Help CM Mod and Samsung OS Updates / Tethering Questions

[SampsonNation]

I've owned my Samsung S5 G900F for about a month now. I basically like it, even though it can be a little frustrating at times.

My questions are pretty straight forward. My phone has CM12 and it's running Android 5.1.1.

1. If I want to update my OS, can I still do that while being rooted?

2. Samsung Kies won't detect my phone via a USB cable. I've tried different OEM cables and they all have the same problem. I suspect it's because my phone is rooted and a feature is not enabled... I'm attempting this on a Mac. I was successful ONCE on my PC, but for some reason now my PC doesn't see the phone anymore.

3. My phone sometimes crashes, and reboots on its own. I'm guessing it's because it's rooted? If I go back to the OEM firmware and unroot my phone, will my phone become more stable and faster? It's sluggish at times and I don't even have themes, etc. installed.

4. The person who sold me this phone told me I might want to stay rooted because it gives me the ability to tether. However, he did mention I would still be able to tether from FoxFi if I chose to go back to OEM firmware. My question is, what am I loosing if I stick with the OEM firmware? I only want to tether. That's it. Maybe the ability to get caught is less with tethering on a rooted phone?

5. I can't update CM12 to CM13. The phone downloads the update, reboots, attempts to install, and then goes to the home screen. When I check the SW version, it is still on CM12. Any idea why?

All I am looking for is to have a stable, fast phone that can tether. The S5 has been really clunky for me.

 

[Jfalls63]

1- you can update your OS while Rooted if you flash a updated custom ROM. Attempting to update Stock while Rooted is a bad idea unless you flash the complete updated stock firmware with Odin. Check to see if updated version can be rooted first if that is your goal.

2- Kies will not normally work with a rooted phone unless you are using the Firmware Update and Initialization option in tools to return to stock.
http://www.samsung.com/ca/support/skp/faq/1072789
Only time you will connect to Kies in download mode

3- The CM12 installed may not be a stable version with all the bugs fixed. Stock will definitely be more stable.

4- Not sure on ability to tether on international versions without root. May have to edit the build prop on Stock ROM.

5- Depends on the custom recovery installed. The best way to go from CM12 to CM13 would be a clean install. Downloading the CM13 zip and MM Gaaps zip,wiping the phone and flashing the new OS.

 

[SampsonNation]

Say I want to restore my phone back to factory. I don't have a recovery ROM or anything. I'm not sure how to do this... Or which versions I need. I'm so new at unrooting. How would I do this?

I don't see why I wouldn't be able to use FoxFi on an international phone. I only bought the 900F because reading reviews suggested that the S5 US version did not have a 4G cellular band. Now, I don't know if that's the biggest deal since I'm mostly on H and H+. Maybe I should have just stuck with the US version to begin with...

I'm just really fed up with how unstable this rooted phone has been for me. I do enjoy the WiFi hotspot it is able to create though :-D.

I might actually just buy an S6 from AT&T locally and try it for a few weeks to see if I can tether on the US version.

Thanks for answering my questions!

 

[Jfalls63]

The easiest way for you to return to stock would be to use Kies and follow this guide. It uses a two step verification, model number and SN to select the correct firmware

http://www.samsung.com/ca/support/skp/faq/1072789

 

[SampsonNation]

I'm trying to follow those instructions now. It's a little difficult. I got the phone into recovery mode, but then Kies isn't detecting the phone made it to recovery mode. So, I'm not sure what to select.

 

[Jfalls63]

After you enter the model and SN, Kies should start downloading the firmware. You need to connect in download mode. From phone off, press and hold the volume down + home+ power buttons at the same time. Phone will boot to a warning screen, release all buttons. Press volume up button to continue into download mode.

 

[SampsonNation]

Okay, phone restored flawlessly.

So, I'll give tethering a try and if it doesn't work I'll get CM13.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Jfalls63]

Check your settings, about phone, and see if it updated you to 6.0

 

[SampsonNation]

I am on 5.0 now. I can't upgrade any further. I tried upgrading through the phone and Kies. No luck with either.

That's not making any sense to me. The phone says I'm up to date.

 

[Jfalls63]

Guess it depends on the device CSC and Product Codes . Some have 6.0 available.

http://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/database/SM-G900F/

 

[SampsonNation]

Should I be concerned about this?

