No Tethering Option for iPhone 3G

[mkrishnan]

well, no hack available for this?

There are already hackjobs out there that allow you to do this. None of them are convenient but exists none the less.

This is exactly why I don't understand people saying that the 3G iPhone will basically obviate any interest in unlocking and jailbreaking to install unsanctioned apps and use unsanctioned plans. You can get tethering services if you are willing to pay for them. The iPhone 3G has the appropriate hardware. While it's true that apps like srelay aren't perfect, the 2G Jailbreaked iPhone does have options for tethering. This is a perfect example of something useful that can be done now with the iPhone and will be possible tomorrow with the iPhone 3G because of jailbreaking.

 

[timpoke8]

Here in the states it's exactly the same. You pay $30 for unlimited 3G and get to tether. I know a number of people who do that - that sucks that you guys get shafted - seems like there's a lot of that going around these days...

That's actually not how it works. You get unlimited 3G for $30 a month, however ONLY for your phone. You then break your user contract and tether anyway. If you use it too much however, AT&T might notice that you're using too much bandwidth for just a phone. At that point they exercise their right to cancel your data plan, you don't notice, and at the end of the month you're paying by the KB.

That's similar to the people who paying for unlimited Media Net ($15-20 a month), when they have a 3G phone with a QWERTY keyboard. A lot of people get away with it, but some get caught for violating their contract.

An actual tethering plan would be $65.

 

[kcroy]

i understand that they don't build it in, but i don't understand how they can prevent someone else from doing it, the phone clearly isn't crippled to send and recieve data, tethering would just be a matter of getting the phone and computer to communicate, which they don't have any control over

Great comment! I know absolutely nothing about software development; is it possible someone could create something like this?

 

[javaGuru]

This is exactly why I have an AT&T Tilt as well as my iPhone.

 

[jahsavi]

tethering not an option ...yet

I'm not sure if anyone has thought of this but what's stopping you from purchasing a laptop internet card and poping your iPhone 3G sim into it? Would you get internet? (w/ no voice of course lol)

..just thought of this idea today. Or if it's possible "clone your sim" and turn your phone off.. maybe I'm just crazy.

 

[jahsavi]

I'm not sure if anyone has thought of this but what's stopping you from purchasing a laptop internet card and poping your iPhone 3G sim into it? Would you get internet? (w/ no voice of course lol)

..just thought of this idea today. Or if it's possible "clone your sim" and turn your phone off.. maybe I'm just crazy.

Also want to add:

GT Ultra Express Card ($199-299)
The Option GT Ultra Express provides enhanced mobile broadband performance for quick easy access to email, the internet, and business apps on your laptop while on-the-go. The GT Ultra Express operates seamlessly across AT&T's 3G BroadbandConnect and EDGE networks providing you the perfect combination of performance and coverage. And with quad-band GSM support, you can stay connected whether traveling across town or halfway around the world. Designed to work with newer laptops with slots, it has a convenient flip antenna that will keep you connected wherever business takes you.

Included Features:
Work seamlessly between AT&T's 3G and EDGE networks
Access email, internet and business applications while on-the-go
Global compatibility with the world standard for wireless - GSM
Throughput up to twice as fast as previously available*
Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE, tri-band UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA
Expected HSDPA download speeds of 600 Kbps - 1.4 Mbps*
Expected HSDPA upload speeds of 500-800 Kbps*
Expected EDGE download speeds of 70-135 Kbps*
Flip-up antenna for optimal mobile broadband performance
OS support for Microsoft® Windows 2000, XP, Vista®
Compatible with Apple® Mac® OS X (version 10.4 or later)
Plug-and-play compatibility with AT&T Communication Manager software
Designed to work in newer laptops with ExpressCard slots
* Actual throughput speed varies depending on network

...to me I think this would work!

 

[bretm]

I can't complain...AT&T is giving us free Wifi in their hotspot areas, So who cares about the tethering. I am excited to walk into starbucks and actually utilize their Wifi instead of bugging my friends for their login information. Never tethered before, and I don't really care in the first place.

