Database Users

Major WiFi issues!

Hey guys.
I bought my XdaIIs almost a year ago, but have had no need to use the WiFi until quite recently. I'm with O2 on the 200 Plan (light user) and everything works fine with the phone, including the GRPS: apart from the WiFi. When the phone was sold to me I was told very clearly, and on multiple occasions, that if I can pick up a WiFi signal, and that it's free, then I can connect and browse for free. I don't have a WiFi connection at home, so it's only when out and about that I need to connect. However, when I tried this at a Coffee House that had free access I could only connect via one of two of O2's "Gateway Partners" and they wanted to charge me for this, which I find outrageous! Can someone confirm to me whether this is correct, as O2 told me that I have to be a "Business User" on a Business Plan to get free WiFi, and that the fact that the phone has WiFi doees not mean that they support it!
If the above is the case, is there anyway around this, such as unlocking the phone, or connecting via a completely different network? I just find it galling that O2 can mis-sell me the phone on the basis that I can connect via WiFi "anywhere and anytime for free" and then to be told that this isn't the case.
Thanks in advance.
Tron

Tron,
WiFi isn't free. It's usually provided by some operator (e.g. BT, The Cloud, T-Mobile, etc), and these guys want money for providing a service.
Generally you can create an account with them whilst you are in a WiFi Hotspot - and their charges vary. It's nowhere near as prevalent as GSM, so you'll find that not all of these operators have agreements between themselves; basically this means that you can use an operators account only with it's partners.
As for if "if you can see a wifi signal it's free" - it's not true. Not wishing to condone anything illegal, you can generally get away with it if there's no encryption on the access point; but it is illegal to use a signal that is not meant for you. The idea of unlocking your phone doesn't really apply in this case either - it's nothing to do with the network lock but the way the people who run the equipment choose to charge; remember the equipment for WiFi is completely separate from the Mobile GSM network you use when you call someone on your mobile.
As for the O2 WiFi network/partners, I've no idea about the pricing. But it does make sense that they would have a different tariff for those subscribing to their wifi service, like their Business Plan.
No doubt the salesperson over-played this a bit when selling it to you!

Hey Bal, thanks for the reply.
So, if I'm sitting in a Library, for arguements sake, and they have a completely free and open WiFi connection, how am I meant to connect? Surely O2 via "The Cloud" cannot charge me to use someone's network who are letting me use it for free: can they? Likewise, if I pop around your house and you let me use your connection, do I have to connect via one of O2's partners? That's what I'm trying to get at, I guess.
Thanks once again.

wifi is just like a normal network between computers you set up at home
you can let people from the outside hop on if you want
but you are to blame if they abuse your network connection though i guess
some places offer free wifi too some plane companys offer it in their planes
some trains offer it
7-11 offer it and so does mcdonals i believe

Rudegar is right of course, if it's free and you open your wireless lan manager you should see the network and be able to connect without a password.
This has nothing to do with the mobile operator you have a contract with.
It's the same as you bringing your laptop over to my place and plugging it into the wired lan - only difference being that there are no wires involved.
If you think of your wifi as just a way of "plugging into" a network rather than as part of your mobile it makes more sense.
I would suggest that you find somewhere with wifi access and have a play - you'll learn much more that way

well if the mobile operators wanted to they could offer it
and charge people for it of cause it would require them
to set up MANY hotspots and repeaters to service all their customers

Okay, cool. Thanks for all of the help guys. I guess I'll have to wander around an find a free WiFi spot (there are none that I know of anywhere near me).
Ross

or you could just get a wifi router for your internet connection for your normal computers should you have a such
and make your own hotspot

Laptop on PDA data plan hack?

