably different TTL values for them to precisely detect who is tethering.
from most the reports ive seen ATT has been usually handing these notices out to users that have heavy bandwidth usage. By heavy i mean, 18gb+ a month, this has been the case at least for most iPhone tethering users according to modmyi. It is pretty random tho as I've seen someone use as much as 33 gb in a month and not get served. but if ur within the 5 gb - 10 gb range i dont think you have to worry
Meursau|t said:
As soon as AT&T warns me that I'm using too much data, I'm going to warn them that their ****ty network and lies about 4G violate MY terms of service.
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Click to collapse
Yep tell it like it is.
I have not been given a notice, how ever i am ahead of the curve on this, i spent hours 2 nights ago searching for this very report because i noticed that on all of my devices including my CR-48 att was blocking it and not allowing them to connect to the network, i was scared that they had found out.... some hours later it started to work again... now i saw this this morning and i know it is just a matter of time, i immediately have started looking for other carriers but the thing is once one goes they all seem to follow suit so i am not sure what i am going to do
t0dbld said:
I have not been given a notice, how ever i am ahead of the curve on this, i spent hours 2 nights ago searching for this very report because i noticed that on all of my devices including my CR-48 att was blocking it and not allowing them to connect to the network, i was scared that they had found out.... some hours later it started to work again... now i saw this this morning and i know it is just a matter of time, i immediately have started looking for other carriers but the thing is once one goes they all seem to follow suit so i am not sure what i am going to do
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
At least with verizon, you have to deal with the same ****ty service, but you get LTE instead.
(I'm on at&t....)
t0dbld said:
I have not been given a notice, how ever i am ahead of the curve on this, i spent hours 2 nights ago searching for this very report because i noticed that on all of my devices including my CR-48 att was blocking it and not allowing them to connect to the network, i was scared that they had found out.... some hours later it started to work again... now i saw this this morning and i know it is just a matter of time, i immediately have started looking for other carriers but the thing is once one goes they all seem to follow suit so i am not sure what i am going to do
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
maybe... pay for the actual service? =P
dLo GSR said:
maybe... pay for the actual service? =P
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Click to collapse
What service are you paying for? We already pay for data. Data is data. What if internet providers started saying you pay for data to be sent to the modem, but you have to pay an additional service to "tether" it to another device such as a router or computer?
dLo GSR said:
maybe... pay for the actual service? =P
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Click to collapse
well first of all that would cost me my unlimited data plan... so that is stupid, 2 i have been a smartphone user for about 12 years and tethering was always included, than they removed it from devices but if you knew what you were doing you could do it on your own, as years have gone on it has changed to get to this ... this is one thing i will not budge on and never will, i do not condone pirating or anything else how ever , if i pay for a data plan to surf the internet from your network than what device i choose to use to do it is of no matter, i do not tether and have multiple devices hooked up or allow other people to use my connection, it is a matter of what device i am using to view the same thing, this does not justify and extra $45 a month charge because i wanted to view the same internet on my tablet instead of my phone while sitting on my couch, or if i want to tether while driving to use navigation. I am viewing the same thing on only one device
POOP - I misread
t0dbld said:
well first of all that would cost me my unlimited data plan... so that is stupid, 2 i have been a smartphone user for about 12 years and tethering was always included, than they removed it from devices but if you knew what you were doing you could do it on your own, as years have gone on it has changed to get to this ... this is one thing i will not budge on and never will, i do not condone pirating or anything else how ever , if i pay for a data plan to surf the internet from your network than what device i choose to use to do it is of no matter, i do not tether and have multiple devices hooked up or allow other people to use my connection, it is a matter of what device i am using to view the same thing, this does not justify and extra $45 a month charge because i wanted to view the same internet on my tablet instead of my phone while sitting on my couch, or if i want to tether while driving to use navigation. I am viewing the same thing on only one device
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But it's those that DO use it on 5+ devices, pulling in 20GB a month that ruin it for everyone else. Not to mention crowd our whole network with unnecessary traffic.
