[How-To] Tethering 4G on Nexus S 4G as AP not Ad-Hoc Connection

joliva

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The Nexus S 4G will allow you to tether 3G or 4G using most of the apps in the market such as Wireless Tether or the built in hotspot app (3G only), but these methods turn your NS4G into an Ad-Hoc network. Some devices, my notebook computer for instance won't accept an Ad-Hoc connection so I found another (Simple IMO) method.

Some background:

My brother has an Evo 4G and he has never had any issues tethering to my notebook computer using 4G so I wanted to find out why. Turns out Evo's use a different method of tethering. They do not broadcast as an Ad-Hoc network they use a completely different method of tethering called "SoftAP". This essentially makes Evo's think they are actual Access Points, which any wi-fi enabled device can connect to.

I found a way to make my NS4G work in this manner using the WiFi Tether app, very similar to the Wireless Tether app in the market.

Prerequisites:
MUST be rooted and using a custom rom or the patched hotspot files.
Make a nandroid backup ( better safe than sorry)
Have some time to toy with the settings if the ones listed below don't work (which they should)

Download and Install attached file "WiFi Tether for Root Users 3.1-beta6" on your NS4G and grant SU permissions.

Open app and go to Settings-> and change to the following below:

Change Device-Profile: Samsung Galaxy S
Change Setup-Method: Netd (Master)

Once you change those settings you will be able to tether as an Access Point and not as an Ad-Hoc connection allowing you to connect and tether your 4G with pretty much any wifi device.

You may have to play around with the different variations of the options but the ones I have given above should work just fine.

This will also work on other nexus devices allowing you to use an Access Point connection instead of an Ad-Hoc connection.

**One thing I should note, the only issue I've had with this is set up is when you stop the connection. The app might "Force Close" and on occasion reboot the device. But that is a small price that I pay to tether my 4G connection.

Let me know if this method works for you just so I can confirm it wasn't a fluke on my end!

Hope this helps anyone with similar tethering issues.
 
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Quinke

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Re: [How-To] Tethering 4G on Nexus S 4G as AP not Ad-Hoc Connecti

Works great! I have tried other wireless tethering apps before, but I couldn't get my laptop to connect to any of them, until now :p

I'm connected to it now on 3G as I type this. I don't have 4G in my area so I can't confirm if that works.
 

chud

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Re: [How-To] Tethering 4G on Nexus S 4G as AP not Ad-Hoc Connecti

Are you saying this natively allows you to share your 4G connection or when you say 4G are you referring to the Nexus S 4G?
 

esoh

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Re: [How-To] Tethering 4G on Nexus S 4G as AP not Ad-Hoc Connecti

It allows you to natively tether at 4G speeds, assuming that you are in a 4G area and have the 4G radio on.
 

joliva

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It allows you to natively tether at 4G speeds, assuming that you are in a 4G area and have the 4G radio on.

Exactly! This post was specifically to tether 4G but it will also work on other nexus devices allowing you to use an Access Point connection instead of an Ad-Hoc connection.

Sent from my Nexus S 4G
 

johnnyappleseed

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Re: [How-To] Tethering 4G on Nexus S 4G as AP not Ad-Hoc Connecti

This is allowing me to tether via AP instead of ad-hoc, which is nice. But it's still only tethering on 3G speeds, just like the native tethering app. Verified this by watching the 3G/4G icon and their green/white behavior, as well as speedtest.net

7.42Mbps d/l speed on phone (4G), but only 1.4Mbps d/l on PC when tethered.
 

joliva

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This is allowing me to tether via AP instead of ad-hoc, which is nice. But it's still only tethering on 3G speeds, just like the native tethering app. Verified this by watching the 3G/4G icon and their green/white behavior, as well as speedtest.net

7.42Mbps d/l speed on phone (4G), but only 1.4Mbps d/l on PC when tethered.

Weird, I'm not seeing results like that. My 4G speeds are the same on my Nexus S 4G and my PC. About 6.5Mbps across the board.

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk
 

supercluver

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Re: [How-To] Tethering 4G on Nexus S 4G as AP not Ad-Hoc Connecti

I have the $29.99 mobile hotspot option on my plan. I tried this and everything worked fine. So I went online to Sprint and removed the $29.99 mobile hotspot option. Waited about 1 hour so that the change would propagate through the system. Tried this again after the 1 hour and it was a no go. As soon as I turned on tethering the 4G would disconnect and there was no data whatsoever.

I will point out that both times when I turned on tethering, the built-in mobile hotspot icon popped up, but only the second time did it not go away....

If this could be made to work that would be great, I think it is complete BS to be forced to pay $29.99 a month to use data via a laptop or tablet. It isn't like I'm also using data on the phone at the same time, so it really is just the same data. And I very rarely use mobile hotspot, so most months it is just a waste, but it is an enormous pain to have to go online and add and remove it constantly.
 

chud

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Re: [How-To] Tethering 4G on Nexus S 4G as AP not Ad-Hoc Connecti

I have the $29.99 mobile hotspot option on my plan. I tried this and everything worked fine. So I went online to Sprint and removed the $29.99 mobile hotspot option. Waited about 1 hour so that the change would propagate through the system. Tried this again after the 1 hour and it was a no go. As soon as I turned on tethering the 4G would disconnect and there was no data whatsoever.