Really? I don't know what it's like everywhere else, but here in Atlanta Starbucks is the only place that has the nerve to charge for WiFi. I mean, for cryin out loud all any company has to do is install a $75 biz connection (which they probably already have) and then buy a $50 wireless router and they have free wifi to bring in patrons. To charge for it is ludicrous.

Here everywhere I go it's free wifi, free wifi. Chick fil a, Diggers, McDonalds, every coffee shop, the pizza place, just everywhere seemingly. Gosh, yay thanks for the free AT&T WiFi starbucks. Guess, what? There's nothing to eat there! I'm hungry!

 

[stevenz]

I use tethering over bluetooth on my old SonyEricsson W900 and it works fine, I only get about 40KB/sec but that's generally fine as long as I don't want to download anything. It seems to be pretty reliable.

Unless Apple actually makes the bluetooth somewhat more than completely useless, which is how it stands at the moment, then it's pretty much a good reason for me not to bother with one. I'd say a lot of it is so they can tie any sort of data transfer down to their little proprietary connector and itunes interface, but being able to just right-click on an image and tell OS X to send it to a bluetooth device is quite handy (I don't use iPhoto as it doesn't do what I want it to).

Perhaps this is why the useful SMS over bluetooth from Address Book was removed from Leopard, as their phone didn't support the function? </conspiracy>

Failing that, here's hoping the usual people can jailbreak the phone so a proxy server can be installed onto it. I'd still like decent bluetooth though. I mean c'mon, something this state of the art with no A2DP/AVRCP!? It's not 2005 anymore.

The iPhone is a nice device, but its functionality is just too crippled relative to a lot of its competition. Apart from the touchscreen even the new one still doesn't do anything that the "old" Nokia N95 can. e.g. _still_ no MMS!?

Obvious argument is that the interface on the N95 is terrible.

Here's hoping the final 2.0 firmware does something useful. If it can be made to function as a network gateway over bluetooth or even wifi, then it's a lot more useful as a business device. Until then, people will just have to carry their Huawei 3G modems or whatever around as well.

 

[bilbo--baggins]

I accept that tethering isn't allowed by the fair use terms as a laptop is likely to hog a lot more bandwidth thm an iPhone.

I also wouldn't want to hack my iPhone

However, my MacBook doesn't have an expansion slot, and I always have my iPhone with me. I think the should offer a 1-click solution that allows people to pay extra to use their iPhone as a modem. I used an old Sony Ericsson phone as a modem and it took a bit of investigating to work out how to set it up

If apple provided a simple soluion where people who have paid extra can click a button and switch the service on it would be great

Mind you, the iPhone really does reduce the need to take a laptop for some people. The idea of running presentations by connecting an iPhone to a projector using keynote sounds fantastic.

 

[Tosser]

Perhaps this is why the useful SMS over bluetooth from Address Book was removed from Leopard, as their phone didn't support the function? </conspiracy>

Oh, that's what happened!
I bought a new phone the day after I "upgraded" to Leopard, and it didn't work. When I then downgraded to Tiger a while after (and for a month or two), I didn't think to check it, as I assumed it was the phone.

Excellent job, Apple. You're acting like a monopoly, making everyone suffering.

 

[Mr Smith]

err

why would you wifi tether anyway? when you can just get your laptop straight onto wifi?!?!
Surely the whole point of the iphone is internet in your pocket? you are complaining about it not being able to get your laptop online when its a super capable device itself?
who really needs 3g tethering that much? wifi is common as hell now...
what can't the iphone give you that a laptop does in between wifi spots?

 

[Yoursh]

I'm not sure if anyone has thought of this but what's stopping you from purchasing a laptop internet card and poping your iPhone 3G sim into it? Would you get internet? (w/ no voice of course lol)

Actually....I'm doing this now with my current iPhone's sim card. I install my iPhone sim card into my old Windows mobile smartphone(unlocked it after transfering my phone # to the iPhone). The old phone is pre-EDGE so it does work but I get a slow 'dialup speed' like connection. Can also make and receive calls on it if I need to.

