Will it cost extra to "Tether" an EVO? Can it replace home internet (DSL)?

[Vesbon]

Can "tethering" on the EVO realistically replace a home internet connection on a desktop computer? I have 2 computers at home that rely on AT&T DSL for the internet (which is really slow). If I get an EVO, can I easily drop my DSL and instead use the EVO "tethering" feature? Is it complicated to use? That is, I sometimes just want to quickly check a website, and if it's hard to set up every time I want to use the internet on my desktop, it won't be worth it.

Does it cost extra to "tether" the EVO to a home desktop computer?

Thanks
-V

 

[zamardii12]

I don't believe it costs extra to tether, but the Wifi hotspot (which i'm getting) is going to cost an extra $30/month.

 

[Vesbon]

So one can't tether without a wifi hotspot? Can I just buy that USB key looking thing and somehow use tethering w/out the wifi hotspot? And is it just one EVO that can power a single computer's internet connection (if I don't have the Wifi hotspot)?

I'm trying to avoid the $30 a month.

-v

 

[colnago]

I don't believe it costs extra to tether, but the Wifi hotspot (which i'm getting) is going to cost an extra $30/month.

...with 4G adding an additional $10/mo.

 

[zamardii12]

So one can't tether without a wifi hotspot? Can I just buy that USB key looking thing and somehow use tethering w/out the wifi hotspot? And is it just one EVO that can power a single computer's internet connection (if I don't have the Wifi hotspot)?

I'm trying to avoid the $30 a month.

-v

I don't know if I worded it incorrectly, but what Ieamt was that physically hooking up the EVO to your computer I believe you don't have to pay for. If you want to use the phone as a wifi hotspot so up to 8 other devices can connect to it, then you have to pay the $30.

 

[trife]

Not sure if that'll work.
I've got a mobile broadband card with sprint for 60$ a mo. Why would they give me a service that allows me to tether for 30/40 a mo?

Most likely you'll have to pay the 30 hotspot fee ontop of the data, ontop of that the $10 premium data/4g fee for unlimited. So I'd guess we're looking at $70 bucks just on data a mo. But atleast you'd be truly unlimited which a "home" connection would require for your netflix or whatever.

Id like to transfer my mobile broadbands ESN onto the Evo so I can have the "premium data" for 60 instead of 70 since i've got unlimited grandfathered into it. But i doubt they'd do that either

 

[SBCT]

Simple answer is YES, using any one of the various free applications available such as pdanet, you can connect your home computer to your android phone to "tether" it and access the internet through the phone.

 

[IOWA]

Using the evo for your home internet isn't practical

Tapatalk. Samsung Moment. Yep.

 

[Vesbon]

Simple answer is YES, using any one of the various free applications available such as pdanet, you can connect your home computer to your android phone to "tether" it and access the internet through the phone.

Can this be done wirelessly (no USB cable) and is it easy? In other words, if it's a hassle to set up just to hop on my desktop computer to bang out a long email, it would quickly get annoying. And Sprint can't tell I'm "tethering" it so I won't have to pay the $30 a month for the WiFi hotspot?

Nice how they advertise the hell out of tethering, but then don't mention it's an additional $30 a month (I'm sure it's there, just not as plastered all over like tethering is).

Thanks
-V

 

[Vesbon]

Using the evo for your home internet isn't practical

Tapatalk. Samsung Moment. Yep.

Yeah, that was my gut feeling. It just seems like it might be a big 'ol hassle, but I thought I'd ask (I'm a newb to android).

 

[mcatdtDROID]

Using the evo for your home internet isn't practical

Tapatalk. Samsung Moment. Yep.

says who??? you? so be it, continue to pay for internet at home when PDANet and easytether have free versions that work just fine for others.



o.p. - I have a moto droid, and I tether for free, get inet for free.... in fact, I'm tethered right now on my lappy. I have no home internet service.

