Tethering Disabled by AT&T?

[matthew m]

As expected, I have an unlocked GSM Galaxy Nexus that I bought online and am using on att. When I first got the device, I tried all the features, including tethering, and was excited to see them all working as they should. Untouched, pure, android experience.

I rarely have a use for tethering, but every so often I need to throw up a quick hotspot. Anyway, I tried to do so today, and I couldn't get any internet connection. I tried both usb tethering and wifi tethering, and it just doesn't seem to work. Everything connects just fine, but there is simply no internet access. (But the data on the phone itself is working just fine.)

I read somewhere that there is a different kind of cellular connection that a phone uses when it begins to tether, and att would easily be able to see what devices are doing so. Is it possible that they are blocking this connection from me?

I thought I would make this post to see if anyone else had a similar problem, or if people start having similar problems, they can post here.

Also of note, my GN is rooted. I don't know if that would make a difference, but it's possible I only had working tethering before rooting. Although, I don't think that's necessarily the case.

 

[chris mart]

Looks like your carrier block tethering. So that you can use ClockworkMod Tether no root for share your phone internet connection with your computer. After you tether with it your carrier can't identify you are sharing phone internet connection with the computer.

https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...ils?id=com.koushikdutta.tether&token=uXN4O1xH

Tether Android Phone With Computer Without Detectable By Carriers Via USB Without Root. ~ The Spicy Gadgematics

Hope this information will be helpful.

 

[ifellasleep]

i was under the impression att couldnt touch you if your using a unbranded unlocked phone and trying to tether. Can you check again because i was thinking about getting this phone just so i can tether under att radar.

 

[Droid800]

i was under the impression att couldnt touch you if your using a unbranded unlocked phone and trying to tether. Can you check again because i was thinking about getting this phone just so i can tether under att radar.

You use their network, you play by their rules, even if its an unbranded phone. (That is, unless you use an app like the one mentioned above)

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

[ifellasleep]

@droid can you check under settings and see if you can tether on your galaxy nexus? If you can't I will be skipping this phone most likely.

 

[PewterL31]

I have been hearing about foxfi app that allows you to tether unrooted but I can't seem to find the app.

Sent from my Samsung Skyrocket

 

[Droid800]

@droid can you check under settings and see if you can tether on your galaxy nexus? If you can't I will be skipping this phone most likely.

I have the Verizon version, so I'll be no help, haha.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

[dbdynsty25]

I've been tethering on my GSM Unlocked Nexus for the past two months w/ At&t without problems. So maybe they did block your particular account, but maybe not. Have you tried since the original post was made?

 

[worldfoot]

I would bet money this is a user issue. I have an ATT network GSM nexus bought from Newegg and tether/hotspot all the time. AND NO.....ATT CAN NOT TELL WHEN YOU DO THIS......Thats only on Verizon (they make the phone use a different data ip address when you tether).....the only way ATT can tell is if YOUR DATA usage goes up massively all of the sudden. They could also read your data packets during transmission, BUT thats supposed to be illegal.

 

[Droid800]

I would bet money this is a user issue. I have an ATT network GSM nexus bought from Newegg and tether/hotspot all the time. AND NO.....ATT CAN NOT TELL WHEN YOU DO THIS......Thats only on Verizon (they make the phone use a different data ip address when you tether).....the only way ATT can tell is if YOUR DATA usage goes up massively all of the sudden. They could also read your data packets during transmission, BUT thats supposed to be illegal.

Actually, att can tell easily. Or did you miss the warning texts that went out to jail broken, and tethering, iOS users?

A carrier knows everything you do with your phone that interacts with the network.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

[worldfoot]

And ACTUALLY....YOU ARE WRONG....thats an IOS SPECIFIC Apple planned coding issue and ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS I AM ON ANDROID......BECAUSE...Android phones ARE NOT affected......

 

[Droid800]

And ACTUALLY....YOU ARE WRONG....thats an IOS SPECIFIC Apple planned coding issue and ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS I AM ON ANDROID......BECAUSE...Android phones ARE NOT affected......

Clearly you don't know anything about how the back-end of cellular networks work. Anytime you connect, ANY provider can see what you are doing and what you have connected to. Any time you tether with an app from the market or if you're rooted, the company (att included) knows it.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

[dan1431]

I am not exactly sure what the carrier can or cannot detect with regards to unbranded phones and functions like tethering.

I have been tethering since my original Nexus One and at&t has not said boo about it. I recently upgraded to the GNex and I tether on it on occasion and have not had a issue to date.

I do know that branded phones are configured from the factory (either through applications or other software modifications) to prevent tethering on accounts that are not configured for it.

I realize my experiences are one DATA point and do not constitute any hard fast rule, but I throw it out there for whatever it is worth.

Dan

 

[Droid800]

I am not exactly sure what the carrier can or cannot detect with regards to unbranded phones and functions like tethering.

I have been tethering since my original Nexus One and at&t has not said boo about it. I recently upgraded to the GNex and I tether on it on occasion and have not had a issue to date.

I do know that branded phones are configured from the factory (either through applications or other software modifications) to prevent tethering on accounts that are not configured for it.

I realize my experiences are one DATA point and do not constitute any hard fast rule, but I throw it out there for whatever it is worth.

Dan

Are you on contract? Att seems to care the most about those on contract.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

[banzai619]

I have been hearing about foxfi app that allows you to tether unrooted but I can't seem to find the app.

Sent from my Samsung Skyrocket

Type in foxfi on the search engine in the google play store and it should pop right up. My buddy and I are both unrooted and it seems to work well for the both of us. My buddy is with att and Im with a different carrier but seems to work no the less

 

[VixensDemon]

I have been using foxfi for 3 months now contracted with ATT with no tethering plan. My Samsung Galaxy S2 is not rooted.
They either do not care what I tether to or do not know I use it becouse I have so far not been charged anything extra for tethering my tablet.
You can't d/l foxfi from google play anymore (or at least could not when I got it) you have to get the scan code in their pics and follow to their websight.

Sometimes I just don't know how to align my wild raging demoness with the professional, dependable woman that has a job to do.... I feel seams splitting....

 

[patruns]

You can still download FoxFi, but it appears it does not presently work with JB so if you have JB don't bother.

 

[fgoodwin]

Foxfi is not compatible with my Motorola Atrix 4G -- any other suggestions? I'm on AT&T.

 

[dakid2k6]

Foxfi is not compatible with my Motorola Atrix 4G -- any other suggestions? I'm on AT&T.

Foxfi does work I had it when I had it on att. A quick Google will get you the site direct from the developer to get the apk to sideload it.