Help Anyone using easy tether or pda net?

[tkoden]

Whenever I try to connect my Mesmerize I get an error saying the computer can't recognize the phone and that the phone isn't working properly. I have installed the samsung drivers from the different companies and it still doesn't work. Any thoughts?

 

[nymusicman]

This might be an obvious question, but are you making sure you are in kies mode?

If that doesn't work. I'm using easy tether with ubuntu and the phone in debugging mode. You could just try debugging mode.

 

[phidelt82]

Whenever I try to connect my Mesmerize I get an error saying the computer can't recognize the phone and that the phone isn't working properly. I have installed the samsung drivers from the different companies and it still doesn't work. Any thoughts?

Is there any reason that you aren't just using the "Wireless Modem" app that is pre-installed to tether?

 

[tkoden]

Is there any reason that you aren't just using the "Wireless Modem" app that is pre-installed to tether?

I assumed it cost money like all the other carriers to use? Does USCC provide free tethering?

 

[USCellularAndroid]

uscc does not provide free tethering. HOWEVER... they were un-aware that the Mesmerize had the app called "Wireless Modem". Yes, I was wondering how a company could some how "not know" that this was pre-loaded on their device. Well they sure were confused when I called and asked about it ha. I was transfered to multiple departments trying to find the answer if it was "free" or not. I was finally given an answer something like "we can't charge more for something a phone can do stock out of the box". So I have been using the wireless modem app, and it just eats away at my 5GB faster.

The "Wireless Modem" app is one of the reasons I sold my Desire and bought the Mesmerize.

 

[tkoden]

uscc does not provide free tethering. HOWEVER... they were un-aware that the Mesmerize had the app called "Wireless Modem". Yes, I was wondering how a company could some how "not know" that this was pre-loaded on their device. Well they sure were confused when I called and asked about it ha. I was transfered to multiple departments trying to find the answer if it was "free" or not. I was finally given an answer something like "we can't charge more for something a phone can do stock out of the box". So I have been using the wireless modem app, and it just eats away at my 5GB faster.

The "Wireless Modem" app is one of the reasons I sold my Desire and bought the Mesmerize.

Nice. I will give it a shot then. It wants me to sign up for "Android E-mail & Web + Modem service" any idea what that is.

 

[LaTuFu]

I think you'll find that USCC didn't do a whole lot of "locking down" a la VZW on stock android goodies. A lot of "free" functionality has been left in. Free except for your data limits, of course.

 

[USCellularAndroid]

Nice. I will give it a shot then. It wants me to sign up for "Android E-mail & Web + Modem service" any idea what that is.

This is the $30/month 5GB data service plus the extra charge for modem service, which I think is $25.

Better of sticking to the "wireless modem" app pre-loaded on the phone

 

[Country_Gravy]

I was wondering about the wireless modem app. I thought that they were just going to charge me the extra $25. I am going to give it a try.

 

[androidphiltn]

What was the PASSWORD to get the stock wireless feather to work? If you find that iaccoca's charges to use that apparently I have a simple work around using wireless feather from the android market. Works great on our phones. Look at my thread. Thanks.

 

[androidphiltn]

BEWARE!!! Just got off the phone with uscc! There IS a charge to use the wifi-tether app that comes on the phone... $25/month. The answer above that says "we can't charge for a feature that the phone can do out of the box..." is COMPLETELY WRONG. just ask a Verizon customer is they dare use the pre-installed hotspot function on their phone. lol. Root and use "wireless tether for root users" it in the market. USCC can't see it. just see my thread.

 

[tkoden]

Well, I have been using the wireless modem app for a few weeks now so I will see if I get charged for it. If I do I will bitch to them until I get my money back and then go find a free app.

 

[Zebulon]

Well, I have been using the wireless modem app for a few weeks now so I will see if I get charged for it. If I do I will bitch to them until I get my money back and then go find a free app.

Any updates on this? I used the Wireless Modem for about 15 minutes after I first got my Mesmerize, but then I realized that there was a disclaimer that seemed to point to a charge.

I have been using the PDA Net, and that seems to be working well. It would be nice to use the WiFi functionality, though.

 

[LaTuFu]

I have been using the wireless modem app since I bought the phone in October. I have not signed up for the tethering plan, I only have the base data plan. I have yet to be charged.

As long as you're not streaming video files or downloading movies to your phone over the data connection, you won't use enough data to catch US Cellular's eye.

That might change sometime in the future, but right now I'm 3 billing cycles into it with no extra fees.

 

[tkoden]

I used the modem app last month a handful of times but didn't transfer more than probably 100mb and never saw a charge on my bill.