Now, "Off the record"... is there a way (Potentially) that I could (Potentially) connect my (hypothetical) laptop to my (Hypothetical) cellular plan if I just (hypothetically)have the AT&T PDA Data plan?
Yes, I would basically circumventing AT&T services and probably violating the EULA or whatever... but I just don't need the bandwidth of a full data plan on an EEE (all this ownership and service being hypothetical of course... okay, I'll stop)
Better yet, can I put my Sim card in one of those USB dongles and have it access the 3G network... even though I only have the PDA plan?
Any input would be nice.
thanks,
-Jlopez
[EDIT: Oh yeah, it's in an HTC Hermes/8525/Tytn 1 right now, and that has a wifi antenna... I can plug it in via usb, but haven't found a program or Firmware that would let me share internet on it. I've tried WMWifiRouter with the registry changes (Wifi instead of BT for ICS...) but hasn't worked for meh ]

You can use internet connection sharing. The original at&t roms have it hidden in the windows folder. I not sure what roms are available for your phone but I know when I flash to wm6.1 with my tytn II (not an official ATT Rom), Internet connection sharing was readily available at under my programs list.

Best program for tethering ever http://www.junefabrics.com/pdanet/index.php
PDANET FTW

Bypass tethering check on laptop dock possible?

Would buy a laptop dock today if I wasn't being asked to relinquish my unlimited data plan in the process. Any way to bypass the tethering check? When I placed my phone into a dock it checks for either data tethering OR wireless network connection. My suggestion, but don't know if it can be done: a program that tricks the phone into thinking its on wifi when running 4g (a la 3g unrestrictor for ios). Is this possible at all? I know some people were asking about a similar program in order to run skype off of android in 3d a while back (prior to skype now accepting 3g for calls).
If I posted this in the wrong section, my apologies.

Moved to general as not android development

As off right now the laptop dock doesn't work with the work around to allow wifi tether without tethering data plan. Because it actually checks with att if you have the proper data plan. I've been searching for something similar to the iphone app my wii 3g.
Sent from my Motorola Atrix 4g XDA app.

i mean i can take my sim card out, use it with my dell streak, and connect the atrix with dock to my hotspot, but that's another phone i have to haul around... i'm still likely to buy the dock, $399 at amazon isn't all bad.

I just bought the dock, and I have some interesting notes to add:
When I plugged in my phone to the dock at the AT&T store, the dock did not check if I had tethering. When I then pruchased the dock, walked out to my car, and plugged it in, it did not check and I did browse the internet. I then drove home and tried again, and this time it told me that I needed a tethering plan. This all has to be a software check which runs at certain times, which leads me to believe that we can find and remove it.

I am replying to this while on the laptop dock. I do NOT have the tethering plan. I used this guide to enable hot spot and it works with firefox webtop.
Key for me was set up new APN, plug phone into laptop dock, THEN turn on hotspot. I am also using the atrix's hotspot with another pc.
edit: bah, turned off hotspot but i am still able to surf the web on the laptop dock. this is confusing.

I was able to get it to work somehow.
Here is what i did:
1) Created the custom APN for free tethering as described here.
2) Under APN type i put the following: default,dun,tether
3) i made sure my wifi hostspot is working properly (to make sure i setup the APN correctly). Once confirmed i shut down the hotspot app.
4) connected the HD media dock and launched webtop - it tried to verify the connection and kinda got stuck there.
5) i then changed the APN from the one i created to a built in one called "AT&T US Tether". at that point Webtop got access to the internet somehow (an no i don't have a tethering plan, i have an grandfathered unlimited data plan).
6) I immediately switched back to my custom APN after i saw webtop passed the connection authorization stage and voila...it is online via 3G/4G. I know for sure that the webtop is connecting through the custom APN and somehow - it works.

clubtech said:
I was able to get it to work somehow.
Here is what i did:
1) Created the custom APN for free tethering as described here.
2) Under APN type i put the following: default,dun,tether
3) i made sure my wifi hostspot is working properly (to make sure i setup the APN correctly). Once confirmed i shut down the hotspot app.
4) connected the HD media dock and launched webtop - it tried to verify the connection and kinda got stuck there.
5) i then changed the APN from the one i created to a built in one called "AT&T US Tether". at that point Webtop got access to the internet somehow (an no i don't have a tethering plan, i have an grandfathered unlimited data plan).
6) I immediately switched back to my custom APN after i saw webtop passed the connection authorization stage and voila...it is online via 3G/4G. I know for sure that the webtop is connecting through the custom APN and somehow - it works.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
nice, i did something similar. but the odd thing for me though is that i turned off hotspot while docked and internet is still good to go. no wifi in sight so i know it's not picking up anything else.

