FoxFi with Verizon?

[Sailing_Nut]

Has anyone used FoxFi long term on Verizon?

Just wondering if it manages to "fly under the radar" of the Verizon folks.

I want to avoid any possible nasty "surprises" from using it!

Thanks!

 

[CharlieD]

Has anyone used FoxFi long term on Verizon?

Just wondering if it manages to "fly under the radar" of the Verizon folks.

I want to avoid any possible nasty "surprises" from using it!

Thanks!

Funny you should ask. I just installed FoxFi on my Razr Maxx this afternoon to try it out and was wondering the same thing. I'm grandfathered on the unlimited data plan. I noticed a mobile hotspot app comes with the phone. Back on my old phone if I tried to start the old app it would tell me it was going to cost me, if I remember correctly. I tried this one and got no such warning, although when I started it it tried to download terms and conditions and then said my order could not be processed. I fired up FoxFi and it just worked.

I have no idea how legit this is and would like to know, also.

 

[Sailing_Nut]

@CharlieD I'm in the exact same boat!

I am quite certain that FoxFi violates the Ts&Cs of the Verizon contract. I'm just wondering if they have any way of finding out that you are using it.

 

[Captain Sexy]

I've used it for about a month and no issues, not sure what the problem would be with this whole new share data thing they have.

 

[dirkbonn]

I've used it for about a month and no issues, not sure what the problem would be with this whole new share data thing they have.

I don't think there would be a problem with the "shared data" plans as mobile hotspot is included with those plans. :smokingsomb:

 

[Sailing_Nut]

I don't think there would be a problem with the "shared data" plans as mobile hotspot is included with those plans. :smokingsomb:

At present I'm not on one of those plans. I am still grandfathered into the unlimited plan. I can sort of see their problem with tethering in my case. (But still not happy about their practices!)

 

[dautley]

Verizon use to offer apps like this in the their own section of the Google App Store a few years ago but did a about face and says they now violate the TOS.
While many people do some tethering using apps like this, your on your own if Verizon comes calling.

 

[Sailing_Nut]

Verizon use to offer apps like this in the their own section of the Google App Store a few years ago but did a about face and says they now violate the TOS.
While many people do some tethering using apps like this, your on your own if Verizon comes calling.

Totally understand I am taking a risk on my own without anyone suggesting I do so. :-D

Just wondering if anyone had any nagative interactions with Verizon over this.... hypothetically speaking ;-)

 

[qetuop]

I tried Barnacle on my old droid x. As soon as I turned it on I got a pop up saying "this is not allowed" and seemed to lose my 3g connection for a few minutes. But nothing more. I don't know enough about the hotspot apps to say if one is harder to detect than another.

I tried the mobile hotspot on this one but it would not let me toggle it on.


Barnacle Wifi Tether | AppBrain Android Market

 

[Captain Sexy]

I don't think there would be a problem with the "shared data" plans as mobile hotspot is included with those plans. :smokingsomb:

I meant more as a concept that seems to be the way they feel. I don't have shared data only ind so no hotspot.

 

[rizzer]

I meant more as a concept that seems to be the way they feel. I don't have shared data only ind so no hotspot.

My Vnex is a bugless beast and Foxfi no longer works, is that for all with JB?

 

[snowwy66]

just tested on my bionic. 10 down and 8 up. so it's still working.

 

[thedrizl]

I have used Foxfi on my Razr as well as my DX, and have never had an issue with Big Red because of it. However, it depends what you are tethering to your phone. If it is a device that is going to show as a mobile device, like a tablet, then you're good to go and VZW will never be the wiser. If it is a notebook or other standard pc, you may want to rethink your plans because Verizon will find out. Traditional computing machines show up as a completely different data stream, thus making them easy to detect.

In the interest of full disclosure, I have unlimited data through VZW, and occasionally tether my Galaxy Tab to my phone using Foxfi.

 

[Dodge DeBoulet]

I have used Foxfi on my Razr as well as my DX, and have never had an issue with Big Red because of it. However, it depends what you are tethering to your phone. If it is a device that is going to show as a mobile device, like a tablet, then you're good to go and VZW will never be the wiser. If it is a notebook or other standard pc, you may want to rethink your plans because Verizon will find out. Traditional computing machines show up as a completely different data stream, thus making them easy to detect.

In the interest of full disclosure, I have unlimited data through VZW, and occasionally tether my Galaxy Tab to my phone using Foxfi.

In what way does a mobile device present "an entirely different data stream?" Laptops use IP and the same protocols as tablets. We're talking HTTP, POP, SMTP, identical VPN protocols, streaming, etc. The only potential difference might be in browser identification strings that web sites use to redirect to mobile versions of their content, but do you think VZW is going to bother to sniff those to look for violators?

 

[thedrizl]

In what way does a mobile device present "an entirely different data stream?" Laptops use IP and the same protocols as tablets. We're talking HTTP, POP, SMTP, identical VPN protocols, streaming, etc. The only potential difference might be in browser identification strings that web sites use to redirect to mobile versions of their content, but do you think VZW is going to bother to sniff those to look for violators?