Since I rarely tether, have a built-in Navi for my car, and don't buy into the whole tablet frenzy, I may not feel your specific needs. But for those that are abusing the workaround, I have zero sympathy.
andy2na said:
I just got the tethering text... Im on the unlimited plan and have used about 2gb this month. I mainly use webtop with the hacked tethering method.
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um sh*t
so this is not iphone only .....
lsxrx7 said:
um sh*t
so this is not iphone only .....
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Click to collapse
right, Android users are NOT safe...
Ive been using android on ATT since last July and have not touched an iPhone since, so theres no ambiguity with this.
One of my friends (he has jailb. iphone and used tethering for ~3 weeks) just got letter from ATT: stop using tethering or we'll change your plan to 4gb teth. plan (+$45)
Another friend though (android device, 2 months tethering) spoke with ATT rep. about tethering and plan overlimit and he was told : we'll just charge you $10 for each addnl Gb.
I'm using tethering for 3 m. If I use browser I change User Agent to Opera mobile (but not all the time) and had no any warnings.
where is the true about tethering? is this device specific? I mean is there something in iPhones that lets ATT to know about "illigal" tethering
is this the f. way for ATT to make money to lock device/software capabilities and then unlock them for $$$. OK lets lock volume or brightnes to 0 and charge people for each % added. lets lock BT - kinda tethering as well
all this is so stupid. it's like if electric company will charge you extra for using toster but not teapot.
who cares how I spend data that no longe belong to them. this is my 2gb. and I can put it in my ... if I'd like so
there are some ?? in this post so I posted it here not General. may be I'm wrong but not so wrong as ATT
i've personally never read about android devices being caught tethering (if anyone can show me otherwise, i would appreciate it)
the way AT&T picks up on people doing illegitimate tethering is by iphone users using mywi, not sure how they do it but every single post i've read of people who got served was using an iphone.
uuh... Bluetooth is not even remotely close to tethering. The reason they charge extra for tethering, compared to simple data plans... and why they don't (technically) allow tethering on unlimited plans, is because if you're using a laptop or desktop and have it connected to the internet via your phone... you're capable of downloading a LOT more information a LOT quicker, thus congesting their network.
Also would need a bit more information about how your friends were tethering. The first mentioned friend with the iPhone was probably doing what Alcapone said... using MyWi to tether for free, while probably on an unlimited data plan. That's probably why he got a letter saying that if it continues, he will be switched to the 4GB Tethering plan. They probably noticed an unusually large amount of bandwidth being used, which raised a red flag.
The second friend i'm assuming probably actually pays for tethering... or at least that's probably what the AT&T rep was assuming. In that case they'll charge per extra GB downloaded.
Only time i've ever heard the possibility of someone's plan being switched is if they're doing something that's not possible on their plan to begin with. Kinda like the people that were praying they could keep their dumbphone unlimited data plan to use with a smartphone.
zelipukin said:
One of my friends (he has jailb. iphone and used tethering for ~3 weeks) just got letter from ATT: stop using tethering or we'll change your plan to 4gb teth. plan (+$45)
Another friend though (android device, 2 months tethering) spoke with ATT rep. about tethering and plan overlimit and he was told : we'll just charge you $10 for each addnl Gb.
I'm using tethering for 3 m. If I use browser I change User Agent to Opera mobile (but not all the time) and had no any warnings.
where is the true about tethering? is this device specific? I mean is there something in iPhones that lets ATT to know about "illigal" tethering
is this the f. way for ATT to make money to lock device/software capabilities and then unlock them for $$$. OK lets lock volume or brightnes to 0 and charge people for each % added. lets lock BT - kinda tethering as well
all this is so stupid. it's like if electric company will charge you extra for using toster but not teapot.
who cares how I spend data that no longe belong to them. this is my 2gb. and I can put it in my ... if I'd like so
there are some ?? in this post so I posted it here not General. may be I'm wrong but not so wrong as ATT
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this rant and its questions have all been debated and answered time and time again on this forum. search.
all have 2gb no tethering plan. Large amount of data? Am I not free to use my 2gb in one day? I mean I can spend only 2gb I paid for. in one day or 1 month, what's the difference? why not to change calling plan to unlimited if att noticed you "spoke to much yestarday"
zelipukin said:
all have 2gb no tethering plan. Large amount of data? Am I not free to use my 2gb in one day? I mean I can spend only 2gb I paid for. in one day or 1 month, what's the difference? why not to change calling plan to unlimited if att noticed you "spoke to much yestarday"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This has been covered over here...