Here's what I did.
1. Setup the wifi tethering hack (custom APN - AT&T with type default)
2. I docked it - it goes into - checking account status for webtop etc.
3. In the settings of the webtop (left of wifi icon, the little gear icon - go to advanced and then network proxy - change Location from Cellular to Default
That did it for me.
Hope it helps you too

clubtech said:
I was able to get it to work somehow.
Here is what i did:
1) Created the custom APN for free tethering as described here.
2) Under APN type i put the following: default,dun,tether
3) i made sure my wifi hostspot is working properly (to make sure i setup the APN correctly). Once confirmed i shut down the hotspot app.
4) connected the HD media dock and launched webtop - it tried to verify the connection and kinda got stuck there.
5) i then changed the APN from the one i created to a built in one called "AT&T US Tether". at that point Webtop got access to the internet somehow (an no i don't have a tethering plan, i have an grandfathered unlimited data plan).
6) I immediately switched back to my custom APN after i saw webtop passed the connection authorization stage and voila...it is online via 3G/4G. I know for sure that the webtop is connecting through the custom APN and somehow - it works.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Working for me as well Followed your directions exactly.

THIS WORKS! Awesome find, now I don't have to give up my unlimited plan.

So I've been going back and forth on what phone to get. In the end, it sounds like the Atrix has nearly as bright and colorful a screen as the Infuse, has a smaller device footprint, and still has gorilla glass. So I came to xda to see if...
1) Can I sideload apps?
2) Use the laptop dock without giving up my unlimited data plan?
3) Where is it cheapest to purchase the phone and possibly the dock off contract?
Seems like 1 is possible with root and upgrades, and 2 sounds possible as well. Are you having to go though each of those steps EVERY TIME you want to use the dock?
And if anyone has any suggestions on cheapest availability for someone in Washington State, I'd love to get this from somewhere tax free if possible.
Thanks in advance.

[Q] Wi-fi hotspot app for a T-Mobile HD2

I have the T-Mobile (USA) version of the HTC HD2, still with the latest stock ROM, Windows Mobile 6.5.
I think I once read here that the European HD2 came with an app to use the phone's 3G connection as a wi-fi hotspot to tether other devices to. The T-Mobile USA version did not come with that though.
It didn't matter to me before. I have often tethered my laptop to the internet through the phone, but no need for wi-fi for that-- it works fine with USB or Bluetooth. (I usually use the Internet Connection Sharing applet. Occasionally dial-up networking.)
However, curious about IOS apps, and not wanting to change phone carriers and pay high monthly fees to get an Iphone, I just bought an ipod touch 4th generation to play with. It's only kind of internet connection is wi-fi. That will work when one has a wi-fi Internet connection, but one does not have that everywhere. It may have BT to connect to a headset, but I doubt it could tether through the HD2 that way. It might be possible with a couple adapters to connect the USB ports, but I doubt it would tether that way either. (If someone has found a way to do either though, to tether an IOS device through a stock ROM HD2 via BT and/or USB, please let me know.)
However, if I could find a way to make the HD2's 3G connection appear as a wi-fi hotspot, I assume that would work, to tether the Itouch with.
Is there an app I can download for my T-Mobile HD2, to use its 3G connection as a wi-fi hot spot? (Just an app. I do not have time now to deal with putting on a different ROM.) Do you have a link to it? If anyone reading has used the app, could you review how well it works?
Thank you.

Download this app or any other version of this app from Freeware Pocket PC.

