Wifi tethering - Extremely slow

**Malathan** · 10-18-2012, 04:33 PM

...to point of useless.

I rarely tether, and it has been few months since last time. While it has always been slow, it seems much more so, to point that it is completely useless.

I have tried Foxfi, SVTP, and several others...all same result. Rebooted phone...rebooted ipad...took hammer to bother to see if that would help...nada.

Connected, the ipad can get email (barely), but try to open a webpage and it sits there spinning. MAYBE after a half a minute it might start slowly loading the site (simple textbased forums sites). Sometimes it just times out. Usually takes several tries to get it to load a page. Go into dropbox, and 5mb file, it starts downloading after about 10 second delay, gets to the 2-3mb point, then times out (error message dropbox gives is "connection lost"). Sometimes don't even get to the 2-3 mb point, but fails at the 100k point.

Any ideas? Is this normal?

**Malathan** · 10-18-2012, 04:38 PM

Just to add, I have a grandfathered unlimited plan (rarely use more than 2gb), but no tethering plan (after fcc regulations, needed anymore?). Phone is not rooted...

**nyry** · 10-19-2012, 03:10 AM

Are you running a password encrypted tether connection? Might account for the data speed loss

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Android Central Forums

**JetmanFL410** · 10-19-2012, 11:03 AM

Mine is doing the same thing. Worked great on my Nexus 7 and old iPad 2, but this new iPad 3 does not like it. Can barely get anything. Unlimited. What iPad are you using.

**lbkiml** · 10-19-2012, 11:35 AM

I never really had problems with foxfi. Maybe verizon is throttling your data? Esp with you having grandfathered unlimited data.

**blade22222** · 10-19-2012, 05:10 PM

I also have a unlimited plan and everything I tether runs fast. I would think the phone is at fault.

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**minnieusa** · 10-19-2012, 09:11 PM

I am tethering right now using foxfi and it is lightning fast

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**Malathan** · 10-22-2012, 12:48 AM

minnieusa, are you grandfathered unlimited?

I have tried rebooting phone, rebooting iPad, resetting security (wpa) in Firefox, flipping airplane mode on/off to reset antenna, ...nada. Barely fast enough to check email, but any attachment, even small image, and it hangs. Even basic checking of email times out periodically. What ever Verizon did in pst month or two killed my tethering.

**Malathan** · 10-22-2012, 09:56 PM

Originally Posted by JetmanFL410

Mine is doing the same thing. Worked great on my Nexus 7 and old iPad 2, but this new iPad 3 does not like it. Can barely get anything. Unlimited. What iPad are you using.

iPad 2

**leroybrute** · 10-23-2012, 01:21 AM

I have several tablets and laptop I tether to. I don't do ipads so I don't know anything about them. I just wanted to mention if I turn on tablet talk or pdanet for messages from my phone to my tablets my download speeds will drop from 25mb down to about 1.5mb down. If I shut down those type of apps and reboot the tablet my speeds come back to normal.
If this helps anyone running text messaging apps to their tablets.

**bigslam123#AC** · 10-23-2012, 09:03 AM

Originally Posted by Malathan

minnieusa, are you grandfathered unlimited?

I have tried rebooting phone, rebooting iPad, resetting security (wpa) in Firefox, flipping airplane mode on/off to reset antenna, ...nada. Barely fast enough to check email, but any attachment, even small image, and it hangs. Even basic checking of email times out periodically. What ever Verizon did in pst month or two killed my tethering.

Have you tried tethering any other devices? Just wondering if its specific to the iPad. I have grandfathered unlimited as well and tether my Xoom all day with FoxFi. I am streaming satellite radio through it all day and it is blazing fast. It really does sound like it may be iPad specific.

**kraisydave** · 10-24-2012, 10:47 AM

Currently tethered via foxfi with WPA2 on 4g grandfathered unlimited with one apple and one HP laptops sharing the connection. No problems and super fast. One issue is that once finished a reboot of the phone is usually needed as foxfi seems to put a lot of stress on the cpu.

Dave

**JetmanFL410** · 10-26-2012, 09:37 AM

I don't know what it is then. Like I said, my n7 and iPad 2 worked flawlessly on foxfi and other tethering apps. This iPad 3 just hates it. Seems fast browsing, but updating USA Today, Pulse, Facebook and others is almost impossible. I'm gonna take it back to get the iPad 4 and I'll update next week.

**jonhern** · 10-30-2012, 08:49 PM

i am having similar issues. When my computer is connected it is very slow, less than 1mb down. When my touchpad is connected it is 25-30mb down. also on the computer it starts off faster, like 8mb, then just slows down to a crawl if i am downloading a large file, a lot of times the connection just times out before it can finish. I think this is something on Verizon's end, my guess is that they are throttling the connection. I have fios so never really tether that much, but it has been very slow since sandy hit so was wanted to use my phone as 4g has been just fine, but this is very annoying.

**James Attard** · 02-06-2013, 11:55 PM

I had the same problems and found out that the slow speeds are due to a number of combinations - I wrote an article (and pasted speedtest screenshots) on my blog:

**Serial Fordicator** · 02-07-2013, 07:10 AM

It has happened since the jb update. If you watch, you'll see your data go on and of every second. They need to do an update on this. Samsung and VZW Support says to reset phone. I've done it twice. Still nothing. I've tried telling them that it won't help because I've tried it twice, they still won't listen. I've been popping my sim into my old RAZR to use my tethering. They need to do something.

ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

**mrtalib82** · 03-05-2013, 09:16 PM

Mine using Samsung Galaxy wonder. Experience 1 year using wifi tethering, normal speed 5Mbps -8Mbps, now its drop to 0.6Mbps to 1.4Mbps. I thought the problem belong to Internet Provider. Then I try using the USB tethering, the speed can reach as normal 5Mbps - 8Mbps. Is it mean my wifi tethering faulty? I don't want to waste y money to repair it, maybe this is a good time to change with a new one. But if somebody can share any idea what wrong to my phone, then I can save my money.

**wootang00** · 03-06-2013, 11:21 PM

I have the same problem with my s3. It's only when I connect to an iPad (i have an iPad mini) does it lag and takes forever to connect and load something via internet.

When I connect to a laptop on the hotspot I have no issues with tethering... any thoughts?