Going over your 2gb data plan is one thing and tethering is another. The iphone OS records the amount of time tethered and somehow notifies att about the devices usage. Also, from what I've learned when I had my iphones, not syncing to itunes after you've installed jailbroken apps will not register with apple. The only tethering apps I think most people getting caught with is an app called MyWi. Not sure about PDAnet. My wife uses MyWi but has never synced her phone to itunes after installing and we've never gotten a notice. Might also being looked at cuz the iphone doesn't have flash so other than netflix....how can you use a ton of data other than streaming or tethering.
ccrows said:
This has been covered over here...
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ty, ty, ty
I knew kind people will point me to the right topic I couldnt find myself.
elementaldragon said:
why they don't (technically) allow tethering on unlimited plans, is because if you're using a laptop or desktop and have it connected to the internet via your phone... you're capable of downloading a LOT more information a LOT quicker, thus congesting their network.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is this necessarily true though? With a phone that's capable of multitasking like the Atrix, I don't see the real issue. AT&T claims that by using a laptop, you will end up eating more data, but I always saw the service they provide as the real bottleneck. No matter how many devices you tether to the Atrix, whether it be 1 or 4, you're still unable to use more bandwidth than what you are capable of receiving. If your speed tests run at the miserable 1.5Mbps down and 1Mbps up that I get, how can they claim that you download information QUICKER from a computer? This may have been true before, when phone's couldn't handle as many operations as they do now, but I can definitely stream some music from pandora, browse the web, and hell, even download a torrent all at the same time if I wanted to.
I feel like all of the "modern" updates AT&T has made has just hurt the consumer in the process. Tethering on an unlimited plan shouldn't be allowed, I understand that. Your cell phone plan shouldn't be the basis for your home internet, and that's fair. But if you're on a tiered plan, your 2GB should be yours to do whatever you want with. And while I'm ranting about the tiered plans, I think for the price they charge for the 200MB plan, they need to start offering more. As their service supposedly gets faster, that 200MB cap becomes so much easier to reach. Come on AT&T, get with the times.
Has any other aria users got the dreaded att tethering text warning? i got one today and was wondering if this was just a ploy to scare us into stoping / changing plans or can they really tell.
i read something about changing the TTL number in our device cause that is tipping them off. Also read about different APN's being used for phone / tethered use.
I have been tethering for well over 2 years now, averaging between 5 to 10 gigs of data a month, so if they can tell that it is tethering and not phone usage why have they waited till now to try and stop me?
Does any one have any advice?
My guess (and this is strictly a guess, I don't have any inside knowledge or anything) is that they likely went after the biggest, easiest target group of people who were tethering without tethering plans first - which I would guess are jailbroken iphone users. After that, they are probably going after the biggest data users. at 5-10 GB per month, I'd guess (again I don't know) that you probably don't qualify in this category either. Maybe they've finally gotten around to going after the small-ish heavy data users??
Ha I got one of those txt msg today too. Mine didn't have any warning or anything it simply said something about tethering and to call them for details.
I don't think they can change your plan without your permission.
Sent from my Liberty using XDA App
Bryan583 said:
Ha I got one of those txt msg today too. Mine didn't have any warning or anything it simply said something about tethering and to call them for details.
I don't think they can change your plan without your permission.
Sent from my Liberty using XDA App
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Click to collapse
Sure they can. Stick a sim with no data plan in a smart phone and watch how fast they throw a data plan on the line without your permission.
Sent from my LG-P925 using Tapatalk
CallMeAria said:
Sure they can. Stick a sim with no data plan in a smart phone and watch how fast they throw a data plan on the line without your permission.
