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davbeck

macrumors regular
Original poster
May 16, 2008
104
0
Reno, NV
I just activated tethering on my iPhone 4. Whenever I plug it into my mac, the blue bar says that it is tethered, even when my mac is connected to WiFi. In network preferences the USB connection is below the WiFi connection, but just to be sure, can anyone confirm that my phone's data is not being used?
 

himni

macrumors regular
Sep 24, 2009
145
2
Just go into Settings>General>Network>Internet Tether and slide it to off. Then when you need tethering slide it back to on.
 

davbeck

macrumors regular
Original poster
May 16, 2008
104
0
Reno, NV
I just did a test. It looks like the iPhone's data is in fact not being used.

As you can see, the url takes the same path when WiFi is connected whether my iPhone is connected or not (through integra.net, my ISP).

When I turn off WiFi, it routes through att.net.

Code:
WiFi + Thethering

traceroute to thinkultimate.com (66.84.12.65), 64 hops max, 52 byte packets
 1  64-42-58-217.atgi.net (64.42.58.217)  2.088 ms  1.604 ms  1.670 ms
 2  0.0.0.0 (0.0.0.0)  8.583 ms  8.345 ms  9.083 ms
 3  ge-2-1.cr01.renonvmp.integra.net (209.63.97.209)  16.943 ms  23.715 ms  24.897 ms
 4  tg13-2.cr02.sntdcabl.integra.net (209.63.97.158)  23.679 ms  16.394 ms  17.505 ms
 5  tg1-1.br01.plalcaxc.integra.net (209.63.115.14)  27.037 ms  20.048 ms  24.484 ms
 6  64.209.106.45 (64.209.106.45)  32.674 ms *  999.349 ms
 7  revelation-networks-inc.gigabitethernet3-9.1201.ar3.chi2.gblx.net (64.215.185.78)  90.469 ms  87.501 ms  90.460 ms
 8  lan-a.cr1.cmh.peeringcore.net (69.4.240.17)  272.619 ms  159.773 ms  300.524 ms
 9  68.171.194.117.cust.static.cmh.datacenter101.com (68.171.194.117)  86.310 ms  80.552 ms  80.428 ms
10  s22.n8.n84.n66.static.myhostcenter.com (66.84.8.22)  79.421 ms  87.444 ms  81.482 ms
11  s65.n12.n84.n66.static.myhostcenter.com (66.84.12.65)  80.853 ms  85.474 ms  80.476 ms

WiFi only

traceroute to thinkultimate.com (66.84.12.65), 64 hops max, 52 byte packets
 1  64-42-58-217.atgi.net (64.42.58.217)  4.816 ms  1.631 ms  1.378 ms
 2  0.0.0.0 (0.0.0.0)  10.447 ms  14.905 ms  8.679 ms
 3  ge-2-1.cr01.renonvmp.integra.net (209.63.97.209)  17.175 ms  25.385 ms  21.065 ms
 4  tg13-2.cr02.sntdcabl.integra.net (209.63.97.158)  19.847 ms  20.526 ms  24.547 ms
 5  tg1-1.br01.plalcaxc.integra.net (209.63.115.14)  23.447 ms  24.532 ms  23.683 ms
 6  64.209.106.45 (64.209.106.45)  23.464 ms  25.330 ms  22.603 ms
 7  revelation-networks-inc.gigabitethernet3-9.1201.ar3.chi2.gblx.net (64.215.185.78)  89.046 ms  86.120 ms  94.954 ms
 8  lan-a.cr1.cmh.peeringcore.net (69.4.240.17)  80.983 ms  81.011 ms  83.173 ms
 9  68.171.194.117.cust.static.cmh.datacenter101.com (68.171.194.117)  83.578 ms  84.781 ms  97.925 ms
10  s22.n8.n84.n66.static.myhostcenter.com (66.84.8.22)  89.078 ms  87.509 ms  88.446 ms
11  s65.n12.n84.n66.static.myhostcenter.com (66.84.12.65)  83.959 ms  85.372 ms  81.785 ms