I will point out that both times when I turned on tethering, the built-in mobile hotspot icon popped up, but only the second time did it not go away....

If this could be made to work that would be great, I think it is complete BS to be forced to pay $29.99 a month to use data via a laptop or tablet. It isn't like I'm also using data on the phone at the same time, so it really is just the same data. And I very rarely use mobile hotspot, so most months it is just a waste, but it is an enormous pain to have to go online and add and remove it constantly.
There is a way to get native 3G tethering for free so long as you're rooted, which I'm assuming you are. You can use the hack for 3G and the app for 4G.
 

joliva

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Re: [How-To] Tethering 4G on Nexus S 4G as AP not Ad-Hoc Connecti

I have the $29.99 mobile hotspot option on my plan. I tried this and everything worked fine. So I went online to Sprint and removed the $29.99 mobile hotspot option. Waited about 1 hour so that the change would propagate through the system. Tried this again after the 1 hour and it was a no go. As soon as I turned on tethering the 4G would disconnect and there was no data whatsoever.

I will point out that both times when I turned on tethering, the built-in mobile hotspot icon popped up, but only the second time did it not go away....

If this could be made to work that would be great, I think it is complete BS to be forced to pay $29.99 a month to use data via a laptop or tablet. It isn't like I'm also using data on the phone at the same time, so it really is just the same data. And I very rarely use mobile hotspot, so most months it is just a waste, but it is an enormous pain to have to go online and add and remove it constantly.

Are you rooted? Sounds like you are using the stock rom? CM7 and other custom roms have the tethering files patched to work without a hotspot plan.
 

gandalf1369

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Re: [How-To] Tethering 4G on Nexus S 4G as AP not Ad-Hoc Connecti

Am I correct in assuming that in order for this procedure to work correctly, not only must you be rooted but you must also be running CM7 or some other custom ROM ??

The reason I ask is that I have a rooted Nexus S 4G without the tethering plan from Sprint. After installing the .apk that the OP included in his post, and following his directions for changing the settings in the app, I still cannot tether successfully. My tablet (a rooted NookColor) can connect to the Nexus AP but always gives the message "Connected, but no internet".

Curious . . . .
 

jasta11

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Re: [How-To] Tethering 4G on Nexus S 4G as AP not Ad-Hoc Connecti

Thank You, now I can use my Acer A100 tablet which wasn't accepting ad-hoc connections.
 

joliva

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Am I correct in assuming that in order for this procedure to work correctly, not only must you be rooted but you must also be running CM7 or some other custom ROM ??

The reason I ask is that I have a rooted Nexus S 4G without the tethering plan from Sprint. After installing the .apk that the OP included in his post, and following his directions for changing the settings in the app, I still cannot tether successfully. My tablet (a rooted NookColor) can connect to the Nexus AP but always gives the message "Connected, but no internet".

Curious . . . .

Yes you have to be rooted and using a custom rom or Peter Alfonso's tethering fix located at http://download.peteralfonso.com/crespo4g

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk
 
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gitit20

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I already had a thread about using tether you should have just posted it there not make a whole new thread but thanks
 

johnnyappleseed

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Re: [How-To] Tethering 4G on Nexus S 4G as AP not Ad-Hoc Connecti

Weird, I'm not seeing results like that. My 4G speeds are the same on my Nexus S 4G and my PC. About 6.5Mbps across the board.

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk
apparently I just needed a reboot in order for the 4G speeds to kick in, because I'm up and tethered on 4G now! 6Mbps download on both phone and tethered PC.
 

joliva

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Re: [How-To] Tethering 4G on Nexus S 4G as AP not Ad-Hoc Connecti

apparently I just needed a reboot in order for the 4G speeds to kick in, because I'm up and tethered on 4G now! 6Mbps download on both phone and tethered PC.

Glad you got it working! I was wondering why it wouldn't have worked. The key was to reboot.
 

esoh

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Re: [How-To] Tethering 4G on Nexus S 4G as AP not Ad-Hoc Connecti

I tried the main instructions and got everything working, but after I use Wifi Tether and then turn it off, it goes off OK. But the strange thing is that I still get voice and data, but I'm not connected to the Google services (i.e., the 3G and bars icons never turn back green). Additionally, while I can get data through a browser, I can't get mail through K-9 and Touchdown (Exchange). Odd behavior, no?

Anyone else see this and have a fix?
 

Genaro12543

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I tried the main instructions and got everything working, but after I use Wifi Tether and then turn it off, it goes off OK. But the strange thing is that I still get voice and data, but I'm not connected to the Google services (i.e., the 3G and bars icons never turn back green). Additionally, while I can get data through a browser, I can't get mail through K-9 and Touchdown (Exchange). Odd behavior, no?



Anyone else see this and have a fix?

I get the same thing
 
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