Database Users

What's the best Internet Sharing Solution?

What's the best WiFi interenet sharing solution? WalkingHotSpot, WiFiRouter,
JoikuSpot, ICSControl, Internet Sharing, or Tethering, etc. Is there another option? What's the advantages and dissadvantages of each?
What I would really like is to have a solution that allows me to configure how many people can connect and/or some kind of security, WEP, or anything at all. Is that possible?
I tried using the Internet Sharing Utility but I would keep getting a Verizon sceen saying I needed to sign up for a different service. I tried both WalkingHotSpot and WiFiRouter. WifiRouter seemed to keep my WiFi on all the time and allowed unlimited people to connect with no security, and WalkingHotSpot I couldn't get working for some reason, but it didn't look like you could set up any security with that either. Thanks for the help and time..

I don't think wifirouter can be beat, I have used it and prefer it.

I hear there is a bug in it that allows it to keep your WiFi turned on all the time. I heard there is a WEP feature and a feature that allows you to kick IPs off from using it. Do you know anything about this? Thanks.
rambrush said:
I don't think wifirouter can be beat, I have used it and prefer it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

I am not sure what you are talking about.
But you can set up a secure wireless network. It is only on if the switch is on so when you disconnect and turn switch off its done.
I have run the program for 10+ hours straight while on the road it kept the wifes laptop connected anywhere we have connectivity. I do run a amplifer and external antenna for those weaker areas.
Go check out the documentation at this link to see if the info is there?
http://support.wmwifirouter.com/documentation/

What version of the software are you using? I don't remember seeing any of those options with my version. It seemed to still have WiFi working even when the button was off, the icon looked like it was still working, but I didn't test it.. Thanks...

wmwifirouter is my favorite and my dad's by far

Using the HD2 as a 3G modem for laptop: use bluetooth or the new Wifi router ?

In one hand, using the Wifi router is simple. On the other hand, Wifi draws more battery power than bluetooth...

How long do you intend to use it for as, in my opinion, both are a poor long-term solution due to the power draw.
Also, bluetooth may use less power but it will also create a bottleneck that will mean that you have to use it longer.

Yes both will eat power. Cable is much better, however if you have no choice then I'd use bluetooth it consumes a bit less power than wifi.
That said if you use Linux, as I do on some laptops, (and maybe Mac? I dont use.) you might have some trouble getting internet to flow through bluetooth, in which case wifi is better.

I would use WiFi, much easier to setup and use on the fly just as any wireless router is. In either case, I believe your best bet is to have it plugged in during use as power usage will be high either way!

The Wifi router of the HD2 only supports WEP.
That's a "no go" for me...

Jack Daniel's said:
The Wifi router of the HD2 only supports WEP.
That's a "no go" for me...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why not? What secrets do you have on your pc....and do you live in an apartment block surrounded by hackers?

I can plug my hd2 into my laptop and surf the net via mobile web. But how do i set it up so I can use the hd2 as a WiFi modem ?. Even with WiFi on, it still uses mobile web. Updating my laptop via my hd2 takes hours lol.
BTW I have WiFi router in my home.

fallenmonk said:
I can plug my hd2 into my laptop and surf the net via mobile web. But how do i set it up so I can use the hd2 as a WiFi modem ?. Even with WiFi on, it still uses mobile web. Updating my laptop via my hd2 takes hours lol.
BTW I have WiFi router in my home.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You have to have the WiFi router app. Google XDA WiFi router for Windows Mobile you will find it. Oh and by the way just because it is WiFi does not mean it will increase the speed. The speed is dependant on your cellular data signal you know Edge or 3G.

I have never used the wi-fi app, and have had no need to do so so far. Bluetooth works two different ways--through DUN or PAN.
However, I could see certain situations where that could come in handy. FOr instance, with a device that cannot BT tether, but can access wi-fi--for instance if one has an Ipad

This is a BIG Deal!!

This phone doesn't support ad hoc wifi connections? I'm currently on travel overseas and I can't seem to share an Internet connection with my laptop (connected via LAN) or iPhone 3GS (local 3G service). Has anyone been able to detect an ad hoc wifi network with this phone.
I can detect ad hoc networks with 3rd party wifi apps on the marketplace but when I attempt to connect, it directs me to the general wifi settings screen where the network is gone!!
Anyone else with this issue?

Did you ever see that it was an international phone?

WTF?? I'm talkin about a Wifi connection here buddy...lol. The EVO 4G doesn't detect or connect to ad hoc wifi networks. That's the topic...

while i dont know if it does or doesnt...i could believe it...because there is a few phones out there that dont - blackberry is one.