A 3G model's sim card should be able to use an unlocked or AT&T locked phone with 3G speeds. I don't know if a 3G laptop card would work though. At least for EDGE, the phones connect to AT&T differently then the cards do.(to get technical, the phones connect via 'WAP@CINGULAR' and the cards/pda's connect via 'ISP@CINGULAR') It may work, but I'm not spending $100+ on a card to find out.

I can see the reasons AT&T and Apple don't want tethering. One, they want to sell full on mobile internet service and get the higher price for it. They're only charging $20-$30/month because you are limited on what you can do with the connection on an iPhone. If they offered tethering, you can bet AT&T would charge a lot more for the service. Two, they doen't want people to abuse the access. You know people would try to download large things like torrents if they could. This would bog down the network fairly quickly. Three, I can see Steve Jobs view that the iPhone provides all the functionality you need.

Never the less, I will be upgrading to the 3G iPhone. I will most likely just hunt down a used 3G phone to use like my current setup. For internet the iPhone works fine, but I need a laptop to run non-browser apps like Server Admin and Remote Desktop for remote administration of my Xserve.

 

[Tosser]

why would you wifi tether anyway? when you can just get your laptop straight onto wifi?!?!

WiFi-tethering in this context means you use the Wi-Fi-card in your laptop to connect directly to the WiFi in your phone (just like one would use BT-tethering), and then from there go to the internet.

 

[superleccy]

who really needs 3g tethering that much? wifi is common as hell now...
what can't the iphone give you that a laptop does in between wifi spots?

WiFi isn't "as common as hell" driving up the M1 in my car! Not that I've noticed, anyway.

And my TomTom won't accept a USB or Express card dongle.

SL

 

[r3dko]

Tethering

Before the charger port in my Blackberry 8800 broke, I used to use Bluetooth tethering all the time. I don't have internet hookup in our summer home in the mountains, as broadband wasn't around until just recently. The only options were check my mail on the phone, or drive an hour to the nearest Starbucks. Tethering took some time and research, but I finally was able to achieve solid connections, even while driving. I would be behind the wheel, and my wife would be in the passenger's seat updated the photos in our blog, or letting someone know that we'll be gone for the next two weeks.

All in all, I am disappointed that the obvious "smartphone" potential of the iPhone is being ignored. Don't get me wrong-- I love the phone, but it is still not as practical for business as even an older "crackberry". 3g and MobileMe will be wonderful, but are still behind the tech curve when it comes to true mobile office application.

As much as I travel, it would be nice having a phone that would allow me to do Everything that I needed to do, so that I didn't have to lug around a laptop. With all of the restrictions that I've been seeing, however, I don't see that occurring for at least a couple more years. The technology is there -- but the cell companies and Apple are too busy trying to protect their own interests to realize the potential.

Forget the typical home user plans. Why not make an iPhone-specific Enterprise-grade plan that will allow tethering, bluetooth communication, MMS over IP, and many of the other things we have been looking for. Even better -- why not make a bluetooth camera that can be used for video conferencing? The potential is tremendous, but it is all going to go to waste if no one makes use of it.

 

[donstenk]

For tethering Nokia is great

Has anyone actually tried to use tethering to a smart device ?

I regularly use my Nokia E61i as a bluetooth modem on a MacBook. I get a reliable 3G or Edge connection that is fine for web, mail and IM. Skype works well, even receiving video - not sending, the upstream is too limited.

I guess it depends on your mobile and your network coverage. Italy, where I live, has excellent 3G coverage.

It makes for great backup connectivity and is useful when working out of office for a few days.

 

[Tosser]

I regularly use my Nokia E61i as a bluetooth modem on a MacBook. I get a reliable 3G or Edge connection that is fine for web, mail and IM. Skype works well, even receiving video - not sending, the upstream is too limited.

I guess it depends on your mobile and your network coverage. Italy, where I live, has excellent 3G coverage.

It makes for great backup connectivity and is useful when working out of office for a few days.

