Kitkat breaks foxfi (and all other apps of this kind)...any suggestions?

[boz2014]

Before I got my new Galaxy S5 a couple of days ago (Verizon), I was enjoying a FREE wi-fi hotspot via the FoxFi app on my Droid Bionic that uses Android 4.2. Unfortunately, my Droid, which was three years old, began dying last week, so I had to bite the bullet. Little did I know that Verizon, and other carriers I'm sure, has blocked the use of FoxFi and similar apps on Android 4.4 (aka: KitKat), which the S5 uses. There goes my free wireless hotspot! I've tried just about every similar app that I could download from the Google Play store, but all of them still require that I pay Verizon a monthly fee to use my unlimited data plan (grandfathered in and I DON'T want to give it up) to use my S5 as a wi-fi hotspot. I've found a tethered USB app that works for now and allows me to access the internet via my laptop using my S5's hotspot capability, but that does nothing for my TV.

Has anyone else experienced this roadblock, and, if so, have you found an app that breaks the KitKat restricitions?

Thanks!

 

[ultimate_ed]

About the only way I'm aware of to get around the kitkat Hotspot break is to root your phone. I waited for months after my Moto X came out with kitkat for Fox-Fi to update to work with it. I don't think the programmer knows how to do it.

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[Steviewy]

Before I got my new Galaxy S5 a couple of days ago (Verizon), I was enjoying a FREE wi-fi hotspot via the FoxFi app on my Droid Bionic that uses Android 4.2. Unfortunately, my Droid, which was three years old, began dying last week, so I had to bite the bullet. Little did I know that Verizon, and other carriers I'm sure, has blocked the use of FoxFi and similar apps on Android 4.4 (aka: KitKat), which the S5 uses. There goes my free wireless hotspot! I've tried just about every similar app that I could download from the Google Play store, but all of them still require that I pay Verizon a monthly fee to use my unlimited data plan (grandfathered in and I DON'T want to give it up) to use my S5 as a wi-fi hotspot. I've found a tethered USB app that works for now and allows me to access the internet via my laptop using my S5's hotspot capability, but that does nothing for my TV.

Has anyone else experienced this roadblock, and, if so, have you found an app that breaks the KitKat restricitions?

Thanks!

I've been looking for an alternative as well. I really don't feel like rooting my S5 like most people are going to reply and suggest. Right now I've been using PDAnet (same as FoxFi) and using the USB mode with my work laptop when I'm at a place without wi-fi. Really miss the wi-fi hotspot mode. It's a shame.

 

[google47]

I've mainly been using FoxFi on my GNEX as a wifi hotspot for my Nexus 10 tablet. Since I got the S5, I no longer have the ability to get data to the tablet. At the very least, does anyone know how to use FoxFi or a similar app to USB tether data from a phone to a tablet? I see that most people can do it for a laptop, but I'm unsure how to do it for a tablet.

 

[google47]

Great news everyone...it looks like FoxFi just put out an update that allows you to use it for wifi hot spots on the S5. When I tried starting it up, it worked, however, it first asked me to install a VPN. When I did that, it asked me to change my lockscreen mode to pin or password. When I did that, I tried to change my lockscreen mode back to fingerprint (or even none), and it wouldn't let me....all of the other options besides pin and password are now greyed out. Does anyone know what's causing this and how to fix it? I'm even fine with uninstalling something if I have to and just simply reinstall it each time I want to use FoxFi. I don't think that this should control which lockscreen I use...right??

 

[SteveMAW]

If I remember correctly from when I set up FoxFi on my old Droid, there was a setting in the FoxFi app to choose what lock screen you want to use.

 

[skymech]

Great news everyone...it looks like FoxFi just put out an update that allows you to use it for wifi hot spots on the S5. When I tried starting it up, it worked, however, it first asked me to install a VPN. When I did that, it asked me to change my lockscreen mode to pin or password. When I did that, I tried to change my lockscreen mode back to fingerprint (or even none), and it wouldn't let me....all of the other options besides pin and password are now greyed out. Does anyone know what's causing this and how to fix it? I'm even fine with uninstalling something if I have to and just simply reinstall it each time I want to use FoxFi. I don't think that this should control which lockscreen I use...right??

Thanks for the update! I have tried re installing the FoxFi App. I have paid version. When I try activating the hot spot, I get a message that I need to install the certificate. When I try to install the certificate it asks me to " Enter password for credential storage" . I have tried all my normal passwords, but none of them work. Where do I find the password for the credential storage? Thanks

 

[covard]

Great news everyone...it looks like FoxFi just put out an update that allows you to use it for wifi hot spots on the S5. When I tried starting it up, it worked, however, it first asked me to install a VPN. When I did that, it asked me to change my lockscreen mode to pin or password. When I did that, I tried to change my lockscreen mode back to fingerprint (or even none), and it wouldn't let me....all of the other options besides pin and password are now greyed out. Does anyone know what's causing this and how to fix it? I'm even fine with uninstalling something if I have to and just simply reinstall it each time I want to use FoxFi. I don't think that this should control which lockscreen I use...right??

I believe that there is a workaround for the lockscreen being required. I got this from the Play Store FoxFi page:

*Some Jelly Bean phones has locked-down the WiFi hotspot feature, because of that FoxFi will ask you to install a user certificate on those phones. The side effect is that Android system will require you to set a screen lock (and only allows Pattern, PIN or Password) when any security settings is changed. There is indeed a way to remove the lock screen while keeping the certificate: set a pattern lock (can not be PIN lock) and try to unlock the phone with a "bad pattern" for 5-10 times, it will show you an error message, now select "Forgot Pattern?" and enter your gmail/password. After these steps the screen lock will be removed without removing the certificate.​

I hope that maybe this helps you.

 

[JimA]

I believe that there is a workaround for the lockscreen being required. I got this from the Play Store FoxFi page:

*Some Jelly Bean phones has locked-down the WiFi hotspot feature, because of that FoxFi will ask you to install a user certificate on those phones. The side effect is that Android system will require you to set a screen lock (and only allows Pattern, PIN or Password) when any security settings is changed. There is indeed a way to remove the lock screen while keeping the certificate: set a pattern lock (can not be PIN lock) and try to unlock the phone with a "bad pattern" for 5-10 times, it will show you an error message, now select "Forgot Pattern?" and enter your gmail/password. After these steps the screen lock will be removed without removing the certificate.​

I hope that maybe this helps you.

Good News Bad News. Foxfi does hotspot tethering on the Verizon s5. But, The procedure for disabling the password did not work. It didn't give me the opportunity to set a pattern password so I tried the password route. After 5 times it kicked me out for 30 seconds. After the 9th attempt, I was warned that if I tried a 10th time and failed, my phone security would do a complete wipe. So I entered the correct password... Under lock screen I found at the very bottom there is a setting that is apparently pre-checked by somebody that will wipe the system after a 10th failed attempt. I unchecked it and tried again. Same thing. So went back through, deleted all the certificates, set a pattern screen lock, and started everything up. Same thing. After so many bad patterns, it timed out. When I did the correct pattern, I was told I had to use a pin or password.

 

[jlblaze]

Won't Chromecast solve the issue? I have been using it for several months and I'm pretty satisfied with it.

 

[eyecon82]

Wifi hotspot via foxfi won't work on my sprint, but bluetooth mode works perfectly, although it is much slower

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