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iPhone Using an iPhone's unlimited data to tether to a computer?

S

stanw

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 29, 2007
842
5
I currently have unlimited data with Verizon and use my Android Note3 all the time to tether with my Macbook Pro.

With the rumors of a larger iPhone coming soon, I am starting to look into the possibility of going back to iPhone, though I will not do it unless I can tether.

1. Can you use an iPhone to tether without jailbreaking?
2. After jailbreaking, how easy is it to tether an iPhone to a laptop or other device?

Thanks!
 
stanw said:
I currently have unlimited data with Verizon and use my Android Note3 all the time to tether with my Macbook Pro.

With the rumors of a larger iPhone coming soon, I am starting to look into the possibility of going back to iPhone, though I will not do it unless I can tether.

1. Can you use an iPhone to tether without jailbreaking?
2. After jailbreaking, how easy is it to tether an iPhone to a laptop or other device?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
1. Yes. Presuming you have purchased, or have available, a hotspot from Verizon. It's coding on their end that reveals the hotspot option in Settings. If you do not have this from them, are unwilling to buy it from them, or are unable to get one from them then you either need one of those secret apps from the apps store that slipped by Apple and allow tethering or you need to jailbreak.

2. Easy. Create a WiFi AdHoc netork using the iPhone. Connect to the AdHoc network and that's it.
 
1. If you have a tethering plan on Verizon, then you just turn on the hotspot.

2. After you jailbreak, there are several apps that allow you to turn on a hotspot.
 
I do not have a tethering plan with Verizon. I have an Android app that I use to do all this. So I do not pay an extra fee to use my unlimited data to tether with my Android.
 
stanw said:
I do not have a tethering plan with Verizon. I have an Android app that I use to do all this. So I do not pay an extra fee to use my unlimited data to tether with my Android.
Click to expand...
Then this is a reason to jailbreak. That's the only way you can enable the hotspot option.
 
I know nothing about jailbreaking.

1. After jailbreaking, are there any features of iOS that you no longer have?
2. Can you UN-jailbreak for some reason if you need to?
3. How/where do you download and install jailbroken apps?

Thanks for all the help.
 
Using an iPhone's unlimited data to tether to a computer?

stanw said:
I know nothing about jailbreaking.



1. After jailbreaking, are there any features of iOS that you no longer have?

2. Can you UN-jailbreak for some reason if you need to?

3. How/where do you download and install jailbroken apps?



Thanks for all the help.
Click to expand...


1. No (except software updates)
2. yes
3. Cydia. The store that gets installed on your device during jail breaking.
 
stanw said:
I know nothing about jailbreaking.

1. After jailbreaking, are there any features of iOS that you no longer have?
2. Can you UN-jailbreak for some reason if you need to?
3. How/where do you download and install jailbroken apps?

Thanks for all the help.
Click to expand...
1. No. Nothing is removed. You can still use the App store and everything else. All Jailbreaking does is allow you to install apps and modifications (tweaks) that Apple would not allow you to install.

2. Yes. Just restore your iPhone. Jailbreaking voids your warranty. However, restoring your iPhone removes all trace of jailbreaking.

3. You can download the jailbreak from evasi0n.com. Provided your iPhone is running iOS 7.0.6 or less. All current and recent past jailbreaks install Cydia. Cydia is the app store for jailbreaking. It will appear on your springboard after the jailbreak has completed. You simply open Cydia, find tweaks/apps you want to install and then download. Some tweaks and apps are paid, meaning you have to pay for them. Support the devs and don't pirate.
 
Sounds great!

1. So are jailbroken apps the same types of apps that are available through the iTunes store except they are not approved by Apple? In other words, are they programmed the same way as a regular app and instead of being uploaded for approval by Apple they are made available through evasi0n.com?

2. Can anyone upload an app to evasi0n.com or is there some screening process to accept the apps?

Thanks
 
stanw said:
Sounds great!

1. So are jailbroken apps the same types of apps that are available through the iTunes store except they are not approved by Apple? In other words, are they programmed the same way as a regular app and instead of being uploaded for approval by Apple they are made available through evasi0n.com?

2. Can anyone upload an app to evasi0n.com or is there some screening process to accept the apps?

Thanks
Click to expand...
Evasi0n.com is just the site to download the jailbreak. Cydia is bundled with the jailbreak, but other than jailbreaking itself it has nothing to do the guys who made the jailbreak.

1. Depends. Some are complicated and difficult to figure out and others are simple. Depends on the dev. Note that when it comes to tweaks, these are not apps. Twealks are things that modify your system. In your case, a tethering tweak would enable the hotspot feature. But it's not an app. Most apps are submitted to repos (repositories) that are part of Cydia. You can add or remove repos as you will, but there are some major ones that are included when Cydia is put on your phone. The people that control the repo can determine if something is added or not.

2. Not Evasi0n. See above. Cydia. Again, see above.
 
Just understand, if you jailbreak to tether without your carrier allowing a hotspot or tethering plan and they become aware you are doing it, they may change your plan or force a tethering plan on you.
 
stanw said:
Verizon wants to charge me for tethering, and they do not make it easy to do without a 3rd party app on Android, though they can not charge me
http://www.zdnet.com/let-my-wi-fi-go-fcc-rules-verizon-cant-charge-for-wi-fi-tethering-7000001916/

Is it somehow different on iPhone? Does Verizon or any carrier actually care if you jailbreak? Can they change your plan or somehow penalize you if you're caught jailbreaking?

Thanks.
Click to expand...
Jailbreaking is not illegal. Some apps can detect a jailbreak, which is why there is a tweak called xCon. So, I imagine it can be detected. I wouldn't know how they would do that, but it doesn't matter. You being jailbroken means nothing to them.

You using a tethering app or tweak without a tethering plan is an entirely different matter. Most of the tethering tweaks make every effort to hide your tethering, but sometimes people get caught. Just depends on how much you wish to risk things.

In my case, I pay Sprint $20 a month for a 2GB hotspot. But I also have TetherMe. My hope is that if Sprint were to ever detect me tethering (past my 2GB) they'd see that I already have a paid for hotspot and move on. Haven't had to test that yet given Sprint's really crappy rollout of the new network.

Anyway, Apple is the only people that care about you being jailbroken and that's only because of warranty. But you'd have to be pretty braindead to bring your jailbroken device into Apple for service and not restore before hand.
 
stanw said:
Verizon wants to charge me for tethering, and they do not make it easy to do without a 3rd party app on Android, though they can not charge me
http://www.zdnet.com/let-my-wi-fi-go-fcc-rules-verizon-cant-charge-for-wi-fi-tethering-7000001916/

Is it somehow different on iPhone? Does Verizon or any carrier actually care if you jailbreak? Can they change your plan or somehow penalize you if you're caught jailbreaking?

Thanks.
Click to expand...
Not for jailbreaking, but for tethering if you don't have a plan or a feature that allows for it and they discover that you are doing it (jailbroken or not).

Despite what that article and some other ones might say in relation to tethering and unlimited plans, the decision--based on a number of readings of it--basically says that on plans with limited data tethering shouldn't incur chargers as you get to use that data as you see fit, while on plans with unlimited data tethering can be charged for as an extra feature as the unlimited data applies to your mobile device only and not anything beyond that.
 
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