Tethering

[mwemaxxowner]

I find myself with a need to be able to send data log files and receive tune files through email from a Windows capable device while on the go from my truck or away from home.

I've searched the web, but all the info I find is old. Can we tether to mobile phones on straight talk? I use an lg g2 right now with att service, but will need a new phone soon.

I'd like to just buy a ST phone from wally world, as they are getting better and better, and I've had terrible luck with big brand name phones from eBay. But I gather that it will be more difficult or impossible to use a ST brand phone as a hotspot.

What are my options these days?

 

[AZgl1500]

First, never buy a phone from eBay.
Use www.swappa.com

You should be able to use FoxFi of the service does not have Hotspot on it.

 

[mwemaxxowner]

I tried foxfi on my g2, and it didn't work. I got the same error message I do with he phone's built in hotspot that it has been disabled by my carrier.

And I'll never buy another eBay phone. 3 for 3 on them not working properly or not working long.

 

[RealWelder]

Strait Talk disables tethering.

 

[mwemaxxowner]

I know that they do. But some people still do it. Are they rooted? Special app? What is it?

 

[RealWelder]

Rooted usually. Tetherify works on some of their phones, I used it before. It's better to get a phone from a different carrier and byop to ST.

 

[mwemaxxowner]

Any idea what phones would work? St or otherwise. It's just a whole lot easier to buy a new st phone than try finding a phone from another carrier that is in good shape. However, if it saves me from buying a laptop and a 4g hotspot device, it'd be worth the hassle. My lg g2 from att is on it's last leg. But I can't get it to hotspot anyway.


I'd like to root my next phone, but I know very little about it.

 

[RealWelder]

I have a Kyocera Hydro Air on At&t. Hotspot works great. Runs Lollipop. The only thing I don't like about it is that there is no root or custom recovery... Locked bootloader. This thing is locked up tighter than a gnats... behind. Which works for me as a daily driver because idk how many times I've soft-bricked my other devices and had to go without a phone for a day or two. My new rule is to keep my daily driver totally stock and just tinker with my other devices. Its only $50. Also only 8gb internal. Very snappy tho...no lag and water resistant. My wife has the same phone but she is using ST and she is unable to tether.

 

[RealWelder]

If you want to root your next phone I would go with a Samsung or an HTC. With At&t or Verizon you should be able to tether.

 

[mwemaxxowner]

I'll be in straight talk. For sure. But with att towers. I really like the lg phones.


I've been with att and Verizon. Both are over priced and don't deliver.

 

[RealWelder]

Mine is prepaid... Same price as ST, just more features.

 

[mwemaxxowner]

And more money, no?

 

[RealWelder]

I guess I don't follow your logic... It's a $45 card a month either way.

 

[mwemaxxowner]

I didn't realize go phone was only $45. All I knew of was Verizon's 70$ deal. And it doesn't pick up so well around here.

So you have att prepaid? $45 a month unlimited, with tethering?Do you know if I can bring my number with me? That's worth looking into.


I didn't know until a moment ago att had an unlimited prepaid.

 

[badcatz]

I didn't realize go phone was only $45. All I knew of was Verizon's 70$ deal. And it doesn't pick up so well around here.

So you have att prepaid? $45 a month unlimited, with tethering?Do you know if I can bring my number with me? That's worth looking into.


I didn't know until a moment ago att had an unlimited prepaid.

I'm on a Verizon prepaid plan and pay $45.00 for unlimited text and minutes and 3GB of data. It's actually 2GB but I get a bonus 1 GB for autopay. And tethering is allowed.

 

[mwemaxxowner]

Straight talk gives me 5 for 45. Or 10 for 55. I need at least that. But, like I said, Verizon doesn't pick up so well here.

I use the 5 sometimes without tethering. Lol

 

[mwemaxxowner]

I just looked up the details. If I tethered much, there's no way the att plan or the Verizon plan would work, without me spending 10 or 15 days every month at painfully slow speeds.

If nobody knows what would allow tethering with straight talk, I guess I will buy a 4g router device from them.

If I find that I don't use it as much as I think I will, the att 6 gig 50$/ month prepaid plan sounds enticing. I guess that's the beauty of no contract. I won't be stuck with something I don't like.

 

[Jfalls63]

I think it was 4.3 that tether provisioning was added to Android. Basically when you activate your hotspot, your phone will check with the carrier to see if tethering is allowed.
You can either root and edit the build prop or flash a custom rom that doesn't have provisioning.
I have been with Straight Talk for a few years and have been able to tether when needed via custom rom. Currently using Motorola X Pure Edition.

 

[mwemaxxowner]

I think it was 4.3 that tether provisioning was added to Android. Basically when you activate your hotspot, your phone will check with the carrier to see if tethering is allowed.
You can either root and edit the build prop or flash a custom rom that doesn't have provisioning.
I have been with Straight Talk for a few years and have been able to tether when needed via custom rom. Currently using Motorola X Pure Edition.

Thanks. I have never explored rooting, but it seems that it may be time to do so. My phone provides for tethering, it's just locked out by straight talk. So I guess that's the only way.

I notice that att does allow rollover data on the 6 gig plan. I probably won't use it all some months. That may be my ticket to making that work without jumping through hoops.

Can the straight talk branded phones be rooted?
I'm running 5.0.2

I might try it with this phone. Certain areas of the screen don't respond to touch. If I brick it, no matter. I have an lg access also, which I have found to be very good for the price point.

 

[RealWelder]

Most of them can be rooted easily w/ kingroot. My advice is after you root w/ kingroot, dl SuperSU from the playstore, grant it permission and update binary. Then you can get rid of kingroot. (some ppl believe kingroot steals you data) If it fails to update binary search for an app called SuperSUMe, run it and then it should allow SuperSU to take over as your superuser app.

 

[mwemaxxowner]

I'm going to have to do a ton of googling to understand everything you just said. Lol

 

[Jfalls63]

Some Straight Talk branded phones can be rooted easily.
I'm more familiar with their Samsung devices. Hard to find stock firmware if needed( phone borks). Depends on make/ model.

 

[RealWelder]

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3XczzpnAnvwb0VDNVR1OFhDYU0/view?usp=drivesdk - kingroot

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3XczzpnAnvwRU5nckJXcjRzQkU/view?usp=drivesdk -supersume

 

[mwemaxxowner]

First, never buy a phone from eBay.
Use www.swappa.com

You should be able to use FoxFi of the service does not have Hotspot on it.

What is the story behind this site? It seems like an eBay for just phones to me. Am I less likely to pick up a phone that works for two months then quits or gets wonky from there? (Like all my eBay purchases)

 

[mikedt]

What is the story behind this site? It seems like an eBay for just phones to me. Am I less likely to pick up a phone that works for two months then quits or gets wonky from there? (Like all my eBay purchases)

I believe Swappa is legit, and is often recommend on here, which means phones are clean, like not stolen, blacklisted, counterfeits, etc., unlike Fleabay.