 

[WvFishFearMe]

Likewise my USCC store says its another $25/mo. to tether. (What a bogus charge. They don't know whether the data flows from a tethered laptop or not.)

Anyhow, I use PDANet over USB and over Bluetooth. For USB, just make sure USB debugging is enabled on the phone and do NOT mount the phone as a drive.

For the Bluetooth tether, PDANet installs a DUN service on your phone. Go to Control Panel/Devices and Printers. Start PDANet on the phone and start the bluetooth tether. Say yes to making your phone visible and then initiate "find devices" on the PC. Do the pairing number thing on your phone. Now you're connected to the phone but not the 'net. Configure your PC to use a dial up connection, enter "123" as the ISP phone number, no username, no password and you are rocking. On reconnections, I've found the PC DUN will fail with a COM port error. Right click on your phone in Devices and Printers and deleted any COM ports left dangling. May also have to pair the two again.
I have not been able to the Bluetooth tether consistantly; always stumble a little, but it eventually works.

 

[blaxx70]

It seems the wireless, or tethered modem feature is included with certain plans, which I seem to have, so here's the details in the following link Android Tethering Instructions | Smartphone Modem Feature | Android | U.S. Cellular

So it seems if you don't have one of the "plus" plans, you will have a extra charge.

This was confusing me until I found the web site explaining the tethered modem feature, but now I rest easy , and am watching that 5 GB cap. (Thanks to 3G Watchdog, LOL)

 

[LaTuFu]

Likewise my USCC store says its another $25/mo. to tether. (What a bogus charge. They don't know whether the data flows from a tethered laptop or not.)

Anyhow, I use PDANet over USB and over Bluetooth. For USB, just make sure USB debugging is enabled on the phone and do NOT mount the phone as a drive.

For the Bluetooth tether, PDANet installs a DUN service on your phone. Go to Control Panel/Devices and Printers. Start PDANet on the phone and start the bluetooth tether. Say yes to making your phone visible and then initiate "find devices" on the PC. Do the pairing number thing on your phone. Now you're connected to the phone but not the 'net. Configure your PC to use a dial up connection, enter "123" as the ISP phone number, no username, no password and you are rocking. On reconnections, I've found the PC DUN will fail with a COM port error. Right click on your phone in Devices and Printers and deleted any COM ports left dangling. May also have to pair the two again.
I have not been able to the Bluetooth tether consistantly; always stumble a little, but it eventually works.

If you have a Mesmerize, you don't have to go through all of that difficulty. Just run the wireless modem app already on the phone. If you want to make it really easy, go into the settings of the app before turning it on, and rename the device and the password. Once you pair it to an iPod or Laptop once, the paired device will store the tether's mac address info and the security key.

Whenever I need to use the tether I click it on and its up and running. No stumbling whatsoever.

 

[LaTuFu]

It seems the wireless, or tethered modem feature is included with certain plans, which I seem to have, so here's the details in the following link Android Tethering Instructions | Smartphone Modem Feature | Android | U.S. Cellular

So it seems if you don't have one of the "plus" plans, you will have a extra charge.

This was confusing me until I found the web site explaining the tethered modem feature, but now I rest easy , and am watching that 5 GB cap. (Thanks to 3G Watchdog, LOL)

Having read this information, it answers the question for everyone. (go figure, it was a RTFM issue the whole time) If you bought your Mesmerize from USCC, your data plan has "Data Plus". You can't get a plan from USCC for these phones without a data plan, and you can't get one without the "data plus" feature.

It tells you that the "tethering plan" is extra and required, but nowhere does it say "the app won't work unless you pay for it".

I do not have a tethering plan, only the data plus plan. I have yet to be charged for using the wireless modem app.

 

[Zebulon]

It seems the wireless, or tethered modem feature is included with certain plans, which I seem to have, so here's the details in the following link Android Tethering Instructions | Smartphone Modem Feature | Android | U.S. Cellular

So it seems if you don't have one of the "plus" plans, you will have a extra charge.

It looks like they're saying that to actually "tether" the phone, you need the $25 plan. PDA Net seems pretty adamant that their program gets around that, though.

 

[LaTuFu]

It looks like they're saying that to actually "tether" the phone, you need the $25 plan. PDA Net seems pretty adamant that their program gets around that, though.

Yes, PDA Net does get around that. My point is, so does the wireless modem app that your phone already has installed on it. No matter which of these two apps you use, they both will pull down data that USCC will be able to measure. Unless you're soaking up huge amounts of data on a regular basis, they will most likely never bother to look to see how you're pulling down the data. If you consistently don't go over your cap each month, most likely they are not going to bother to ask how you're using it. Its a simple matter of economics.