Disable wifi and data on phone? - Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I have a couple of friends that want to still be able to text but say they spend way too much time on their phones and want to NOT BE ABLE to get on the internet on their phones, not on cellular data or wifi, but still want to be able to SMS and MMS and of course make calls.
Is there a way to do this? They aren't very tech savvy so I think changing APN settings or host file (I don't know if phones use that?) would probably work but ideally don't want to actually turn off wifi because we have T-Mobile and one of the best things about T-Mobile is being able to call/text over wifi.
Any help is much appreciated!

Related

disable gsm

hi, i recently asked about disabling GPRS which i have now done through my network provider.problem is, it's still possible to access the web via GSM. does anyone know how I can permanently disable any access to the web - even if the phone is reset? O2 say they can't Block access to the GSM number. I have to do this - or get rid of my phone.
maybe if there were a program which would block any atempt to modem using gsm you could put it in the extented rom
but really it's a bit like trying to make sure nobody call a surden nr from a phone but having to do so in your end and not in the operator end
it's only possible if some hack program can block all attempts to connect using anything but usb
Disable GSM
Thanks for that. Pardon my ignorance - but what is my extended Rom? How do I but thing in there? Is such a program available?
On my settings, I notice that the GSM number has a password associated with it. Does anyone know if I can apply to change my password. That way - if the phone is hard-reset, it will try to set up a connection with the default password - which woyuld then be invalid. That way, I could ensure that only I have internet access and only when I manually input the password.
Damian Gardiner said:
hi, i recently asked about disabling GPRS which i have now done through my network provider.problem is, it's still possible to access the web via GSM. does anyone know how I can permanently disable any access to the web - even if the phone is reset? O2 say they can't Block access to the GSM number. I have to do this - or get rid of my phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hate to even mention this but as a last resort you could damage the SIM card port or have siemens disconnect the connector to GSM or SIM if possible, that would take out the phone option.
Ah, but wouldn't that disable the phone completely? i still need the phone to make ordinary calls...
Thanks though Iggy. Know you say that you hate to mention it, and I know I must sound like a complet Philistine Monkey for wanting to do this. But I bought the XDA principally for its connectivity to MS Office, and for the fact its a phone. I couldn't give two hoots about using the internett. it costs too much anyway, and others have access to the phone and know how to reset, use the net, then reset again - and restore the info. Thus making it look like it hasn't been used. (though I can check the call register etc).
So you see I need to do this - to protect my wallet & my kids...
As a very last resort - I'll sell the XDA. buy a seperate PDA with no mobile connectivity, then buy a standard mobile instead.
Damian Gardiner said:
Ah, but wouldn't that disable the phone completely? i still need the phone to make ordinary calls...
Thanks though Iggy. Know you say that you hate to mention it, and I know I must sound like a complet Philistine Monkey for wanting to do this. But I bought the XDA principally for its connectivity to MS Office, and for the fact its a phone. I couldn't give two hoots about using the internett. it costs too much anyway, and others have access to the phone and know how to reset, use the net, then reset again - and restore the info. Thus making it look like it hasn't been used. (though I can check the call register etc).
So you see I need to do this - to protect my wallet & my kids...
As a very last resort - I'll sell the XDA. buy a seperate PDA with no mobile connectivity, then buy a standard mobile instead.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry Damian Gardiner, did'nt quite understand before that you still needed the phone functionality. Just a quick question, for you to connect to an ISP is that not a data call (whether by GSM or CDMA or Normal phone line) and if so I thought it was possible for your provider to disable data calls?????? Don't really what I am talking about, just thinking out loud.
The way that I disable mine is in the [My Connections] settings where it asks to "Select a modem", I pick the "Hayes Compatible Modem" which does not exist in the XDA. So the device cannot dial out my ISP number. When I actually want to connect to my ISP, I pick "Cellular Line". Actually, if you pick "Cellular Line" it just counts as voice minutes. This can be very useful especially during weekends. It is quite slow though. If you pick GPRS then it counts as data, which is additional service.
Give it a try.
Pat
If your provider disables both GPRS and CSD, you can't make any data calls at all. CSD is what provides the ability to dial a provider.
Wouldnt it just work when you delete ALL connections on the XDA?
That way the device won't be able to connect straight away and thus alwys comes up for some user interaction. . .
When I am on my own network I use CSD (ie. dial-up) because it counts as voice minutes (and I don't ever use all the minutes of my bundle)
When I am abroad I use GPRS (cheaper than Roaming CSD)

Titan & Verizon Network

Is it possible to get the Titan to work on any service (US) without paying for the data plan? Ignore for a second that it has Wifi, i mean actually using a data plan without paying for the service. I was thinking with that, I could see about sourcing a WM6 SIp Softphone and run it through my Sip Server I run at home.
http://www.tvlesson.com/video/1125_how-to-hack-verizon-wireless-phone.html
See, these guys, on Verizon, changed their phone to use the guy's home proxy server. Now, of course, to get to your home proxy server, it would still need to traverse the Verizon network to be able to get to there. I wonder if it would be possible to get to that point.
This too:
http://www.gearlive.com/index.php/news/article/free-mobile-web-hack-verizon-wireless-02160220/
Basically what I was thinking is that with Google Voice + Gizmo, if I could get this thing on the internet, I could get a SIP Softphone and basically have unlimited calls on a mobile phone for $10 a year.
/bump to see if anyone has any suggestions
It isnt possbile to use data and not pay for it. I dont know if you can have friends and family on pay as you go. But you could add the google voice number to that list and then have free calling.
The alternative, I guess, would be to have it as a WiFi enabled SIP Phone. Not as good, but unless they make a micro Clear antennae adapter thats USB, I can't see another way. Verizon's data plans are ridiculously expensive when not packaged with a voice plan $50 a month for 5gbs, so that doesnt seem like a feasible option for this idea.