The wireless tether app for Android makes it into an ad hoc device.

But the problem is that it won't DETECT an ad-hoc device. Interesting. So if I had, say a hero with WiFi tether enabled, I wouldn't be able to see the WiFi with my EVO?
I don't connect to ad-hoc networks myself, unless I"m trying to tether something (the only use I can see.) Interesting that the EVO can't see them though, they should still show up..huh.

Seems to be some type of security feature on the device (WiFi Scanner app detects) that prevents it from detecting ad hoc wireless networks. My PS3 also has the same issue. Just wanted to point it out the issue...perhaps we need to root to manually connect?

just to be clear, you're trying to share your laptops internet with your Evo?

Yes, the laptop has Internet access via LAN and I am using the built in ICS (Internet Connection Sharing) Wifi Sharing on Windows Vista. Every other device I've had before had no issue detecting the network...I can see the access point right now on my iPhone and iPod Touch :-/

Found this workaround:
http://www.soligard.com/technology/how-to-connect-htc-hero-to-ad-hoc-wifi-network/
I'll try this later and report back.

I don't know if I'm experiencing the same problem but maybe someone can tell what I'm doing wrong. I rooted my phone by unrevoked and installed the Android-Wifi-Tether program. I've activated the program and it's sending out a signal. I then use my Windows Vista comp. to located it and it shows my phone as an "Ad-Hoc Network" when I connect to it, it says your computer is not configured for this. I'm not sure now what I should do, is there a problem with my EVO, or this something I need to do with the computer.

OP you are absolutely correct. I actually was trying the exact example you stated. I had created an ad-hoc wireless hotspot/network via Wireless Tether App on my Hero and my EVO just plain did not see it. It saw a million other networks that were much farther away, but not my Hero that was right next to it. This is unfortunate. Hopefully a workaround is found soon.

A lot of devices don't connect via an Ad Hoc network... which makes me wonder what its purpose even is :/ One reason I submitted the idea (true wifi hotspot) I did to the WP7 app contest.

This is what made me return my Archos 5 Android tablet and stick to my iPod Touch.
My scenario, i have a Sprint Treo and an iPod Touch (and iPad as well) and usually turn my Treo into a wifi router via wmwifirouter and use iPod Touch this way. Been doing this for years (with other devices too like the Nokia N800/N810), and wanted to test out Android. I got the Archos 5 tablet and was saddened not to be able to use my Treo's ad-hoc wifi. Back it went.
It seems that Android devices do not connect to ad-hoc wifi networks. Shame indeed. Also i think the Zune HD does not connect to ad-hoc as well.
Is it an O.S specific issue?

Wifi Xoom and BT Tether

I've found several threads on the subject of Tethering a Xoom via BT and Wifi but I'm not having much luck and there's a lot of confusion about providers/Xoom versions/phones, etc. so rather than tag on to a thread I hope it's ok to start a new one.
I have the following:
Wifi Xoom (NOT the Verizon version, the one that just came out on March 27th here in the US)
HTC Hero GSM - completely unlocked (purchased in Europe). Running Android 2.1 standard update from HTC. I'm using the AT&T data plan but device is not an AT&T device at all.
I would like to see if I can Tether the Xoom to the phone and use the data connection I have on it. I understand that the Xoom's chipset doesn't allow for Ad-hoc networks. I've tried to do a Wifi Tether and although that works from my Laptop to my Phone the Xoom doesn't see the ad-hoc network. I don't believe there is any way for me to make the Wifi Tether work in Infrastructure mode so I don't think there is an option there (unless the Xoom can be modified somehow to see Ad-hoc).
So now I'm trying to use Bluetooth Tethering. I've tried both PdaNet and Wifi Tether (v2.0.7 and phone rooted via SuperOneClick). Both seem to start up fine and are running. I then pair the two devices but as many others have reported, I don't see any Tethering options on the Xoom so I'm stuck.
I've tried different orders of things... run Wifi Tether, pair, vs. pair then Wifi Tether, work with Airplane mode on vs. off, Wifi on vs. off, etc. but I never see that Tether option show up.
Anyone have this working with an HTC Hero GSM by any chance? Note that this is the Wifi-Only Xoom which seems to have different features than the Verizon 3G Xoom. Could it be that the Hero itself doesn't support this profile? Or can the Xoom be modified to force it to think the device is tetherable.
I'm not sure if rooting the Xoom would help any or maybe flashing a custom ROM like CM7 on the Hero would help any. I'd prefer not to have to do this but if someone has this working with my exact configuration I'd give it a try.
Any help would be appreciated.

