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How is ATT discovering tethering? And possible Countermeasures!

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Simm0nS777 said:
all these tight wads need to get off their high horse. Oh no YOU dont think I should be tethering? Good for you I dont care what you think.

Do you really believe coming into this thread voicing your opinion is gonna stop me just because you think I shouldnt be doing it?

lol get real people....buncha drama queens here
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It doesn't matter, there will be only a handful of you that will figure out a way to dodge judgement day. The rest of you will have the "come to jesus" minute and either pay or go back to the rock you came from.

BTW..that candy I left on my desk wasn't for taking..glad your mommy and daddy taught you some real values.. God bless em!
 
yellowballoon said:
It doesn't matter, there will be only a handful of you that will figure out a way to dodge judgement day. The rest of you will have the "come to jesus" minute and either pay or go back to the rock you came from.

BTW..that candy I left on my desk wasn't for taking..glad your mommy and daddy taught you some real values.. God bless em!
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lol wow....youre so morally correct! Im sure youve never done anything wrong before in youre life! I will work day in and day out to become just like you!!!

I have unlimited data and I believe I should be able to do with it what I want. Ive never used more than 3GB so I dont abuse it. If they actually allowed people to add tethering to an unlimited plan there would be a lot less issues.

According to ATT I either have the right to unlimited data or tethering, not both. All you morally perfect people just see that its against their TOS but do you even realize that theyre only doing this to try and grandfathered unlimited data contracts completely gone? Something that I have a right to.

Its funny. ATT can just throw anything into their TOS and you guys just abide by it no matter if theyre taking advantage of their customers or not. Id rather have tethering being the worst thing Ive done than be completely ignorant.
 
Not to try and derail this off-topic flame war or anything, but let me just elave you with this little article, to help prove the point that if ATT wants to find out, they can.
Paper on one way ATT can tell whats going on behind your NAT.

Needless to say, most of you might not understand this, but yes, ATT can tell, even if you VPN and change your TTL, it just is hard to do. Notice how this paper doesn't even bring up the rudimentary TTL argument?
 
thep33t said:
Not to try and derail this off-topic flame war or anything, but let me just elave you with this little article, to help prove the point that if ATT wants to find out, they can.
Paper on one way ATT can tell whats going on behind your NAT.

Needless to say, most of you might not understand this, but yes, ATT can tell, even if you VPN and change your TTL, it just is hard to do. Notice how this paper doesn't even bring up the rudimentary TTL argument?
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I definitely agree they can. The question really is how are they choosing? Its not only the high data users. Some using 50GB a month are getting a notice, some using only 2GB are getting one. Ive used 2.5 this month and havent received anything. Im also only doing light browsing. Maybe that matters and the ones getting notices are pulling huge amounts of data really fast torrenting music and such. Who knows.

It'd just be interesting to know how theyre going about it.
 
Simm0nS777 said:
lol wow....youre so morally correct! Im sure youve never done anything wrong before in youre life! I will work day in and day out to become just like you!!!

I have unlimited data and I believe I should be able to do with it what I want. Ive never used more than 3GB so I dont abuse it. If they actually allowed people to add tethering to an unlimited plan there would be a lot less issues.

According to ATT I either have the right to unlimited data or tethering, not both. All you morally perfect people just see that its against their TOS but do you even realize that theyre only doing this to try and grandfathered unlimited data contracts completely gone? Something that I have a right to.

Its funny. ATT can just throw anything into their TOS and you guys just abide by it no matter if theyre taking advantage of their customers or not. Id rather have tethering being the worst thing Ive done than be completely ignorant.
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Like I said, the rationalizations are just different.
 
Simm0nS777 said:
I definitely agree they can. The question really is how are they choosing? Its not only the high data users. Some using 50GB a month are getting a notice, some using only 2GB are getting one. Ive used 2.5 this month and havent received anything. Im also only doing light browsing. Maybe that matters and the ones getting notices are pulling huge amounts of data really fast torrenting music and such. Who knows.

It'd just be interesting to know how they're going about it.
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my guess is they are doing selective, or random screening. Not in real-time either.