I did have 5.1.1 installed, but that was with a custom rom. I noticed that the phone can still enable tethering and it works. I'm wondering though is since the phone isn't rooted would the carrier know that the data I'm using is from tethering? I know FoxFi has an add-on to mask the tethering so it doesn't show it as tethering. However, on the GooglePlay store it says I can't download FoxFi because of carrier restrictions.

 

[Jfalls63]

American carriers add the tethering provisions to the software that they load on their branded phones. The international phones must not have it.
The carriers have ways to determine if you are tethering if they are determined to check. Probably safe if you don't go overboard if you have unlimited data plan.

Must be something new with Foxfi. I know ever so often, Verizon will push a new update that will break Foxfi. Usually a few days till Foxfi devs make a work around.

 

[SampsonNation]

In GooglePlay it says AT&T carrier restriction. I thought that was interesting because I bought an international phone. Anyway, I've been tethering for a month using a custom rom. Would you be able to tell me if the rom somehow was able to disguise the data from tethering? If the rom didn't disguise my tether at all, then I'm just going to continue doing it. I haven't had a problem at all from my carrier.

I don't use a whole lot of data. Back when I had a dumb-phone, I would tether 10 gigs a month and I've never been contacted by my carrier. Maybe they didn't care because I was using Edge speeds :-D. I always thought that was weird they didn't notify me. I did that for many years on end too.

 

[Jfalls63]

You probably could remove the AT&T sim and try downloading the app over wifi if you have it available.
To my knowledge, custom Roms doesn't hide or mask tethering. The developer just removes or doesn't add the tethering provisioning.
Some people who root and choose to stay with the stock ROM will just edit the build prop to remove the provision requirements and tether without using a app.

 

[SampsonNation]

I forgot to mention, I was able to download FoxFi on my custom rom through the GooglePlay store. Obviously, that's completely moot if the phone can tether safely with its built-in features.

I might go to CM13, I'm not too sure. It depends on how stable it is. For now, I do like how the phone is functioning. I'll probably end up looking for a way to change the keyboard, or some other little features. The phone could be a little more streamlined and simplistic for my taste.

I would like to remove some of the bloatware, but I think I'm able to do that without installing a custom rom.

Finally, I'm trying to make my phone work with AndroidAuto. It seems to be a little problematic. I'm wondering if it's because I have the international version.

 

[SampsonNation]

Jfalls63 - How familiar are you with the technical aspect of the model phone I have?

I've been wondering since I have the 900F and not the 900A if that could be a reason why sometimes the voice recognition isn't so reliable or consistent on the AT&T network.

Here are the differences in cellular band specs:

Galaxy S5 SM-G900F - LTE 800/850/900/1800/1900/2100/2600 Europe(LTE Variants) for Europe

Galaxy S5 SM-G900M - LTE 700/850/1700/1900/2100/2600 USA for Vodafone

Galaxy S5 SM-G900A - LTE 700/850/1700/1800/1900/2100/2600 USA for AT&T

Galaxy S5 SM-G900R4 - LTE 700/850/1700/1900/2100 USA for US Cellular

 

[Jfalls63]

I had posted this in your original thread before you purchased the 900F. This shows it being compatible with one of AT&T's 4glte bands.
I don't use voice recognition but I would guess it depends in how well your phone can hear your voice and not on the network signal.
I have the S5 Active,SM-G870a, which is AT&T but it is not the phone I use every day.
All I know about the 900F is what I have read.

 

[SampsonNation]

Ah, yes I remember that now. You did post on that other thread.

I used that guide before. I just can't believe I've been experiencing some weird issues and I don't know how to solve it. The only thing I could come up with is that my phone 1 isn't an AT&T branded phone (which shouldn't matter) and 2 I bought the euro model (which also shouldn't matter if the other cellular bands are present).

I tried driving down to South Jersey yesterday on a major highway and I couldn't believe that Spotify was actually skipping. I mean, I realize that could be a network issue, but I've never experienced that while driving. I've even driven to Florida streaming the entire way mostly and I never had a problem. Granted, I was on a different phone though.

Android Auto is being a pain in the butt. I can't get that to work in the car.

I'm trying to narrow down the problems, but my only guess was that I don't have a US phone.