Bingo. And yes, Big Red will go to the trouble.

 

[Dodge DeBoulet]

Bingo. And yes, Big Red will go to the trouble.

How do browser identification strings represent an "entirely different data stream?"

I'm not disagreeing that Verizon might sniff for this kind of stuff, but your statement smells strongly of hyperbole.

 

[sarkibot]

Totally understand I am taking a risk on my own without anyone suggesting I do so. :-D

Just wondering if anyone had any nagative interactions with Verizon over this.... hypothetically speaking ;-)

I setup FoxFi on my phone last month. I monitored my bill online to see if I'd be charged for the data I was using. It was fantastic having unlimited data lightning fast (even faster than the MiFi I use with them) out in the country where our connection & speed is always absolutely DREADFUL.
(by the way, isn't it ODD that my mobile hotspot gives me full service and high speed internet that 3 people can use simultaneously, yet Verizon MiFi only gives us 2 or 3 bars on a cloudless/normal weather day?)

Bill was paid. Nothing out of the ordinary. Felt like a genius. Then...

Got the new bill for this month. Had an extra $30 charge for 4G Mobile Hotspot feature. DANG IT. Though...

*Before* I knew about FoxFi I was trying to get the 4G Mobile Hotspot feature to run on its own. When it activated it showed a notice that I had to accept extra charges for using Verizon's Hotspot feature, which I accepted (because I thought it was referring to the same data plan you're setup with when you first purchase a smart phone). So my mistake may have been accepting those charges first before I ever got FoxFi. Other than this, no calls or threats from Verizon or anything.

Does anyone know if you can use FoxFi and get around accepting that charge from Verizon? My brother is experimenting with the same thing right now, so maybe I can come back and comment on how it went for him.

 

[oOMavrikOo]

I use FoxFi and haven't seen any changes in bill or been contacted. I don't use it a lot though, so maybe that has something to do with it.

 

[saptech]

I had a regular talk, text & data plan when I first got my smartphone and tried Fox Fi a few times when I got my wifi only tab 2, while at work. I've since switched to the shared plan with the wife and can use Vzw hotspot but it does count towards your data plan usage.

I'm not sure with the old plan if they knew I was using Fox Fi but it wasn't showing up extra on my bill. Again, I may not used it long enough for it to get any feedback from Vzw.

 

[zoxxo]

I'm extra paranoid about the charges, but when I was poking through FoxFi, there was something about setting up a proxy through FoxFi to allow for extra protection from being detected. I set it up, and I don't know if it's helping, but I haven't seen any extra charges and everything seems to be working ok...

 

[xoDutchessxo]

I currently have two 4G phones with Verizon that are still on the grandfathered unlimited data. While in the process of a financially messy divorce, I became unable to pay for cable tv or internet at home. I went into Verizon to inquire about mobile hotspot and how much it would cost me. At the time, I wasn't able to afford to add it, so I told the guy I would be back at a later time. He asked me what I wanted to use it for, and I told him that it was solely to watch Netflix on our Blu-ray player, to download movies, and to watch tv on my laptop (like on nbc.com or whatever). I told him I didn't have any other needs for it, as all regular internet use I do on my phone itself. Here's where it gets interesting...

The sales associate asked to see my phone, installed FoxFi, and showed me how to use it. He said it was ridiculous and unnecessary to pay for monthly hotspot access, and the store manager, who was chatting with us the whole time, agreed.

FoxFi worked great until I was updated to JellyBean, but now I just use PDAnet and connect to my laptop via USB or Bluetooth. Last month, I used 207gb of data, and was not charged extra. I've been using FoxFi or pdaNet for over 6 months now, with no problems, so I hope to be able to continue this way. If Verizon does ever say something about it, I fully plan on telling them that one of their employees and a manager recommended it. To be honest, since I did hear it from not only an employee, but the manager as well, I didn't even realize that it was against the TOS until last month.

The only problem I seem to have is when my bill is overdue, then when I'm streaming tv or something through a USB connection (on 4g network), the signal is spotty and whatever I'm watching kind of pauses and restarts every 30 seconds or so. This seems to resolve itself when I pay my bill. Has anyone ever heard of Verizon throttling on 4G due to a past due account?

Hope this helps! Thanks in advance for anyone who can help answer my question at the end!

 

[zoxxo]

The sales associate asked to see my phone, installed FoxFi, and showed me how to use it. He said it was ridiculous and unnecessary to pay for monthly hotspot access, and the store manager, who was chatting with us the whole time, agreed.

Kudos to the employee and the manager for being human about this issue. Sadly if someone from corporate overheard this conversation, these two people might be out of a job. Question: Was this an official Verizon store or a reseller? The reseller would be happy to tell you about it and wouldn't care about the policy.

 

[Mayhem]

Oddly enough, the last time I tried FoxFi on my Thunderbolt it wouldn't work.

Now I use Wifi Tether for Root Users. I don't tether very often though, so..