Data vs. WiFi...help me understand

[w5cyc]

I've been wanting to save some money, because my Sprint bill is pretty high with 4 lines and "unlimited" data. I have an EVO. I've been thinking about getting rid of cable internet at home and just tethering the PC off the EVO. Yes, I know it's a speed compromise, but I don't play games on the computer. I web browse, watch an occasional video. I tethered the PC to the EVO for a few hours, tested, and can live with the speed compromise.

Then I learned about the 5 GB cap. I don't know if I'd exceed that cap or not if I used Sprint exclusively for my home internet, but on the other hand, I don't want to find out by being billed a few hundred for data overage.

So if I root, and use wireless tether, am I using my phone's data plan if I connect with WiFi, rather than through the USB? I'm not opposed to rooting. Nervous about it yes, opposed, no. If rooting will keep my from using data to surf on the home PC, then it's worth a shot.

Who knows the answer to this? And thanks.

 

[terpitude71]

yes, using wireless tether is just taking your phone's 3g data and broadcasting it for other devices, so that will contribute toward your data cap

 

[nfalbo]

If you tether via usb or use the wifi tether it will use your phones data plan. There is no way to work around that. I personally use 2.2gb of data on my phone without tethering and when I tether I can almost double that. If you are careful you can keep it under the 5gb cap but you need to keel track of your data usage. I don't worry as much about my data usage because I am rooted and use a free tether program and have truely unlimited data on my plan with Verizon.

 

[takeshi]

Then I learned about the 5 GB cap. I don't know if I'd exceed that cap or not if I used Sprint exclusively for my home internet, but on the other hand, I don't want to find out by being billed a few hundred for data overage.

I'm sure there are tools to monitor your usage with your existing internet service before you even attempt to rely on tethering. You don't have to make a blind jump. Though I'd recommend monitoring more than just a single month to determine your average usage.

So if I root, and use wireless tether, am I using my phone's data plan if I connect with WiFi, rather than through the USB? I'm not opposed to rooting. Nervous about it yes, opposed, no. If rooting will keep my from using data to surf on the home PC, then it's worth a shot.

As stated above it's data either way. Rooting doesn't magically add another way of getting data to your device.