Which method is unknown, and will likeyl remain so. They most likely are using multiple methods. ATT, and other ISP's are not new to packet shaping/sniffing. Easy enough to find out.

I use about 3-4 GB/mo in email alone on iphone., I doubt they will look at me too hard, unless they sniff network wide.
 
AT&T had 15 million iphone user, 3% are using excessive data which is equal to 450,000, it is impossible, or financially justify to monitor and inspect all this packet, but on the other hand, if this scare tatic work and show a profit, things might change. It's all about money.

For myself, I will keep tethering and keep my data use reasonable.

Couple post above, somebody mention people with only 2G of data usage are getting the letter from AT&T, I bet they had some high data usage on their previous months that trigger the warning email, dunno how far back AT&T is checking the data usage.

My 2cents
 
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kdarling said:
Registry, not register. It's just a bunch of parameters, like in an OSX plist.

Messing wrongly with the wrong parameter on any OS can screw something up.

However, adding or modifying optional values like this one, is an easy and safe thing to try out, and to later switch back if it doesn't work.
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Assuming the value changed doesn't mess up the entire system. Yes, it can happen.
 
jav6454 said:
Assuming the value changed doesn't mess up the entire system. Yes, it can happen.
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Not for this value, it won't mess up the entire system, at worst it will kill the network connection. Changing other things can cause the system to stop booting. Basically if you don't know what you're doing, or can't follow someone else's steps, stay out of the registry.
 
CylonGlitch said:
Not for this value, it won't mess up the entire system, at worst it will kill the network connection. Changing other things can cause the system to stop booting. Basically if you don't know what you're doing, or can't follow someone else's steps, stay out of the registry.
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Pretty much. But given the nature that many users here require heavy assistance, I for one would not recommended it.

Instead, I would look for a way to fake the TCP/IP packets as if it was the iPhone itself, not another component hooked to it making the network requests.
 
Alaerian said:
How exactly is "stealing" tethering any different than stealing clothes from a store, or stealing an app via Installous?

Stealing is still stealing.
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hcho3 said:
Look at these people who are saying they are so right about tethering with their unlimited plans. No, you are not. You are stealing. People think they are so smart and can get away with everything. This is why this country is dying. No, you cannot cheat the system forever. Stealing is stealing.
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LapsangSouchong said:
It's not any different. It's just rationalized differently.:)
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Exactly. Even though I don't tether and I don't need to, comparing stealing clothes from a store to tethering is way off target. A better comparison is buying the clothes (which you've already done since you have a data plan) and then before walking out of the store being told that you can only wear those clothes to work but not for going out to the bar. (which is exactly what this notice means, plain and simple)

Charging for tethering is nothing more than a way for carriers to milk more money out of you for a service that you already have, which is the data that you've paid for in the first place. It IS stealing, but it's the carriers that are stealing from you by making you pay for the same data twice, plain and simple. As for "this is why the country is dying comment", that's pushing it quite a lot.
 
they dont have the time or resources to check and address every single iphone to find out if the person is using "illegal" tethering or not.

it's either random selection or going by excessive data consumption
 
I love the ignorance of how people still think ATT detect tethering by heavy user.

I agree to why this forum allows the discussion of tethering (stealing) but not pirate app (stealing). I am not saying that i am saint and is Mr.Perfect. Weird rules.
 
gngan said:
I love the ignorance of how people still think ATT detect tethering by heavy user.

I agree to why this forum allows the discussion of tethering (stealing) but not pirate app (stealing). I am not saying that i am saint and is Mr.Perfect. Weird rules.
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I also love the ignorance of how people think and are comparing tethering to stealing other things such as clothes from a store. Like you honestly believe those are the same thing? Stealing is stealing? you guys come off as tethering is the same as stealing a car.

The difference here is that everyone has legitimate reasons for thinking tethering is not stealing. Its like buying a shirt that comes with a tie. Then after a few months the company calls and says were actually going to charge you for that tie now.

I have unlimited data. Data is data.