Sent from my LG-P925 using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
They definitely will change it. Heard it straight from AT&T guy.
Sent from my Atrix
I know they can change your plan of you violate the TOS, which I am by tethering. But it is my under standing that with iphones there is something in the software that is telling them. That is why they cracked down on iPhone users first. Butt I am on a fully rooted aria with CM7. So there is nothing software wise that squealing on me. So is it the way the data is transferred ( apn, ttl, ???), or are they just guessing based on data usage.
Sent from my Liberty using XDA App
whitebrw said:
I know they can change your plan of you violate the TOS, which I am by tethering. But it is my under standing that with iphones there is something in the software that is telling them. That is why they cracked down on iPhone users first. Butt I am on a fully rooted aria with CM7. So there is nothing software wise that squealing on me. So is it the way the data is transferred ( apn, ttl, ???), or are they just guessing based on data usage.
Sent from my Liberty using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nerds just know.
Sent from my Atrix
andrew.cambridge said:
Nerds just know.
Sent from my Atrix
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ROFL
Sent from my LG-P925 using Tapatalk
Moved to proper section
ha. When you said 5-10 gigs I was taken back. I went to the ATT store about a month ago and asked how much data I used last month. 125 mb!!!! This is because I am always on wifi unless I am traveling. After hearing this I almost began tethering!
mikelebz said:
ha. When you said 5-10 gigs I was taken back. I went to the ATT store about a month ago and asked how much data I used last month. 125 mb!!!! This is because I am always on wifi unless I am traveling. After hearing this I almost began tethering!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use around 10gb a month easily. The way I see it I'm paying for unlimited data so I'm gonna use unlimited. Recently it seems like I've been throttled back a bit (just a guess not positive) .
Sent from my Liberty using XDA App
Are you using a stock rom? I assume since you actually have the hotspot software installed you are using a 3rd party rom.
Not all roms remove the AT&T apn that you connect to when using hotspot instead of basic tethering. (AT&T paid tethering uses isp.cingular, while your normal data connection, and the apn you should tether through is wap.cingular).
Im a heavy data user (5-10gb+), never gotten a text message to upgrade my account (MediaNET) or to stop tethering (using wap.cingular only)
Also, Ive had this discussion on xda a long time ago, but it seems a very few of us might be grandfathered in. Last time I got a phone (and updated my contract) from AT&T was back when they were AT&T the first time around. Before Cingular. Still buying new/used phones on ebay, and keeping my unlimited MediaNET account. My wife has a BB, and I use an Android phone, and neither one of use has ever been forced into a new data plan.
Ive also always paid my bill on time, and online, and I literally have never called AT&T for any sort of problem. (which from what Ive read, the CSR will instantly upgrade your plan if they see anything awry with your account.)
Check your rom, make sure you're using the correct apn, remove the tethering data plan using your online account tools, and try not to tether so much. (surf, don't download.)
Root
You can root your aria by useing unrevoked... When you have done that download liberated 2.2 rom and flash it...When that is done and click wifi hotspot and there you go.. THis willl also unlock unknown sources option and allow you to get non market apps (Swype) Hope this helped!
Bumping an old thread.
After years and years, I finally got the txt message, and a letter in the mail today!
(the tethering letter, not the "we're going to force upgrade your plan" letter)
Going to stop tethering (haven't tethered in months at all, but did use ttorrent, a native android torrent program over the past month)
Been out of contract forever, would hate to have to buy new phones, but would consider changing providers if they get rid of our cheap data plan.
Good opportunity for a bump, yes. I have my own recent experience.
I remember a few months ago trying to manually set up an APN to get around it... and what finally worked was to install unrevoked and then Liberated. Then I could run the wireless hotspot without trouble.
However... I started having issues downloading MMS... pictures just wouldn't download easily or at all sometimes... I had this problem for a few months, while the wifi hotspotting worked fine. I googled this "network error" I was getting while trying to download MMS attachments, and it said that the Aria has problems switching between two different APN's.
