Solution to Wi-Fi Tethering Issues

[cafonez]

Thanks to TRS-80's thread, and my own issues I had to find a solution because not everyone is having the issue, which means it could be market specific, maybe tower specific? I am not a cell phone guru...but I found a way around it. Browser Agent Headers, it appears its looking for the proper agent headers and can tell when your on the PC because the agent headers are different then those of the phone's browser.

Step by step solution

1) Get firefox and install addon User Agent Switcher
2) Go to Firefox menu bar and go to addons -> User Agent Switcher -> options
3) Then click New -> New User Agent
4) Clear out everything for the new user agent
5) Description Android
6) Copy and paste this for your user agent field

Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; U; Android 2.2.1; en-us; SCH-R910 Build/FROYO)

7) Click Ok
8) Move it up to the top of the list
9)Then when firefox is fully opened right click underneath the orange firefox icon and check menubar
10) Under Tools look for default user agent and select your Android browser agent
11) A circle should appear next to it to let you know its been selected

Happy browsing!@!

 

[TRS-80]

As I said in another post, +100 cocktails to you, good sir. Excellent work.

It took me a few minutes to figure out how to enter a custom user agent string in Opera (I like Firefox, and use it for certain things, but Opera is my daily driver). Apparently, you cannot just enter a custom user string in there (there are only a few predefined options). So I actually ended up having to edit opera.dll in a hex editor.

So anyway, I have attached the edited opera.dll file. If anyone else is interested in using this, follow these instructions (for Windows):
1.Close any/all instances of Opera.
2.Navigate to \Program Files\Opera\ directory.
3.Rename the original opera.dll file to "backup of opera.dll", or somesuch, just in case.
4.Save the modified opera.dll file (zipped and attached to this post, below) into the \Program Files\Opera\ directory.
5.After that, you need to go into opera:config and go down to the bottom where it says User Agent. Select number 2 for Firefox emulation (the user agent string for Firefox is the one I replaced with the Android browser user agent string, it was the only one long enough). Be sure to hit save.
6.Exit, then restart Opera.
7.Then, go into Opera menu -> Help -> About Opera, and under Browser Identification, it should say the following:

Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; U; Intel Max OS X 10_6_3; en-us)

Edit 12/2/11: I changed the user agent string to the one for Dolphin browser, so you will get the full version of sites now, instead of the mobile version.

If it says the above, you have succeeded.

A few notes: I am using Opera 11.52 (the latest version). I am also running Windows XP, I'm not sure if that makes a difference in this dll file. Of course, when a new version comes out, this will probably break. PM me, and I will post an updated version.

If you don't like any of these options, you could always use a local proxy program on your http traffic that can read and modify headers, etc. to change your user agent... but I thought this would be easier.

 

[TRS-80]

Although some pages will now give you the mobile version of the site (because they think you are coming from your phone). :/

I actually just had a thought. I'm pretty sure I can still browse from my phone, using Dolphin Browser, which I have set to desktop user agent emulation. So if we can get that user agent string, it should take care of the problem of getting the mobile versions of sites. But I'm too tired now, I will mess with that tomorrow.

Edit 12/2/11: Done. See updated post above.

 

[cafonez]

Awesome work on the opera browser. I will check it out today. I like opera as well.

 

[cafonez]

Google Chrome Fix
On your desktop right click the google chrome shortcut and go to properties
under the target location put C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe --user-agent="Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; U; Android 2.2.1; en-us; SCH-R910 Build/FROYO)"

its important to have a spaces after .exe then --
screenshot attached

tested - works

Dolphin Emulation String C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe --user-agent="Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; U; Intel Max OS X 10_6_3; en-us)"

and tiede is correct!

 

[tiede]

Or use a plain old Linux desktop user agent string. Mine works and I never experienced this problem cause I am and have always been on Linux.
My user agent string is: Mozilla/5.0 (Ubuntu; X11; Linux x86_64; rv:8.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/8.0
It seems metro's block is testing to make sure you are not using windows. Not if you are actually using a phone. So change your UA string to something other than windows and it should work... (in theory, at least... waiting for further feedback to confirm this.)

 

[drtobaggan]

Hey, it worked! thanks!

 

[DreamRaider]

So is there a way for other things other than web browsers? Like I've tried using my ipod touch. A few things work, such a facebook and pandora. But the textfree app, and other things do not

 

[TRS-80]

So is there a way for other things other than web browsers? Like I've tried using my ipod touch. A few things work, such a facebook and pandora. But the textfree app, and other things do not

You would have to figure out a way in each program in question. For example, I have a standalone Pandora client (on PC) that I use that seems to not work now. When I get some time, I will see if there is any way to set something like a user agent in there.

Other than that, you are looking at setting up some kind of proxy on your machine, where you can monitor all the http traffic, and change your packet headers, etc...

This is not too hard to do on a PC, but forget about it on any iCrap. Unless you maybe jailbreak it or something? But I wouldn't know anything about how to go about that...

 

[plasticarmyman]

this worked for me...i'm in Long Beach, CA....and yeah i was getting blocked from tethering...also there is another workaround

http://androidforums.com/samsung-galaxy-indulge/456572-wifi-tether-any-browser.html

 

[Kyle2011]

Hi, I got this to work on my LG Esteem so thanks a lot!.......however....Site show up in tablet/mobile mode which I dont mind becuase I just change them to desktop BUT my twitter shows up in mobile and there is no option to change it to desktop! Is there anyway I can fix this? or better yet some code or program that will automatically make my sites show up in desktop mode? Thanks In Advance!

 

[tiede]

...use a Linux desktop user agent string. [...]
My user agent string is: Mozilla/5.0 (Ubuntu; X11; Linux x86_64; rv:8.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/8.0
[...]

Do that

 

[Kyle2011]

Do that

Well yes I am currently using that as my user agent but my sites are still on mobile. I am using firefox on windows 7 64-bit if that helps

 

[Kyle2011]

Im sorry after reading my question I realized my mistake...what I met to say is that when I close my browser then open it to reuse it I have to click android user agent in order for it to work. I there a code or program that can make firefox run as 'android' user agent by default when I open the browser? I am using Mozilla/5.0 (Ubuntu; X11; Linux x86_64; rv:8.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/8.0 and it works only when I go to tools> Android> Android when I open my browser, but I would like for my browser to open with this automatically set. Also I have android moved to the top of the list of the user agents

 

[TRS-80]

Im sorry after reading my question I realized my mistake...what I met to say is that when I close my browser then open it to reuse it I have to click android user agent in order for it to work. I there a code or program that can make firefox run as 'android' user agent by default when I open the browser? I am using Mozilla/5.0 (Ubuntu; X11; Linux x86_64; rv:8.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/8.0 and it works only when I go to tools> Android> Android when I open my browser, but I would like for my browser to open with this automatically set. Also I have android moved to the top of the list of the user agents

I believe that's a bug with the user-agent switcher in Firefox. Yes, you will have to change it each time as far as I know. Try Opera? The fix I uploaded above for Opera doesn't do that...

Also (and don't want to start a browser flame war here) I think you will find Opera to be much faster, especially on startup.

 

[dcarrd]

anyone have a fix for Explorer? My Mitchell on demand 5 will only work on that browser...

 

[rt-hemiboy]

Good

 

[HoUdInI]

all i get when i add this string is target is invalid put it in just like you typed it any ideas why this is not working...i have a lg esteem and looking to get the wifi hotspot to work..thanks

 

[jamesmock]

Ok so i got a kitkat 4.4.2 lgl70 on metro and cant figure this out using chrome browser please can somone expresses. What i write in target: id be much abliged thanks alot