Heres the real question. Would you guys be ok if ATT started splitting up data consumptions and charging for all that separately? "Hey were gonna start charging you an extra $10 a month to surf the web on your iPhone, $5 a month for email, $10 a month for streaming Pandora and $20 a month to stream Netflix." Would that be ok with you? Of course it wouldnt.

Its the same damn thing with tethering, the only difference is that you dont do it so of course you guys gotta all be saints and come on here are rip on everyone that does.
 
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I only have one word for both side of the party, that is call REASONABLE

In this perfect world, other than black and white, there is also the grey area, illegal/reasonable tethering is walking this fine line, clearly there is people abusing the system and brag about it, also another group of people is using a reasonable amount of data from tethering. So please don't be stubon and lock in to the phase, UNLIMITED IS UNLIMITED or A CONTRACT IS A CONTRACT.

AT&T is selling 2Gig for $25, and if I'm paying $30 for unlimited, I would said 3Gig is reasonable per months, tether or not.

I know I am full of it, but I have to speak my mind.
 
CBR900RR said:
I only have one word for both side of the party, that is call REASONABLE

In this perfect world, other than black and white, there is also the grey area, illegal/reasonable tethering is walking this fine line, clearly there is people abusing the system and brag about it, also another group of people is using a reasonable amount of data from tethering. So please don't be stubon and lock in to the phase, UNLIMITED IS UNLIMITED or A CONTRACT IS A CONTRACT.

AT&T is selling 2Gig for $25, and if I'm paying $30 for unlimited, I would said 3Gig is reasonable per months, tether or not.

I know I am full of it, but I have to speak my mind.
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I agree. Ive never surpassed the 4GB mark ever. The people using 175GB a month should be targeted for abusing. These people are going out of their way to see how much data they can use just for the hell of it. Now your statement of 3GB is a bit absurd.

AT&T OFFERED unlimited data. That decision was up to them and many of us pay for it. If they want to add in the TOS something about overly abusing the unlimited and state a fair amount of data used where they can then charge you thats fine but 3GB should not be that mark. People using less than 2GB a month are getting called out for tethering while people using 100+GB are not. Doesnt seem right does it.

This is just a scheme to do away with unlimited data all together and for that reason I am opposed.

My dad got unlimited minutes for some absurdly cheap price years and years ago from Alltel. He still pays that same price. I'd be pissed and so would he if they just said you used too many minutes this month sorry your plans gone.
 
CBR900RR said:
I would said 3Gig is conservative, 4Gig is about right, 5Gig is crossing the line. Sounds fair?
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meh I guess we'll just agree to disagree. with 4GB you could only watch 8 movies a month on Netflix and that would ONLY include Netflix. No streaming music/web browsing/downloading apps/GPS. I have Netflix and the Netflix app but have only used it once but for someone who does use it regularly and has the unlimited plan should not be limited to only like 5 videos a month. Thats not unlimited thats VERY limited.
 
Are we back to step 1, legal non-tether user using excessive data VS illegal tethering user using small amount of data?
I'm still going to use the same word.
 
CBR900RR said:
Are we back to step 1, legal non-tether user using excessive data VS illegal tethering user using small amount of data?
I'm still going to use the same word.
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I dont think it matters how you use your data as long as you do it responsibly and dont abuse it. What does it matter to you if someone is using 5GB a month tethering and another is using 5GB streaming music/Netflix? It doesn't.
 
Possible a rare case for most people, tether under 5gig or stream over 5gig.
But can happen, and you are not wrong to stream over 5gig, but I won't push the issue.
 
CBR900RR said:
Possible a rare case for most people, tether under 5gig or stream over 5gig.
But can happen, and you are not wrong to stream over 5gig, but I won't push the issue.
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Yeah maybe a little rare but I dont think are rare as you think. I tether about 3 times a week and probably average about 5 hours on those days. I have never broken the 4GB mark but I see posts all the time of people using 15+ GB and they just stream Pandora/Netflix. Tethering really doesnt use that much data if youre not using it for crazy things such a downloading movies/music/streaming netflix and such. I mainly just web browse and play some online poker.

The people that completely abuse it are going to ruin it for everyone though and thats a shame.
 
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