[Q] Atrix with no data plan and pre paid voice?

Guys I'm totally new to smartphones so I need an advise. I would like to buy myself Moto Atrix but I don't want to buy a data plan for it. I plan on using Rogers pay-as-you-go voice sim card and use wifi for data. Is that even possible on the smartphone? Also I plan on using this phone in europe so question is would a pre paid voice sim work on this phone in europe? Oh and one more question if the voice sim with wifi for data would work would I be able to use all the internet apps on the phone or some would not work over wifi?
Thanks for your time
It is possible and a great way to save money. As long as rogers supports quad band GSM and not CMDA (like verizon), then you can use the voice and texting features of this phone all you wish.
Some things to note:
The phone must be unlocked and have some kind of wifi connection established to set up a motoblur account, (buy a used one not a new one).
Google Maps and navigation will not work unless you can find some kind of cacheing program.
Voice actions will not work, they require the google servers to process your voice.
Rogers may decide to change your service manually if they are like At&t. Check out other GSM networks if they try to do this to you.
Thanks for a quick reply. Now why should I buy a used phone? I think right now new/used prices are close. Also would google maps work in a wifi hotspot? I know that I can't use it unless I'm in the wifi hotspot. The same thing with voice commands souldn't they work as long as I'm in the wifi hotspot? I plan on using CoPilot software on the phone so I guess I wouldn't need any data connection for that right?
Thanks
If you are in a wifi hotspot, your phone will work identically to a phone with a data plan. You must buy it used because to activate moto blur initially, you must have a data connetion (data plan) to sign in, or else it wont let you continue (You cannot enable wifi yet).
Oh I didn't know about motoblur account. Is there a way around that by rooting the phone? What about using my firends sim with data to do that?
I think the process fails and then it'll ask you if you want to connect via wifi..no need for a data connection..
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
veshio said:
You must buy it used because to activate moto blur initially, you must have a data connetion (data plan) to sign in, or else it wont let you continue (You cannot enable wifi yet).
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Click to collapse
No it's not true. I signed up a motoblur account over the WiFi. I bought mine at costco.com as an upgrade to my original ATT HTC Fuze and I do not have a data plan.
Sean
you can make a blur account on the internet from a real computer
Just add data and quit being cheap. They make basic phones for people who don't see the value in paying for internet.
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App

[Q] Possible to toggle Data without affecting MMS??

I got my wife a Vibrant the other day to replace her current non-smartphone. She does not have a data plan. She will, however, be adding the pay per use data to her account so she can sporadically use data on a trip next weekend, but she wants to be able to turn the regular data off (as to not incur charges when she does not explicitly want to use the data) while still being able to use MMS (as she has a messaging plan).
Is there a way to toggle the Data on and off at will but still be able to send and recieve MMS with the regular data off? I have read that APNDroid does not work on the vibrant (and other galaxy s phones), though other people say it does.
The phone is stock Froyo 2.2 and only has one APN (T-Mobile US, epc.tmobile.com). Should I create a separate apn for MMS only and change the regular apn's type to just "internet" from "internet + mms"? Or would that still not work with APNDroid in the way I'd like?
Thanks for any help.
No. Go into the APN setting. At the VERY bottom, there is APN type. Set it to MMS only. That way it will only activate when an MMS is received/sent. That is the same setting you describe in your post.
Be aware that MMS data usage will NOT get charged. Yes, it is technically using data but if your wife has texting, sending and receiving MMS messages will not incur you ANY charges, even though it uses data.
Note though that it's not perfect. Sometimes MMS gets bugged where it fails to download because the phone bugged and didn't establish a data connection. In that case, just go in the same menu and refresh it or go to the market so it establishes a connection and everything will work. Hope that helps.
Source: I have my Vibrant with data completely shut off. I don't pay for data and never have since I bought it. I have wifi most places.

[LOOKING FOR] App for p2p (file sharing) via GPRS w/o internet...any help?

Hello fellows...
I'm just looking for an app to send files (something like p2p) between TWO android devices using a restricted GPRS service, I mean, no internet access....
I mean, send file to one IP to another one....
Just for send files, text, chat...or something like that....
any idea?
thanks in advance
BR,
chatfan
No ideas? no help please?
thanks
Well if your phones have no internet connection then they need to connect to each other somehow. Wifi can be used if you have a network you can connect to, otherwise bluetooth might help.
No, no one phone have internet connection, just a GPRS service for MMS sending and for open only ONE PAGE or WEBSITE to check them (mms).
Phone have a very distant from each to another one, but connects in the same GRPS network, same carrier / provider and same range of IPs...do you understand?
any idea? any help?
thanks
hedgepigdaniel said:
Well if your phones have no internet connection then they need to connect to each other somehow. Wifi can be used if you have a network you can connect to, otherwise bluetooth might help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it's not really possible. my best guess would be to hijack MMS and send a file that way, but then if the file were over the MMS size limit, you'd end up having to send multiple MMSs, racking up your texting charges. it would be very slow, and unless you've got an unlimited texting plan, potentially very expensive.
by the way, p2p (in the bittorrent/emule sense) doesn't play into this, it would be completely impossible.
No new ideas about all this? I need this ASAP, any App?
thanks

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