I can.....

watch streaming videos
pay bills online
check email
TAKE MY INTERNET WITH ME instead of leaving it at home (just like my phone when I made the decision to stop paying for a home phone when I can take a cell phone with me.
download music

I do not have the ability to pay for tethering (like Blackberries do) so I can't. I don't know how sprint handles that with the EVO. Ask them. Ask, "Is there a tethering fee like with the blackberry?" If they say no, download easytether (my fav) or PDANet and go to it.




now watch out.... in about 5 posts, people are going to start throwing scare tactics at you like

"you can get hit with an $18K cell phone bill"
"you'll be dropped by your service provider for violation of TOS and be forced to pay early term fees"

(both of which, have never happened to Android phone users for tethering)

and when that fails, the tried and true
"you're ruining it for others.... thanks"

 

[IOWA]

Using the evo for your home internet isn't practical

Tapatalk. Samsung Moment. Yep.

says who??? you? so be it, continue to pay for internet at home when PDANet and easytether have free versions that work just fine for others.



o.p. - I have a moto droid, and I tether for free, get inet for free.... in fact, I'm tethered right now on my lappy. I have no home internet service.

I can.....

watch streaming videos
pay bills online
check email
TAKE MY INTERNET WITH ME instead of leaving it at home (just like my phone when I made the decision to stop paying for a home phone when I can take a cell phone with me.
download music

I do not have the ability to pay for tethering (like Blackberries do) so I can't. I don't know how sprint handles that with the EVO. Ask them. Ask, "Is there a tethering fee like with the blackberry?" If they say no, download easytether (my fav) or PDANet and go to it.




now watch out.... in about 5 posts, people are going to start throwing scare tactics at you like

"you can get hit with an $18K cell phone bill"
"you'll be dropped by your service provider for violation of TOS and be forced to pay early term fees"

(both of which, have never happened to Android phone users for tethering)

and when that fails, the tried and true
"you're ruining it for others.... thanks"

Ha just wait til vzw introduces tiered data charges like att. They already said they want to do it, now that att did it, its only a matter of time.

Sprint has killed contracts for breaking the tos. However if you use the wifi hotspot feature, this obviously does not apply.

Why is it impraticle?

-most people have more than one device they need connected to the internet.

- unless your on 4g, when you get a phone call, your net connection drops.

- speeds aren't anywhere near real broadband, and if a large amount of people do this, there is no doubt sprin will go to tiered data as well.

-latency is a killer for any kind of online gaming.

-it will reduce the life of your evo.

-other things I will think of later.

It is actually quite easy for a carrier to determine if you are tethering. Also, tethered connections aren't very reliable compared to landline service.

- it is illegal to do any kind of ESN modification. ESN = electronic serial number, and very device has a unique ESN, and it is regulated by the FCC

-if you can't afford a basic $30/mo landline broadband plan, and the evo, then you really need to shift your priorities from having the latest and greatest to whats economical.

-people who dispense 'advice' that can potentially (and eventually) get you into more trouble than it's worth, shouldn't be taken seriously. Like the guy above with the moto droid and no home 'net connection.

Tapatalk. Samsung Moment. Yep.

 

[akdms]

I was under the impression that tethering was expressly banned by Sprint, and you had to pay the $30 a month or you were in violation of your contract agreement (and could possibly be banned from Sprint and/or charged data fees)?

That said, I have used WiFi tethering on my rooted Hero a few times to download work files and even streamed a YouTube video. Never more than a few MB of data usage. Even on 3g it is surprisingly fast -- MUCH faster than it is on the phone. I'm not sure that I would try and use it in place of my home internet, but it's definitely faster than half the free WiFi hotspots out there.

 

[trife]

- unless your on 4g, when you get a phone call, your net connection drops

This was a deal breaker for me. then I thought. ya know what i have google voice and can put do not disturb on when using the net. Will I atleast get a notification without a drop? I can probably have google voice e-mail me of txt or calls.

GV has an option to e-mail you for voice mails and the SMS is actually data so both would go through and give you the option to call/txt back.

This might still work!