SO... I removed the second APN. Now, I'm not sure if it's the one I originally created BEFORE Liberated, or if Liberated installed its own secondary APN. What I *DO* know is that removing my second APN (and leaving just the locked "MEdia Net" one) fixed my MMS problem... BUT... IT RETURNED THE DAMN "no tethering" notification when I tried to run the hotspot again!!!
WTF??
I hate this. WHAT is it that generates that message?
EDIT: SO I re-created the second (unlocked) APN profile.. I called it "root" and copied all the info from the locked MEdia Net APN profile, and I somehow apparently remembered that the password was CINGULAR, because now when I try the wifi hotspot it works without the error.
SO... it needs to use a fresh profile, because something in the original locked "MEdia Net" APN profile is what triggers the damn wifi error "call 611" message.
I just hope I don't get more MMS problems again. I wish there was a way a guru could get into the "locked" MEdiaNet APN and see what is causing the lockout, and how to remove it, so we can just have ONE APN profile.
But meh. I got tethering back.
NOW... to answer some questions that some of you have raised here... I spoke to two different AT&T techs on the phone.. I made sure to get North American call centers, one in Kentucky I think and the other was in northern California. Both of them said essentially the same thing:
Throttling back will occur with the TOP 5% of data users. These are people who use somewhere around 15-20 gigs a month (which is way beyond the common tiered 2GB limit).
NOW, for those of us who tether, it depends. If you're streaming crap, downloading programs and lots of media, then YES, you're going to push yourself into the higher bracket. However, one of the techs mentioned that he uses Pandora with his Inspire on the HD setting, and he listens to it in his cubicle at work every day, and on the way to and from work in his car. He said he still never goes beyond his 2GB limit. I had been using Pandora on my Aria without the realization there was an HD setting (so apparently I've been enjoying the lower bandwidth stream without issues, sounds fine to me). I haven't even put a dent in my usage.
The only people who truly need to worry about tethering and bandwidth and throttling and Aria phones (and pretty much all the Android phones, won't speak for iPhone on this) are those power users who are tethering their phone to their computer CONSTANTLY, and raping the net for all sorts of streams and media downloads... bittorrents, emule feeds, etc. People who are indeed abusing things and doing so not for one month, but he said for a few consecutive months. Honestly, those are the people who SHOULD be throttled IMO. I don't mind the idea of someone going over their 2GB limit, or in the case of the few remaining people on Unlimited data plans (such as myself), doing so a few months scattered throughout the year is one thing, but consistently syphoning at high transfers every month in a row... yeah, that's not 99% of us.
So really, I'll keep tethering my Galaxy Tab to my phone, rather than pay for my Tab's data plan. I *can't* do any hardcore data hogging on this Galaxy Tab. It just makes sense to take advantage of my Aria's 3G data, since I can use it more comfortably on the tablet than on the tiny Aria. Truth be told, that's why I got the Aria... small and a great phone, able to serve the tablet data, and on those rare moments where all I have on me is the phone, do pretty much most the basic Android things.
Anyways I hope this contributes some to the thread.
Suleeto said:
Good opportunity for a bump, yes. I have my own recent experience.
I remember a few months ago trying to manually set up an APN to get around it... and what finally worked was to install unrevoked and then Liberated. Then I could run the wireless hotspot without trouble.
However... I started having issues downloading MMS... pictures just wouldn't download easily or at all sometimes... I had this problem for a few months, while the wifi hotspotting worked fine. I googled this "network error" I was getting while trying to download MMS attachments, and it said that the Aria has problems switching between two different APN's.
SO... I removed the second APN. Now, I'm not sure if it's the one I originally created BEFORE Liberated, or if Liberated installed its own secondary APN. What I *DO* know is that removing my second APN (and leaving just the locked "MEdia Net" one) fixed my MMS problem... BUT... IT RETURNED THE DAMN "no tethering" notification when I tried to run the hotspot again!!!
WTF??
I hate this. WHAT is it that generates that message?
