Help LG Optimus S LS670 - Portable Hotspot won't turn on.

[cjhietter]

I purchased the LG LS670 with Android version 2.2.2 specifically so I could use it as my internet connection on my computer. I have gone to several forums and have not been able to get it to work.
Here is what I have done:
Settings~Wireless & Network Settings~Portable Wi-Fi Hotspot
I then try to check the box to turn on the portable hotspot but get a pop up window that says the Network is Unavailable.
So, I downloaded QuickSettings from the Android Market, and tried to turn it on from there. Came up with the same error. Then one of the folks in the forum mentioned that you have to make sure your Mobile Data (3G) is turned on. So I used QuickSettings and turned it on. Only I noticed that as soon as I went to turn on the portable hotspot, the 3G turned off. This happened several times in a row so I know that it was not just a coincidence.
So, I gave up on trying to do it wirelessly. I went on to use my USB cable to do it. Still no luck. I downloaded the drivers and both the phone and the computer recognize that they are connected to each other. But my computer cannot find an internet connection from the phone.
I saw that there was some talk about me needing to "root" my phone. When I looked up how to do this, I came up with nothing.
Please help!

 

[RazzMaTazz]

You can buy WiFi Hotspot service from Sprint. I think it's like $30/month.

There used to be a loophole in the stock Optimus S software that allowed people to get free WiFi Hotspot functionality using apps like QuickSettings, but Sprint closed that loophole starting with software version 2.2.1(ZVD).

If you root and install a custom ROM, you'll get free Hotspot capability. Instructions for doing so follow.

Maximus consolidated a lot of great information in this post, but it's perhaps overwhelming for beginners (like me). So after reading a bunch of the stuff above, I'd suggest that people really only need to read the following 2-3 guides in order to understand the terminology & process or rooting and installing a custom ROM.
1) Dishe's Idiots' Guide to Rooting and Custom Roms, Optimus S Edition, explains the rooting and flashing process and terminology in plain English. As soon as I read that, I understood the process and felt confident enough to try rooting and flashing.
2) Contrary to its title, DrewWalton's Guide to rooting the Optimus S with software version LS670ZVD, provides detailed, step-by-step instructions for rooting, based on whether you currently have the LS670ZV9, or LS670ZVC or LS670ZVD (software) SW version on your Optimus S phone. But Drew Walton now has a much simpler "one-click" utility, called Gingersnap, for rooting, which he describes here, so you'll probably want to skip reading his other guide. Note that if you follow his Gingersnap guide, after the "Pre-use requirements, download the Gingernsap folder from the link he provides. Unzip it anywhere on your PC. Connect a freshly booted phone via USB. And then double-click the Gingersnap.exe icon in the unzipped Gingersnap folder. It will root your phone. But you'll still have to load a custom recovery (like Xonia) and a custom ROM, so...
3) Lastly check out KSmithInNY's excellent guide containing the latest ROMs, custom recoveries, etc. I'd probably go with the Reborn ROM.

Note that the links above are to AndroidCentral.com, so you'll need to sign up for a free account there (if you don't already have one) in order to access their links.

Also note that the authors of those guides have posted (in the signatures sections of their posts) links to the procedure for returning your phone to its original, stock condition.

Following the aforementioned guides above should take away the scariness of rooting, get you Hotspot capability, improve performance, and get you some other nice features contained in the these ROMs. I hope this helps.

But in the efforts of full disclosure, I haven't rooted yet because I never accepted the ZVD firmware update, and so I still have Hotspot capability. I'll probably hold off on rooting and installing a custom ROM until Sprint releases an official version of Android 2.3 and the developers in the aforementioned guides can create a custom ROM based on Sprint's version of Android 2.3. But if I didn't have Hotspot functionality, I'd root and install the Reborn ROM right away. Good luck!

 

[policetac]

For Root on LS 670-VHZ


0) Backup anything important

1) Pre-requisites Checklist:
SD card is INSERTED,
USB Debugging is ENABLED, - [Menu->Settings->Applications->Development->USB debugging]
USB Storage Mode is OFF.
[Drag down the notification bar and tap on "USB Connected", Droid guy should be GREEN]
LG USB/Android drivers are INSTALLED.
USB: http://www.lg.com/us/support/mc-support/drivers/LGLS670.zip
Android: http://www.lg.com/us/products/documents/LGAndroidDriver_WHQL_ML_Ver_1.0_All_Win7.exe
Phone is connected to USB port and recognized.
Phone is turned ON,
Phone screen is UNLOCKED.


2) Download the Optimus automated rooting package.
optiauto-sfx.exe

UNZIP to top-level directory of your C: drive.

3) Run the Optimus automated rooting package.
From PC command prompt, run "runfirst" and select Option A (will install persistent root and Xionia CWMA recovery)

4) You are Finished.
Reboot

Follow this for more in depth instructions.
[How-To] Rooting LS670ZVD/ZVH (100% automated, no revert needed) - Android Forums at AndroidCentral.com

Worked great for me.

 

[checkers]

No need to root your phone, Iv been using Foxfi for a while on my unrooted optimus s phone, just get it on the maket and install , ur set

 

[Ed Vim]

Another thumbs up for Foxfi. Works great on my unrooted Optimus S and it's really simple to set up. Only used it a handful of times but no problems at all.

 

[Deleted User]

PdaNet 3.50 from June Fabrics is now intergrated with FoxFi, which helps connect your phone wirelessly to your computer (internet) or other devices such as the Wii wthout rooting.