From what i know, most tethering tech /apps are establishing a ad-hoc network' which the xoom isnt capable of...

I too have the Xoom wifi only version with a HTC rooted CDMA Hero.
As everyone knows now the Ad hoc will not tether with the Xoom infrastructure as of the latest.
I too get full bluetooth tethering signal from Wireless Tether, but like you the Xoom will "pair but not connect". As you, I am confused as to whether it is the Hero or the Xoom Wifi which will not connect to the bluetooth tether.
I suspect it is the Xoom Wifi, but would also like a definitive answer and better yet a viable solution.

I have no issue tethering my Xoom (Wifi model) with my Verizon Motorola Droid (1 Gen) over Bluetooth.
My Droid is full rooted with custom Gingerbread ROM (2.3.3) and Overclocked Kernel from ChevyNo1. His kernels are everything enable such as tethering and VPN. This might be the difference for some.
The one annoying thing is that everytime I enable the hotspot on my Droid, I have to go into the Xoom settings and enable tethering on the connection to my Droid. This also has to be done if either device goes not a range and brought back. I am trying to find a widget or a Tasker script to auto enable this.

Be sure to already start the wifi tether program on your phone (selecting the blutooth option on it) then bring up the blutooth settings menu on your xoom, just press and hold the little wrench you see to the right of your phone icon. it should bring up the tether option...just press that and you should see it conect via blutooth.
Just be sure to have the wifi tether app on your phone already on and set for blutooth. This works for me everytime (running the atrix) and shoujkd also work for your phone too.

Still no luck on my side with the Tethering on while I do the pairing and/or when I touch the wrench icon.
I'd like to understand more about how the Bluetooth profile is detected. Does my phone have to publish out a certain profile? Or does the Xoom have a list of device types that it knows are tetherable? I've read on another forum that it seemed like Motorola devices like the Droid worked whereas HTCs didn't seem to. I'm wondering if the Xoom detects the type of phone it's connecting to and decides whether it's tetherable or not... Anyone know? If this is the case maybe there's some file that can be tweaked on the Xoom to include additional devices or change the phone to broadcast out a different device name, etc. Maybe I should try changing my device name to 'Droid' or something.
Just guessing at this point....

I had the same issue with my droid, bluetooth tether is a pretty good alternative. I made a video of it, works with most phones with that create the Ad-Hoc. Check out video below to see the easy steps involved. Root on phone required.

Thanks for posting the video. This is exactly what I tried but does not work with my HTC Hero and my Wifi Xoom. I'm going to see if I rename my Bluetooth device name to 'Droid' to see if that makes any difference. I doubt it....

rosso said:
Thanks for posting the video. This is exactly what I tried but does not work with my HTC Hero and my Wifi Xoom. I'm going to see if I rename my Bluetooth device name to 'Droid' to see if that makes any difference. I doubt it....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I ran into a little bug, and it wouldn't recognize my droid. I had to unpair and turn on the bluetooth tether app. Then pair. The xoom then recognized the bluetooth tether. Hopefully this works, I apologize if it doesn't.

My wifi Xoom works perfectly paired with a CM7 Nexus One.
App: wireless tether
pd: key is the wrench

I tried renaming the bluetooth device name to 'Droid' but that didn't make a difference. I'm sure I'm following the same steps as in the video. Somehow the Xoom doesn't see the Hero as a Tetherable device...
Maybe there are some differences in Bluetooth chipsets?

Wifi tethering works with the Desire Z or the G2
I assume the network it creates is not an ad-hoc otherwise the xoom wouldn't have recognized it?

It's either not ad-hoc or you're using Bluetooth. You'd have to explicitly choose Bluetooth tethering in the Wireless Tether app so I assume you're using Wifi.
From what I understand some phones (the ones that are meant to be used as wifi hotspots) do broadcast in infrastructure mode rather than ad-hoc so I assume that's why it works for you.

Also of note is that Honeycomb only supports PAN tethering, and not DUN tethering.
Your phone also has to have "bluetooth tethering" turned on (however you do it, I don't have an android phone) so that the Xoom can discover the PAN bluetooth service.

Interesting. Something to read up more on. I'm using Wireless Tether to do the Bluetooth tethering but maybe I need something additional switched on. At least it's another direction to look at....
Seems like someone figured out how to get the Xoom to listen to Ad-hoc networks but that needs the Xoom rooted so I'll also research that. I prefer Bluetooth tethering since it uses less juice on the phone....

