internet sharing?

[victrola]

hello all.

short time lurker. first time poster.

after installing 2.1 the other day, i noticed this:

menu > settings > connect to pc > default connection type > internet sharing

then, i noticed this:

men > settings > wireless & networks > internet sharing (checkbox)

i don't remember noticing this in 1.5. and always tethered using pdanet.

is this a new function of 2.1? and, by using it, does anyone know if sprint will charge us extra?

obviously, i haven't tried it yet... didn't know if anyone else had.

thanks.

v.

 

[treborcj]

hello all.

short time lurker. first time poster.

after installing 2.1 the other day, i noticed this:

menu > settings > connect to pc > default connection type > internet sharing

then, i noticed this:

men > settings > wireless & networks > internet sharing (checkbox)

i don't remember noticing this in 1.5. and always tethered using pdanet.

is this a new function of 2.1? and, by using it, does anyone know if sprint will charge us extra?

obviously, i haven't tried it yet... didn't know if anyone else had.

thanks.

v.

I don't believe it was there before. No, they can not tell if you tether but they can see your usage and if it is high enough for them to take a second look, they could say something.

 

[sagedil]

I have read, but not confirmed, that they can tell some things like what browser you are using. So if using IE or Firefox, and they can tell that, would be a dead give away that you are tethering.

Again, only repeating what has been posted here, but does make some sense to me.

For Hero users, all that I think they would care about is how much data you are using. But for folks who are upgrading to the Evo with their new "tethering" charge, I imagine Sprint would get far more aggressive with customers who were tethering and not paying the added charge.

 

[treborcj]

I heard that to. You could use Google Chrome as your web browser.

 

[twondog22]

how do u do it? every time i try i get a error saying that my sprint pcs vision name and password in incorrect...

 

[KitsapAndroid]

That option is in 1.5 sort of ( I still have it, no 2.1 yet ), but it does not actually work. With 1.5 you have to have an outside app to tether. The menu tree in 1.5 is menu > settings > wireless controls > mobile network sharing. You have to have a usb cable plugged in to check it, and even after you check it you will still get an error code. Use either EasyTether or PDAnet and internet sharing is a breeze.

 

[cooolone2]

That option is in 1.5 sort of ( I still have it, no 2.1 yet ), but it does not actually work. With 1.5 you have to have an outside app to tether. The menu tree in 1.5 is menu > settings > wireless controls > mobile network sharing. You have to have a usb cable plugged in to check it, and even after you check it you will still get an error code. Use either EasyTether or PDAnet and internet sharing is a breeze.

YEs, it's true, the switch in settings to enable or disable the function is still there in 1.5 but Sprint removed the drivers necessary to allow it's function. PDAnet works if you're not rooted and if you decide to root you can do it as well, along with other things Sprint wants you NOT to do.

 

[oldjackbob]

No, they can not tell if you tether but they can see your usage and if it is high enough for them to take a second look, they could say something.

Not meaning to jack the thread, and not meaning to be argumentative, just thinking out loud here...

I am completely ignorant of all things technical, but here are my own thoughts:

1) Sprint has total and complete visibility and control of every single bit of every packet of information sent to and from your phone over the internet.

2) Unless someone among us is an expert in the technical minutiae of all of the various communications protocols utilized among all of the wireless devices talking to and between each other, we can't know precisely what information is being sent between them. But Sprint can and does, rest assured.

3) Sprint has already published a multi-tiered pricing structure for the EVO service plans, depending on whether or not you want tethering. So IMO it is fairly safe to assume that Sprint's equipment is capable of detecting whether or not you're tethering.

So who among us is truly in a position to say, with certainty, that Sprint can't tell if you're tethering? I, for one, do not want to be in the unenviable position of receiving a "Gotcha" notice in the mail from Sprint.

And if they can tell, there is nothing stating that they can't shut you off at the first offense...whoever may be thinking that they have to wait until some mythical "5G" threshold has been exceeded, is potentially in for a rude awakening.

Again, just my thoughts.

 

[oalvarez]

how do u do it? every time i try i get a error saying that my sprint pcs vision name and password in incorrect...

I get the same error. How do you correct it? Anyone? thanks!

 

[blckmorning]

I'm new to the Forum, i've been a lurker for a long time of all the Android Forums, and figured i would shed some light on this issue since i see alot of posts from various other forums, including this one. I used to work for sprint as apart of their leet network team and dealt with these kind of issues. most of the time when you call Customer don't care they will throw you around because no one really knows anything about this issue or how the network actually works.

1st of with sprint there are two usernames and passwords associated with the data network. You have your "NAI" (Network Address Identifier). It's similar to what you would use if you were on the old school AOL to login. the phone will automatically have it stored, and when it hits the cell tower it passes the information along to the AAA server (Authentication Server). The Username consists of you username@sprinpcs.com (ex. joebob93@sprintpcs.com). You can find the username by going to your phone and typing in ##3282#, and select view mode. The password isn't as easy to find, you can use some software to find it, or if you're really really lucky to get into a Technical support rep that knows a thing or two they can look it up for you, but you have to be very convincing you need it.

Now when connecting your phone and selecting the teather phone option and hooking it up your computer. You're going to get "Error 67: vision username/password is incorrect" or something to that affect. Her is where your second username/password comes into play. Sprint calls this PAM (Phone as modem) with their standard rate plans, due to some idiot that created the phone plans they made it pretty darn hard to add the Phone as modem plan for this phone, and most of the time they will tell you it's not possible. When in reality it really is possible to add the plan, but will cost you out the bum for it. Last time i checked it was about 30-40 a month. And it's not unlimited data, but caped at 5 gigs a month. The second username/password is going to be similar to your NAI, instead it will be username@pam.spritnpcs.com. and the password is different as well. Reason being is because it goes through it's own AAA server on the sprint network.
the 3rd party apps that people install typically the root app for the phone that creates it into a wireless hot spot actually reroutes the data, and uses the NAI and routes it through the phone as though you were using the browser.

I've played and still have been playing around with trying to correct this issue for the new hero 2.1 software, but have no luck.

So unless you really try hard and make alot of calls to sprint, and get one person that doesn't know the rules or what their doing you won't get that teathered option to work. They did say they were thinking about adding it into the billing options when i left there in jan, but never made it so.