Do I need to hack it to tether?

[sravana]

Hello all,
Total iPhone newbie here. I'm looking to get a 3G next week, and I would love to use the network to get online with my iMac, and save the $$ I spend on the local phone line + DSL.

From what I've read here, am I right in thinking that the phone would have to be jailbroken + some program in order to tether? Will I be able to buy stuff from the app store if it's jailbroken?

Is there a way to wirelessly link the iPhone to the iMac, to get online with the iMac?

Does it make more sense to just have an air card?

Thanks for your responses. I have read other threads about this, but they didn't answer these questions in a way I could understand!

Thanks!

 

[Nanook]

Yes, there are several ways to tether through the iPhone, and all of them require jailbreaking. The easiest method is a program called PDANet.

And jailbreaking doesn't affect anything having to do with the normal operation of the iPhone, including the app store or syncing etc., it just expands its capabilities.

Oh, just saw you were planning to use it as your main internet connection at home. I suppose it is possible, but AT&T has a 5GB/month bandwidth cap, so go easy.

 

[sravana]

I thought that the iPhone came with unlimited data? hmmm.
What about an air card? I'm going to be living someplace where DSL/cable isn't available... but cell service is.

 

[jcde7ago]

I am quite certain that even data/aircards have a bandwidth cap on them, because they use the same cellular data network. "Unlimited" data, by a carrier's definition, does not usually mean "unlimited." Verizon was sued for this a year or two ago and lost, since then carriers have still been using the term "unlimited" but putting in the fine print that you could be subject to a per-k/b usage charge if you go over their cap.

I would highly advise against attempting to use an aircard or tethering as a permanent solution for a home internet connection, unless you're absolutely certain that you won't be going over your cap. You can try to tether and see how much you use a month before you decide if it's going to be enough for you or not...

 

[sravana]

Okay, this is interesting.
Is there some kind of Mac app that will measure how much bandwidth you are using over time? Kind of like a bandwidth odometer?

I'd love to figure out exactly how much use one can get out of 5GB of bandwidth. Right now I'm online all the time, but if I had a reason to really curb it (like a limit) then I'd want to figure out just how much I'd need to put on the brakes.