EDIT: SO I re-created the second (unlocked) APN profile.. I called it "root" and copied all the info from the locked MEdia Net APN profile, and I somehow apparently remembered that the password was CINGULAR, because now when I try the wifi hotspot it works without the error.
SO... it needs to use a fresh profile, because something in the original locked "MEdia Net" APN profile is what triggers the damn wifi error "call 611" message.
I just hope I don't get more MMS problems again. I wish there was a way a guru could get into the "locked" MEdiaNet APN and see what is causing the lockout, and how to remove it, so we can just have ONE APN profile.
But meh. I got tethering back.
NOW... to answer some questions that some of you have raised here... I spoke to two different AT&T techs on the phone.. I made sure to get North American call centers, one in Kentucky I think and the other was in northern California. Both of them said essentially the same thing:
Throttling back will occur with the TOP 5% of data users. These are people who use somewhere around 15-20 gigs a month (which is way beyond the common tiered 2GB limit).
NOW, for those of us who tether, it depends. If you're streaming crap, downloading programs and lots of media, then YES, you're going to push yourself into the higher bracket. However, one of the techs mentioned that he uses Pandora with his Inspire on the HD setting, and he listens to it in his cubicle at work every day, and on the way to and from work in his car. He said he still never goes beyond his 2GB limit. I had been using Pandora on my Aria without the realization there was an HD setting (so apparently I've been enjoying the lower bandwidth stream without issues, sounds fine to me). I haven't even put a dent in my usage.
The only people who truly need to worry about tethering and bandwidth and throttling and Aria phones (and pretty much all the Android phones, won't speak for iPhone on this) are those power users who are tethering their phone to their computer CONSTANTLY, and raping the net for all sorts of streams and media downloads... bittorrents, emule feeds, etc. People who are indeed abusing things and doing so not for one month, but he said for a few consecutive months. Honestly, those are the people who SHOULD be throttled IMO. I don't mind the idea of someone going over their 2GB limit, or in the case of the few remaining people on Unlimited data plans (such as myself), doing so a few months scattered throughout the year is one thing, but consistently syphoning at high transfers every month in a row... yeah, that's not 99% of us.
So really, I'll keep tethering my Galaxy Tab to my phone, rather than pay for my Tab's data plan. I *can't* do any hardcore data hogging on this Galaxy Tab. It just makes sense to take advantage of my Aria's 3G data, since I can use it more comfortably on the tablet than on the tiny Aria. Truth be told, that's why I got the Aria... small and a great phone, able to serve the tablet data, and on those rare moments where all I have on me is the phone, do pretty much most the basic Android things.
Anyways I hope this contributes some to the thread.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, that's a BIG bump... it's probably a pimple .
Update
i figured i would give an update to everyone. after making my initial posts i checked my data usage for the month prior to getting the "text warning" and i used 38+ GB (damn torrrents). ooops! hehehe. i guess that explains it.
Some side info, Duh! yes i am rooted. cm 7.1, Using wap.cingular APN
I called ATT, got the special division that was set up to deal with this issue. told the lady that i didn't tether i just streamed constantly. she didn't know anything about how they detected that i was tethering but as long as i didn't tether after sept 30th nothing would be changed on my account. i am still tethering as we speak and no changes have been made to my account. the only thing that i changed (besides a lot less usage) was the default TTL number on my PC.
I guess we will see when this months bill comes in. I'll keep everyone posted.
I too called the special dept. And told them a similar story that I stream from YouTube, Pandora, etc. I've also told them I've never tethered and my aria wouldn't let me. I tried it once and got a message to call 611 to enable this feature.
But now I'm a month or so into it and still no bill change.
Side note- I found a couple apps in the market that are torrent apps so now I download to my phone. Megaupload downloaded, mediafire, file serve, ect. And just surf with the tether.
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App
Well, another bump...
Even with the WAP.CINGULAR APN profile I am now getting the dreaded "611" popup. Rebooted twice. Reselected the custom APN multiple times. Still nada. And I only tethered a few times a week for surfing, and only a few minutes each time. So make of that what you will.