It does seem that "Wireless Tether" which is what I'm using on my HTC Hero, is running in PAN mode. If I look at the app's directory it has a pand executable, etc. and when I'm running the tether it is running pand in the process list.
Still, if I pair, even while it's running pand the Xoom still doesn't recognize it as tetherable. Grrr.... Wish I had another bluetooth client I could try to connect to see if it's the phone or the Xoom but I don't have anything else.
I'm wondering if it's because I have the Android 2.1 update for my Hero. Wireless Tether seems to support the 1.5 version of the Hero but doesn't mention 2.1. Maybe there is an incompatibility there...
Anyway, will continue to try to figure it out.

Rosso, your not on your own, I am still trying to figure this out on my hero running froydvillian. I have done the wifi ad hoc mod and thats working for me but BT tethering woudl be better, I will let you know If i ever find a solution.
I did see someone else loaded CM7 for the hero and then BT tether worked, but CM7 seems to have been pulled for the hero at the moment due to stability issues.

I have a droid eris (verizon's cdma hero) and I have the same exact problems but I'm on cm7and using wireless tether. I can get the to devices and connect via tethering but 5 seconds after that my phone reboots.

Just picked up a wifi-Xoom for my wife over the weekend. Tried to get it connected to my phone (HD2) as a wifi hotspot and was having problems (the ad-hoc problem). The xoom wouldn't even see the hotspot. I am running AmeriCanDroid 0413 build and it has wifi tether v. 3.0-pre11. So I switched back to winmo and still nothing, then I tried going to Darkstone SuperRam 1.5 (my fallback build). It has an older version of wifi tether, I think 2.06 or something like that and got the xoom to connect. I haven't had a lot of time to fool around with it, but it was able to get a network connection. Maybe you could try an older version of the wifi tether? I haven't experimented with the BT tethering yet. I don't want to root the xoom yet, maybe when my wife is tired of it.
/edit
Just checked the wifi-tether website and there is a new version of wifi tether and it supports softap which may help the xoom recognize the wifi hotspot.

Hi, I have just managed to get my hero bluetooth tethered to my htc hero.
The process I followed was basically what everyone has said:-
download wireless tether i am using 2.0.7
1. start bluetooth on phone and xoom (make discoverable)
2. Do not pair the devices yet
3. start up wireless tether, select bluetooth and tap to start the actual service
4. go back to bluetooth on your xoom and pair the devices
I then got an icon I had not had before and when I tapped the wrench I got the option to tether.
As for wifi tether your phone needs to put out infrastructure wifi for the xoom to see it, if its ad-hoc, you'll need to do the wifi mod so that he xoom sees adhoc
although as stated the new version of 'wifi tether' (which just seems to be the new name for the 'wireless tether' app) may fix that? but doesn't seem to support bluetooth as the 2.07 version does

Neo as repeater

Can i somehow use my phone as a wlan repeater???
Sent from my MT15i using XDA App

Not sure but if you can use it as a hotspot, perhaps there's a way to do so.

xtacy! said:
Not sure but if you can use it as a hotspot, perhaps there's a way to do so.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It can't receive a network and host one at the same time, so the answer is no.

I wasn't sure. Never tried it out myself. Thanks for clearing it up for me.

what a pity

StartofJoke
Yarr!!
I was expecting how-to for using Xperia neo as semi-automatic repeater(like this http://budk.com/Outdoor-Sports/Nightstalker-Semi-Automatic-Repeater ), or digital repeater( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Repeater ). Pretty dissapointed to find no such things here.
Though there is some hope left yet, since you can use it as such kind of a repeater as shown here( http://apps.search.yahoo.com/search...rd&appgid=9569515&pf=android&pfs=android&pd=4 )
If it will not work as a cannon, at least it can work like a parrot.
EofJoke, matey.
SE claims that you can. Usually you need a rooted phone to enable tethering, SE but has built tethering into the phone.
I just tested. It works
Go to
Wireless & network settings
Tethering & portable hotspot
Port. Wi-Fi hotspot settings --- Configure Wi-Fi hotspot
Nothing complicated from there. create SSID and password
I am writing this post running on wireless internet connection provided by my Xperia neo.
Edit: connection seemed slower than over normal wi-fi router which has as fast internet connection as my data connection.

i know that wifi thering works thats no problem but i mean amplifing my wifi singnal from my rooter at home

Do you know any other phone that can do that?
This is instructions for creating a wireless repeater
http://urbanwireless.info/wireless-repeater
As you can see, you either hack a router into it or buy such a device from shop.
Which means, for a phone... it is nigh impossible to become such a repeater, unless you like it as a repeater and not a phone.