Tethering only

traceroute to thinkultimate.com (66.84.12.65), 64 hops max, 52 byte packets
 1  172.20.10.1 (172.20.10.1)  1.020 ms  0.797 ms  0.687 ms
 2  172.26.236.2 (172.26.236.2)  84.715 ms  95.240 ms  110.187 ms
 3  172.18.64.106 (172.18.64.106)  84.731 ms  101.903 ms  89.908 ms
 4  172.18.65.161 (172.18.65.161)  98.277 ms  88.620 ms  77.820 ms
 5  172.18.65.33 (172.18.65.33)  82.219 ms
    172.18.65.37 (172.18.65.37)  87.703 ms  86.168 ms
 6  172.18.75.5 (172.18.75.5)  84.296 ms  88.265 ms  80.025 ms
 7  12.87.73.125 (12.87.73.125)  92.192 ms  86.343 ms
    12.89.150.137 (12.89.150.137)  124.585 ms
 8  cr2.sffca.ip.att.net (12.122.136.138)  120.110 ms  163.513 ms
    cr2.st6wa.ip.att.net (12.122.146.186)  97.043 ms
 9  cr81.st0wa.ip.att.net (12.122.5.197)  147.541 ms  99.189 ms
    12.122.136.121 (12.122.136.121)  141.434 ms
10  att-gw.sanjoseequinix.savvis.net (192.205.36.6)  114.728 ms  158.268 ms  157.733 ms
11  te8-4-10g.ar1.pao2.gblx.net (64.208.27.81)  96.264 ms
    er2-xe-11-2-0.sanjoseequinix.savvis.net (204.70.203.21)  121.225 ms  114.702 ms
12  ge9-1-10g.ar2.chi2.gblx.net (67.17.109.117)  157.908 ms
    cr1-tenge-0-3-5-0.sanfrancisco.savvis.net (204.70.200.198)  116.522 ms  131.983 ms
13  cr1-pos-0-0-0-0.chicago.savvis.net (204.70.192.134)  158.195 ms  159.935 ms
    ge9-1-10g.ar2.chi2.gblx.net (67.17.109.117)  207.890 ms
14  revelation-networks-inc.gigabitethernet3-9.1201.ar3.chi2.gblx.net (64.215.185.78)  162.947 ms
    ber1-te-1-0-0.chicagoequinix.savvis.net (204.70.196.22)  162.127 ms
    revelation-networks-inc.gigabitethernet3-9.1201.ar3.chi2.gblx.net (64.215.185.78)  162.732 ms
15  209.176.218.114 (209.176.218.114)  166.133 ms
    lan-a.cr1.cmh.peeringcore.net (69.4.240.17)  170.189 ms  180.906 ms
16  68.171.194.117.cust.static.cmh.datacenter101.com (68.171.194.117)  169.948 ms
    lan-a.cr1.cmh.peeringcore.net (69.4.240.17)  198.248 ms
    68.171.194.117.cust.static.cmh.datacenter101.com (68.171.194.117)  170.799 ms
17  s22.n8.n84.n66.static.myhostcenter.com (66.84.8.22)  188.209 ms  179.869 ms
    68.171.194.117.cust.static.cmh.datacenter101.com (68.171.194.117)  186.931 ms
18  s22.n8.n84.n66.static.myhostcenter.com (66.84.8.22)  191.934 ms
    s65.n12.n84.n66.static.myhostcenter.com (66.84.12.65)  188.751 ms
    s22.n8.n84.n66.static.myhostcenter.com (66.84.8.22)  199.916 ms
 

Applejuiced

macrumors Westmere
Apr 16, 2008
40,672
6,533
At the iPhone hacks section.
Just go into Settings>General>Network>Internet Tether and slide it to off. Then when you need tethering slide it back to on.

Agreed.
Why dont you turn off tethering then and just turn it back on when you actually need to tether?
Not when you need to charge the phone cause you're just wasting battery and CPU usage having it run in the back for nothing.
 

davbeck

macrumors regular
Original poster
May 16, 2008
104
0
Reno, NV
I haven't noticed a draw on battery when it is not being used, and it doesn't get used unless there is no WiFi available.

If I wanted to manually set every setting every time I wanted to do anything, I would be a PC user, not a Mac user. I was quit impressed when I activated tethering. It is almost like having a 3G connection directly in my laptop.
 

Applejuiced

macrumors Westmere
Apr 16, 2008
40,672
6,533
At the iPhone hacks section.
I haven't noticed a draw on battery when it is not being used, and it doesn't get used unless there is no WiFi available.

If I wanted to manually set every setting every time I wanted to do anything, I would be a PC user, not a Mac user. I was quit impressed when I activated tethering. It is almost like having a 3G connection directly in my laptop.

It does use battery and CPU cause you obviously see the flashing blue bar.
But up to you, usually people turn off things when they dont use them. I guess Mac users like to leave their lights on when away from home and car running when parked according to your logic;)
 

davbeck

macrumors regular
Original poster
May 16, 2008
104
0
Reno, NV
We are talking about the USB connection. It only flashes blue when you connect it. But to leave it running as long as the computer is not using it for data, it does not use any power.
 

Applejuiced

macrumors Westmere
Apr 16, 2008
40,672
6,533
At the iPhone hacks section.
The pulsing blue tethering bar will consume 10-15% more battery according to Inteliborn, the MyWi developer.
Note: For increased battery performance the flashing tethering bar will only be displayed on springboard.
So it does use battery when connected and blinks, it doesnt use any battery when its not connected to a computer obviously.
 
Last edited:

Applejuiced

macrumors Westmere
Apr 16, 2008
40,672
6,533
At the iPhone hacks section.
I'm not using MyWi. It's AT&T's official plan.

I know, but like I said above the pulsing blue bar uses more battery.
That's why the MyWi dev took off that stock feature so your tethering and battery will last longer.
That's all.
Do what makes you happy though:D
Just letting ya know the added feature behind turning it off when not using it. Battery life;)
 
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