What to about my tethering issue
The whole reason I signed up for ATT was so I could tether my Atrix and play online poker (10MB/hour.)
All I did was root my phone and change a PostSQL value to enable tethering. I played poker fine, but eventually got greedy and started D/L all sorts of crap going well over my 2GB/month contract and was billed.
I just recently got the nastygram from ATT and haven't called them yet.
Could someone please explain to me what I need to do so after I call ATT I won't be detected tethering again?
I'm a semi-android newb, but certainly no linux/computer newb. Thanks for help
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
Just wanted to know if you could tether the GS3 without your network knowing?
I've only owned a wifi android tablet - so not clued up on how android handles 3g tethering etc?
There's some UK operators offering unlimited data with the GS3 at the moment...
Most of them allow it anyway. Three do for definite anyway, same with T-Mobile.
Scottymeuk said:
Most of them allow it anyway. Three do for definite anyway, same with T-Mobile.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The only way is tether then "do not download" anything.
---------- Post added at 12:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:39 PM ----------
mrdeviance said:
Just wanted to know if you could tether the GS3 without your network knowing?
I've only owned a wifi android tablet - so not clued up on how android handles 3g tethering etc?
There's some UK operators offering unlimited data with the GS3 at the moment...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The only way is tether then "do not download" anything.
You should check whether your data is actually unlimited or (which it usually is) 1GB . I tethered my phone to my tablet and only appears as mobile data on my allowance (o2)
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
Why can you not download. Ive hit 40gb a month on tmobile tethering and its fine. If you have unlimited, then its fine. You will just get traffic managed on Three if your in the top 5% of their users.
there is literally no way for any netwsork to know that you are tethering. i dont even know why people worry about it.
if you run over your data allowance they will just charge you for the extra. its basically in their interest for you to tether.
hefonthefjords said:
there is literally no way for any netwsork to know that you are tethering.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tethering can be detected by browser string interception and network address translation detection quite easily. Many providers around the world do detect and block tethering. I'm with T-Mobile on an account where tethering is not allowed but I've done it loads and exceeded my 3gb limit and they haven't done a thing about it.
Both those methods of detection do not work. NAT makes it HARDER for someone to detect whats going on beyond your device in the local network, not easier. They cant detect what is happening beyond the modem in your phone any more than the cable company can detect whats going on in your physical wired network beyond your router in your home cable line.
Browser string is not device specific and can be modified on most if not all devices by any user.
The only thing stopping you tethering is them saying you cant do it. Been tethering since the days of my nokia 6233 and never had any hassle from providers and never payed an extra penny for the priveledge.
Sent from my LG-P920 using xda premium
hefonthefjords said:
NAT makes it HARDER for someone to detect whats going on beyond your device in the local network, not easier. They cant detect what is happening beyond the modem in your phone any more than the cable company can detect whats going on in your physical wired network beyond your router in your home cable line.
Browser string is not device specific and can be modified on most if not all devices by any user.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Of course NAT makes detection harder but all sorts of protocols such as rDNS lookup and SMTP leak local IP addresses. Personally I find it unrealistic that any network provider would be employing these techniques, all I'm saying is they are possible.
What interests me is that some networks do block tethering. I'm not sure if any UK ones do, but the question I'd have is how do they do it?
Are they relying on default APN entries and blocking the ones a phone would access for tethering?
Sorry to butt in to this, but I have just installed Salmon rom on my gs2 and since this whenever I try to connect to the net I am taken to a screen from Three that says tethering is not allowed on my unlimited plan. It is turned off on my phone. I have to turn off mobile data then turn it back on again to be able to get on the net. Tried other roms and stock, and all are fine. So Three at least know when you are tetherd and do not allow it.
Basic gist i got of this (via a giff gaff comment) is that they will only guess based on massive download totals in a day or a few hours. So don't go over 1GB for example in a few hours, limit what you download and spread it over days. Giff Gaff (02 network) WILL ban if it detects this way.
Fortunately Ive had no such problems with 3 network