• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

Root Wifi Tethering, has anyone "actually" been caught?

ml3000

Newbie
May 1, 2010
30
3
I know what people say back and forth about if they can track you or not. I realize this and no one has ever came to a actual conclusion.

So I would like to hear from the people who use over 5Gb with wifi tethering or come close and if Verizon has ever said anything or if they received a higher bill.

I know I will personally find out in about 5 Days since i used over 6.8Gb mostly through tethering with my droid.

Im tired of hearing the bickering back and forth on all the forums, because it sounds like people dont really know what they are talking about. They usually have never gone over 5Gb, they just like to speculate on the situation.

In advance, Thanks! I cant wait to hear what people say.... :cool:
 
Ha.... no its not, I promise :)

Ive been here for a long while, mostly just lurking though... and reading what everyone has to say...

Im just trying to get the the bottom of things with this wifi tethering.

People always say dont go above the 5Gb threshold, and alot say there isnt one. I just really want to hear about people that have and if vzw ever said anything with tether.

Ha... Im writing this now tethering. Its what i use for my main internet mostly.
 
Upvote 0
I can't find any specific instances of someone being caught. I also can't find the post where a Verizon CSR explained that when examining data usage on your account it is very obvious when the data was accessed by another device through tethering. It was somewhere on these boards about a month ago.

If for some reason VZW does find out that you have been tethering without the required data plan, they could charge you 25c for every MB of data.
 
Upvote 0
why is everyone so up in arms then? If no one has ever reported being charged a ton of money by vzw?

Right now it's probably not worth their while to really pursue the people who are tethering large amounts of data when they aren't supposed to. If this attitude becomes the norm and people start abusing their smartphone data plan, Verizon will probably be forced to act.
 
Upvote 0
Thanks for all the info, makes me feel a little better that there are not any actual reports of anyone being charged yet. I about crapped when I saw i used over 6.8Gb...
IMHO :eek: that is just blatant stupid use of tethering...
IF and when VzW gets their stuff together (yeah I know, like that will ever happen) we tether`ers are screwed. Packet analysis will bust us cold.
Hmm customer 452342342342 has used about 1.5gig this month they normally use about 500megs let us see what they are doing. /wireshark
Hmmm packet headers indicates Chrome,IE8 and torrent, Hey bob check this out. Yep click the box to charge per kb :eek: that $25k bill should slow them down.
 
Upvote 0
A VZW tech rep (not the normal ones from the store or on the phone) said they are working on a way to sniff out packets that are being sent from PC's, even with pdanet masking them. Whether this is true or not I don't know.

Heard the same rumblings back in 06 when we were using pdanet on the Treo and nothing ever came of it. Verizon was also making threats of catching anyone using any type of streaming apps. Never happened.
 
Upvote 0
One of the guys i work with has the wireless hub for his home internet service through verizon. He continually went over the 5Gig limit per month, so he decided to get his wife an daughter each a droid. They have just started tethering the past few days, so i will find out soon. He thinks he can take some load off the air card by tethering 2 home PC with the droid! I think he is headed for a big WTF when he gets his next bill LOL:D
 
Upvote 0
Febuary bill - +3GB data usage
March bill - +2GB data usage
April bill - +6GB data usage
Current bill progress - +3GB data usage (About 2 weeks left for this cycle)

All of this is with no tethering what so ever. It says data usage is unlimited on my bill so what they gonna do to me? I did nothing wrong...
Then you have nothing to worry about. You've established a usage pattern that 'could' help you IF you did tether.

One of the guys i work with has the wireless hub for his home internet service through verizon. He continually went over the 5Gig limit per month, so he decided to get his wife an daughter each a droid. They have just started tethering the past few days, so i will find out soon. He thinks he can take some load off the air card by tethering 2 home PC with the droid! I think he is headed for a big WTF when he gets his next bill LOL:D
The guy you work with is crazy, he'd rather spend $180~+ a month in cell phone bill then get a decent wired i-net connection for $50~ a month:thinking:
 
Upvote 0
The guy you work with is crazy, he'd rather spend $180~+ a month in cell phone bill then get a decent wired i-net connection for $50~ a month:thinking:

He'd rather have unlimited than have to monitor the usage of a family of 3 and make sure they don't cap. His intentions are sound, but his actions are .. stupid. I get that VZW is just threatening and maybe they are conjuring up some way of monitoring a person's use of data..but its people like his friend that are really going to put a huge weight on the scale for immediate action by VZW.
 
