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Macbook Internet Sharing for Iphone: detectable?

E

eagleice

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 17, 2009
18
0
Hello,

it would be possible for me to share my Macbooks Ethernet Internet via Internet Sharing to my Iphone. However I want to do this at a university, where every device has to be registered via its MAC address in order to have Internet connection.

I think that I can circumvent this with the Internet Sharing Option of my Macbook. However will the University see that I am using a not-registered device (here: iphone) for Internet surfing?
Or will the University see just my Macbook surfing on the Internet, albeit I surf the Internet via my Iphone?
 
I'm especially carfefull and want to ask your opinion after I read this post: https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/7502665/

I already got some idea, especially after reading these answers:
tritonj said:
assuming that your iPhone sees the connection being shared it will work and your school won't know it is your phone, all it sees is your macbook. and all it will see is traffic coming from the macbook. and unless they start sniffing every packet they can't tell it comes from a phone.
Click to expand...

alent1234 said:
depending on what kind of equipment your school has for it's IT department, they may be able to see it. it's not very hard to do since the MBP will act as a router and they will see packets with a smaller TTL hit their systems.
Click to expand...


Is it right?

This would mean the IT Department at my University would detect the MacbookPro being used as a router, but it will not be able to tell what other device is being used, say a Macbook or an Iphone as in my case. It will only see the registered MAC address of my Macbook, but no information about the iphone I use for surfing trough my Macbook.

Or is the answer to my question completely different?
 
I have the same question of the OP, regarding the iPod Touch.

EDIT: I would like to do this in my flat, not a uni.
 
Noone can help us regarding the devices that are connected to the MBP-router?
 
eagleice said:
Noone can help us regarding the devices that are connected to the MBP-router?
Click to expand...

Nobody is going to help you as you are breaking the rules of the university network. As I said, go to the IT department and do it the right way.

I will tell you that anything you put on my network can and will be seen.
 
daflake said:
Nobody is going to help you as you are breaking the rules of the university network. As I said, go to the IT department and do it the right way.

I will tell you that anything you put on my network can and will be seen.
Click to expand...

I could show up there, spend two hours waiting, discussing and register the MAC of my iphone, and have Internet on my iphone.

Or I could create an password protected WEP ad-hoc network, share the Internet with my MBP, which MAC address is registered, and connect now to the MBP. And use this superWIFI for surfing in bed on my iphone, which I intend to do, 1 meter away from my MBP.

In the end it's both the same...
 
eagleice said:
I could show up there, spend two hours waiting, discussing and register the MAC of my iphone, and have Internet on my iphone.

Or I could create an ad-hoc network, share the Internet with my MBP, which MAC address is registered, and connect now to the MBP. And use this superWIFI for surfing in bed on my iphone, which I intend to do, 1 meter away from my MBP.

In the end it's both the same...
Click to expand...

Then try it and see what happens.... :rolleyes:

All the time that you are spending on here trying to violate your schools rules could have been spent doing the right thing.

Good luck! :rolleyes:
 
yes you can

what you do is create a secure wifi network with your mb that you can then log into with your iphone


keep in mind though, all traffic goes through your mb so whatever you are trying to circumvent by using another device is fairly futile

also, many universities dont llike wifi networks as they cant control access so i would ask before potentially getting banned from the university network
 
LOL, he knows he can do that. However, he wants to hide it from the University and that is the part that he is asking for help on. As I said, give it a go and see how quick the IT team is. ;)
 
You assume that he has a 3G my guess is that it is an older model. Why not just register the devices with the campus unless they won't let him/her or they are already on probation.
 
daflake said:
LOL, he knows he can do that. However, he wants to hide it from the University and that is the part that he is asking for help on. As I said, give it a go and see how quick the IT team is. ;)
Click to expand...

dukebound85 said:
i dont think you could hide
Click to expand...
Impossible that the IT guys are that almighty :p

How could they possibly that I am using my iphone to get into the Internet. All they could maybe see is that I have created a WiFi network and using it. But every Device I use behind my MBP as a router should be hidden. So in the end as you are writing it they see that I have a WiFi, but they just see some device is needed to be send small chunks of data, and that is how they might figure out I use it on my iphone. But because the cunks send over the WiFI are so small they might not even care about the WiFi at all...
 
eagleice said:
Impossible that the IT guys are that almighty :p
Click to expand...

Then do it. If, like you say, they are not that almighty then you will be fine. If they are, well then you can beg for forgiveness.

FYI, your cell phone carrier is the one that you probably should be worried about more. If it is AT&T, I doubt it will be much longer before they start cranking down on the tethering.
 
So all they see is my macbook. and all it will see is traffic coming from the macbook.

Thank you for all your help daflake.


I am not a resident of the US, which means in turn I am lucky enough not to be client of ATaT. Are you not confusing the situation? I do not want to use my iphone Internet connection to use it for surfing on my MB ( which would be tethering), but instead I want to do it the other way round. Which should not be a problem for any mobile phone carrier worldwide.
 
eagleice said:
So all they see is my macbook. and all it will see is traffic coming from the macbook.

Thank you for all your help daflake.


I am not a resident of the US, which means in turn I am lucky enough not to be client of ATaT. Are you not confusing the situation? I do not want to use my iphone Internet connection to use it for surfing on my MB ( which would be tethering), but instead I want to do it the other way round. Which should not be a problem for any mobile phone carrier worldwide.
Click to expand...


Once again... If you hook up your Mac or any other computer and connect it to the Uni network and then try to share that connection with devices that are not authorized, they will and can see them. There are few tricks that you can do to hide the devices that are not authorized. The mere fact that you mentioned WEP tells me that you don't have a clue about securing any network.

Duke wondered why you just didn't tether instead of trying to break the Uni rules which seems like a more logical choice or you could simply get the device registered with the Uni (if they will allow it). Seems to me you are just lazy.

Considering that I work network security as a living, me telling you to do the right thing is doing you a favor so you are welcome.
 
daflake said:
Seems to me you are just lazy.
Click to expand...
Could be true. But then you do not know the folks working at our IT department.

daflake said:
Considering that I work network security as a living, me telling you to do the right thing is doing you a favor so you are welcome.
Click to expand...
Very much appreciated. If you could just point the logic behind these rules?

daflake said:
Once again... If you hook up your Mac or any other computer and connect it to the Uni network and then try to share that connection with devices that are not authorized, they will and can see them. There are few tricks that you can do to hide the devices that are not authorized. The mere fact that you mentioned WEP tells me that you don't have a clue about securing any network.
Click to expand...

I do not have a clue, that's why I'm asking. How come they will see the devices?

Oh, and you ignored the response to tethering.
 
I am not going to "teach" you networking. If you want to do it, I suggest that you take a class or do the research on your own. I've answered your primary question. Yes, it is possible to see the additional devices on the network which clearly aligns with the quote that you posted. Take it at face value.

As for the carrier question the reason I didn't answer it is that I don't understand what you are actually asking. Even people that tether take a risk that the carrier will actually catch them and charge them.

On that note, I am done with this thread.
 
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