T-Macgnolia said:
Download this app or any other version of this app from Freeware Pocket PC.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, T.
Since I posted the OP, I discovered the app WMWiFiRouter.
Is this one you link to the same app with a different name, or a different app? If the latter, can anyone compare the two?
Also, since the original (not T-Mo USA) HD2 had a wifi router buoilt in, created by HTC, would that app work better on the HD2? Any way to download and install that to the T-Mo version? (again, without any ROM flashing.)

Doubt Wifi will work as HD2 will be adhoc wifi & ios device will want infrastructure wifi ...
Only way I have managed it is connecting HD2 via Win 7 Notebook (USB tether) then use Connectify on my Notebook to setup a infrastructure wifi hotspot that works with everything.
Amazes me in this day & age & level of development that we still have to jump through hoop after hoop to achieve basic functions.
Really about time the big OS developers pulled their finger out & make functional OS's that connect & share between devices with simplicity.
Amazing how even a Windows device & Windows PC alienate each other ! Microsoft could of really jumped ahead here years ago if had a bit of common sense & innovative development.
I'm sure WP8 will sort it all out ! not :-/

me said:
Thanks, T.
Since I posted the OP, I discovered the app WMWiFiRouter.
Is this one you link to the same app with a different name, or a different app? If the latter, can anyone compare the two?
Also, since the original (not T-Mo USA) HD2 had a wifi router buoilt in, created by HTC, would that app work better on the HD2? Any way to download and install that to the T-Mo version? (again, without any ROM flashing.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think it is pretty much the same app as the one you found is actually the one I use to use on my HD2 back when I used Win Mo. But for some reason I could not find it, the app I linked looks just like the one I use to use. Also I think the app you found is just another version of the HTC app.
At Mister B, first it is good to see someone with your expertise in Win Mo still hanging out an helping others, have you ever concidered applying for RC status? Also I had two buddies that use to come over and connect via WiFi off my HD2 with a iPod touch and a iPhone three. So maybe not all of Apple's I products are so stupidly restrained.

Done a google on adhoc & iPhone, seems is possible, never had any luck when I tried but next time I get an iPhone volunteer willing to mess about with settings a bit more I will give it a proper go.

Tethering ideas?

Hello.
I have a rooted Chinese dual SIM phone. I've been tethering to my laptop using my phone networks unlimited phone data plan for the past couple of years but finally they've cut me off for cheating.
I've been googling how to get round the tethering detection solid for 24 hours now with no definitive answer. Almost all the responses on the search relate to either people in America having their tethering options removed (not me) or people who think all they have to do is switch their browsers user-agent.
Obviously any windows 7 laptop runs dozens of services that use the internet, even if its just checking for updates through the day, all of which can rightly be flagged up as tethering traffic.
I'm quite poor and don't want to spend more than I currently do for the internet, I use about 10GB a month just now with hundreds of calls and texts free for £12 (Giffgaff). I have another secret Giffgaff sim that isn't activated yet, the network coverage here is pretty good compared to the rest so I'm keen to stay with them.
I've read a lot about VPN's but tbh I don't trust them, I can't see why a network wouldnt be able to detect that straight away? Am I wrong there?
The ideal solution for me would be an app on the phone that routes all traffic through the device, so that everything they see looks as though it has come from my phone. Setting up the phone as a VPN server would work I think, then connect the computer to it when I need it, I've no idea where to start though.
You'd think this would be a problem with a common, working solution, given how useful it is. Sadly Google is clueless on this one.

VPN data should be encrypted so they cannot see what's in it. The only problem you have is trust/security. Do you trust the VPN server to handle your data safely.
Next solution would be to set your home PC as a VPN server. That way your data is your data. But that does mean leaving your PC on when you want to tether.
Data flow:
Laptop ===> Phone ===> ~~Mobile Internet~~ ===> Home PC -----> ~~Home Broadband~~ -----> To the internet
===> VPN secured
-----> Regular transmission

Well, I would suggest something like EasyTether, it's a USB tether from your phone/tablet to PC /Mac/Linux. But what exactly are you using to tether (not phone, as in app or setting)?
Sent from my LePanII using xda app-developers app