Upvote 0
He'd rather have unlimited than have to monitor the usage of a family of 3 and make sure they don't cap. His intentions are sound, but his actions are .. stupid. I get that VZW is just threatening and maybe they are conjuring up some way of monitoring a person's use of data..but its people like his friend that are really going to put a huge weight on the scale for immediate action by VZW.

That's my whole point in http://androidforums.com/all-things...lence-tethering-will-there-repercussions.html

People who abuse it are going to ruin it for everyone who just occasionally use tethering when they need it.
 
Upvote 0
I believe the only time I've had to actually use any tethering so far was when I was at my brothers bedside at the hospital. Only other times I actually have used it was when I test it out to make sure its working on a ROM or as an app.. But I go way over 4gigs monthly which is a good trend, so no attention shall be placed on me..unless I happen to have to use it... that's to say that VZW will actually do anything..yet
 
Upvote 0
Then you have nothing to worry about. You've established a usage pattern that 'could' help you IF you did tether.


The guy you work with is crazy, he'd rather spend $180~+ a month in cell phone bill then get a decent wired i-net connection for $50~ a month:thinking:

I forgot to add one little detail, the reason he is doing this, is because he lives in a rural area with no access to highspeed service whatsoever.
 
Upvote 0
while i was pretty hesitant about renewing my contract (i was on a really great grandfather package from 2004), i spent a lot of time at the stores, feeling the phones out, asking questions, and heard of this rep [name unlisted] who was all about tethering from his incredible.

i finally ran into him and he side-bar'd me under his breath asking "have you rooted it yet?" thats when i remembered his name. he and a couple of other reps (without going into great detail) made me aware of tethering apps that bypass the 5 gig limit with no consequence.

major selling point.

i stream like a champ, and the guy who mentioned his "unlimited data package" has a point. its UNLIMITED. i dont think we have much to worry about.

would it not be false advertisement if im paying for unlimited usage, then get billed 25 cents per mb over some magical LIMIT they issue?

(first post, btw)
 
Upvote 0
while i was pretty hesitant about renewing my contract (i was on a really great grandfather package from 2004), i spent a lot of time at the stores, feeling the phones out, asking questions, and heard of this rep [name unlisted] who was all about tethering from his incredible.

i finally ran into him and he side-bar'd me under his breath asking "have you rooted it yet?" thats when i remembered his name. he and a couple of other reps (without going into great detail) made me aware of tethering apps that bypass the 5 gig limit with no consequence.

major selling point.

i stream like a champ, and the guy who mentioned his "unlimited data package" has a point. its UNLIMITED. i dont think we have much to worry about.

would it not be false advertisement if im paying for unlimited usage, then get billed 25 cents per mb over some magical LIMIT they issue?

(first post, btw)
That is what i would think, but being someone who got burned by verizon for $1500 back in 04, i don't trust them no further than i could throw them:mad:
 
Upvote 0
while i was pretty hesitant about renewing my contract (i was on a really great grandfather package from 2004), i spent a lot of time at the stores, feeling the phones out, asking questions, and heard of this rep [name unlisted] who was all about tethering from his incredible.

i finally ran into him and he side-bar'd me under his breath asking "have you rooted it yet?" thats when i remembered his name. he and a couple of other reps (without going into great detail) made me aware of tethering apps that bypass the 5 gig limit with no consequence.

major selling point.

i stream like a champ, and the guy who mentioned his "unlimited data package" has a point. its UNLIMITED. i dont think we have much to worry about.

would it not be false advertisement if im paying for unlimited usage, then get billed 25 cents per mb over some magical LIMIT they issue?

(first post, btw)
The data package is unlimited ONLY FOR PROPER USAGE, which means on the phone itself. If you read the contract and ToS it clearly states your not allowed to provide internet access to any other devices via tethering. Just because some rep told you about it doesn't mean you can do it. If they find out your tethering then YES they can and will charge you 25 cents per MB they determine you used via tethering.
 
Upvote 0
Does Verizon make Palm Pre owners pay an extra fee to tether? I noticed that on the commercial they were touting it as a "hotspot for 5 computers" so whats the deal. I agree with the previous poster who said they can use 5+ without tethering. I use ORB to stream sirius to my phone and that will eat up that 5GB quick. Its not fair to give us "unlimited data" if its not unlimited after all. I like having wifi tether but as its stated in many different places it is to be used on occation and certainly not as your main connection. Screw verizon if they would like me to stop at 5GB than dont call it unlimited.
 
Upvote 0

BEST TECH IN 2023

We've been tracking upcoming products and ranking the best tech since 2007. Thanks for trusting our opinion: we get rewarded through affiliate links that earn us a commission and we invite you to learn more about us.

Smartphones