Use your phone as a modem / mobile hot-spot?

[skebanga]

I've got an HTC Desire which has a Mobile Hotspot App on it - so I can connect my laptop to the WiFi signal generated by my phone.

I have "Unlimited Internet" with a fair-usage cap of 1GB. (such a farce, that use of the word unlimited, why don't they just say 1GB?)
However, the terms and conditions explicitly disallow using the phone as a modem.

My question is, can they tell, and if so, how? Surely the HTTP/HTTPS requests being sent out by the phone are exactly the same, regardless of whether it's coming from the phone or the laptop?

If they aren't (perhaps some ID which says this is a phone as apposed to a different ID which will be sent by the laptop's browser), is there a way to make it look as if the requests being sent are coming from the phone?

TIA
skebanga

 

[Szadzik]

I would not worry about this is I were you and just use the phone as a hotspot. They are not going to make you pay more or anything. Just remmeber about the cap.

 

[je2854]

i have had over 3.2gbs of data in one month and i was not charged any extra charges, so you should be ok with going over 1gb

 

[tliltoy]

how can i use my optimus as a modem for my laptop

 

[3Bier]

how can i use my optimus as a modem for my laptop

By installing 'PDAnet' on your phone and your laptop. It is free for users outside the US and Canada (a refreshing reversal; if extremely rare).

 

[ThirdeyeQ]

My DroidX has "unlimited" data but I do not pay the additional fee for the hotspot. If I turn it on it will sometimes let me online but I cannot stream hobo or netflix while other times it just kicks me to a verizon page that tells me I can't use the hotspot unless I pay. Is there a way around this without jailbreaking the phone? Will pdanet do it and does it work with a kindle fire? I want to be able to watch movies on at least a bit larger screen. Thanks in advance. Q

 

[RazzMaTazz]

I've got an HTC Desire which has a Mobile Hotspot App on it - so I can connect my laptop to the WiFi signal generated by my phone.

I have "Unlimited Internet" with a fair-usage cap of 1GB. (such a farce, that use of the word unlimited, why don't they just say 1GB?)
However, the terms and conditions explicitly disallow using the phone as a modem.

My question is, can they tell, and if so, how?

Maybe by "unlimited" they mean distance from which web pages can be retrieved.

Why would they include a hotspot app if they don't want you to use it as a hotspot?

If they cared, they could tell that your http requests are coming from a big-screen browser, but I doubt that they care as long as you don't use up too much data. I'm sure that they'd warn you (and try to upsell you) before they'd drop you as a paying customer, so I'd say give it a try and see. I've been using free Hotspot functionality on my Sprint phone for years (without paying their monthly fee) and they've never complained.

 

[RazzMaTazz]

how can i use my optimus as a modem for my laptop

There are many Optimus models. On my Optimus S, I use the free "WiFi Tether for Root Users". Root required.

Depending on your model, you may also be able use PDANet+ but the free version has a nagging data-limit that boots you off after a bit in order get you to upgrade. You can try before you buy.

 

[RazzMaTazz]

Will pdanet do it and does it work with a kindle fire?

It's free to try. Please try it and let us know.