I used a smartphone until I realised I didn't really like it* (or needed that particular solution). I then purchased a "3G-stick" to connect to the network. I use that solution to upload audio-pieces, edit the web and so on.

*what's nice about having the connectivity as a "stick" instead of using the phone is that I can use my phone for interviews and so on, and only having to worry about talk time.

To me, that's the perfect solution.

 

[Xavier]

Just one more reason (if it is something a jailbreak could accomplish) to jailbreak

 

[JeffDM]

You pay for a service, that service is yours to do with as you please. I bought this much service for MY use and I will use it on myself as I please. ... Wireless providers sale unlimited service and then cut you off and try to redefine the term unlimited.

They provide "unlimited use", but only for specific devices and uses, because how much data a person typically uses changes based on the device in question. This is why different kinds of devices get different rates. Using it as a notebook modem is likely to pull down several times the data that a smartphone would.

Everyday we let people take our rights one clause at a time.

That melodrama doesn't work on my in this situation. If you signed the contract knowing that you will break its terms for this reason only shows is that you're a dishonest person.

Having Apple blocking tethering (BTW it's the first time I've heard it call that)

I've never seen it called any other way.

 

[JeffDM]

why would you wifi tether anyway? when you can just get your laptop straight onto wifi?!?!

What they mean is connect the computer to the phone using WiFi. The phone connects to the internet using Edge / 3G, not WiFi.

Surely the whole point of the iphone is internet in your pocket? you are complaining about it not being able to get your laptop online when its a super capable device itself?
who really needs 3g tethering that much? wifi is common as hell now...
what can't the iphone give you that a laptop does in between wifi spots?

iPhone isn't the ideal device for every computer task. It can't even do a lot of basic things that notebooks can, and there's the matter of screen size and app availability.

Accessible WiFi isn't necessarily that common.

i understand that they don't build it in, but i don't understand how they can prevent someone else from doing it, the phone clearly isn't crippled to send and recieve data, tethering would just be a matter of getting the phone and computer to communicate, which they don't have any control over

They can't prevent, but they can make it difficult. Making it difficult is enough to minimize the impact.

 

[Tosser]

iPhone isn't the ideal device for every computer task. It can't even do a lot of basic things that notebooks can […]

Copy/paste comes to mind, lol

 

[1Zach1]

The article says there will be no plan for IPhone tethering right? It does not say the IPhone won't be able to tether. Call me optimistic, but maybe a little of that isn't a bad thing.

 

[buccsmf1]

why would you wifi tether anyway? when you can just get your laptop straight onto wifi?!?!
Surely the whole point of the iphone is internet in your pocket? you are complaining about it not being able to get your laptop online when its a super capable device itself?
who really needs 3g tethering that much? wifi is common as hell now...
what can't the iphone give you that a laptop does in between wifi spots?

um maybe if you live in a major us city it isnt a problem but for the vast majority of americans FREE public wi-fi is virtually non-existent. tell me, where, in a town of 70k, can you find free wi-fi other than starbucks?

 

[bigmc6000]

That's actually not how it works. You get unlimited 3G for $30 a month, however ONLY for your phone. You then break your user contract and tether anyway. If you use it too much however, AT&T might notice that you're using too much bandwidth for just a phone. At that point they exercise their right to cancel your data plan, you don't notice, and at the end of the month you're paying by the KB.

That's similar to the people who paying for unlimited Media Net ($15-20 a month), when they have a 3G phone with a QWERTY keyboard. A lot of people get away with it, but some get caught for violating their contract.

An actual tethering plan would be $65.

Well the overwhelming majority of people who tether don't use it as their sole internet connection - it's for when they are on the road and want to use their laptop. If you just want to use it as your primary internet you just buy the card for your computer. At least that's how all the people I know use it and none of them had to hack their phone to do it.

 

[MojoWill]

The iPhone does support it it is only AT&T that aren't supporting it on their network. O2 in the UK will allow it.

as for the practical use of tethering it is great i have sucessfully used via bluetooth an N95 and LG Viewty for a while to connect my MBP to the net and can skype FTP evn play world of warcraft!