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iPhone Free Tethering on Sprint/Verizon

J

Jimmy Guphanti

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 29, 2011
341
8
Hello,

I have been working for several weeks to try and figure out a way to tether on my Sprint iPhone 5S without a plan using this method -

http://www.itweakios.com/apps/blog/...t-tethering-on-ios-6-7-no-jailbreak-required-

I tried every which way, no matter what, it appears that this is impossible on a CDMA network, at least in the case of Sprint and Verizon.

However, I found another way. Basically what you need is a a jailbroken iPhone (preferably a 5) on iOS 6 with TetherMe installed. Once you have TetherMe installed, back it up in iTunes, then restore the backup on a new device, and tethering will be free and enabled. This is really only for people who have Unlimited Data and no tethering.

Since not many people probably have a 5 on iOS 6 jail broken with TetherMe,
In order to make this work for the masses, someone with an iPhone 5 jail broken on iOS 6 with TetherMe needs to make a backup, and provide it to the community so everyone can restore to it and have tethering. OBVIOUSLY, if someone is willing to do this they should erase all of their data and personal info, logins, etc. before hand. So basically you would have to use something like iLex Rat to remove the jailbreak, then do "Erase all Content and Settings" then jailbreak, install TetherMe, change the device name to something random, backup, and upload the backup online so others can use it.

Nobody is probably going to do that, but if they did, everyone on Sprint with an iOS 7 iPhone and Unlimited Data, or on Verizon on iOS 7 with Unlimited Data/No tethering could have free tethering enabled without a jailbreak.
 
I've got an iPhone 5 on iOS 6.1.2, jailbroken AND I have TetherMe installed. But, no. I am not offering my backup. Sorry.

That said, come on, Sprint has a 2GB tethering option for $20 a month. $50 for 6GB and $10 for 1GB.

I have the 2GB option and am paying the $20 a month. I installed TetherMe because if Sprint looks at it, well I'm legit.
 
eyoungren said:
I've got an iPhone 5 on iOS 6.1.2, jailbroken AND I have TetherMe installed. But, no. I am not offering my backup. Sorry.

That said, come on, Sprint has a 2GB tethering option for $20 a month. $50 for 6GB and $10 for 1GB.

I have the 2GB option and am paying the $20 a month. I installed TetherMe because if Sprint looks at it, well I'm legit.
Click to expand...

does anything happen when you tether over 2GB?
 
No idea. We just got LTE in August and before that 3G was unuseable. I haven't had a cause to tether yet, especially when LTE is spotty at the moment. But in the tethering I have done, TetherMe reports no data sent or received. I guess that is a good sign.
 
eyoungren said:
That said, come on, Sprint has a 2GB tethering option for $20 a month. $50 for 6GB and $10 for 1GB.
Click to expand...

sprint also has the $110 all-in plan which is unlimited talk/text/data and includes tethering.. problem is, tethering is limited to 5GB/month so it's not exactly 'all-in'.. ($15/GB upon going over).. i need about 10GB/month :/

i currently have sprint, tetherme, and iOS6.. seemingly a prime candidate to try this restore workaround for ios7.. still hesitant though- need more info prior to losing my jailbreak ;)
 
flat five said:
sprint also has the $110 all-in plan which is unlimited talk/text/data and includes tethering.. problem is, tethering is limited to 5GB/month so it's not exactly 'all-in'.. ($15/GB upon going over).. i need about 10GB/month :/

i currently have sprint, tetherme, and iOS6.. seemingly a prime candidate to try this restore workaround for ios7.. still hesitant though- need more info prior to losing my jailbreak ;)
Click to expand...
Yeah…the problem with the All-In plans are that they aren't family plans. I'd need to get two plans, one for me and one for my wife.

There's the Unlimited My Way plans too, which are family plans. But the problem with those plans are that they are more expensive as you add lines. Sure the price reduces, but you get no break on the data charge.

I'm on the old Everything Data 1500 family plan. Two lines, with a free Airave for a total of three lines. The 2 or 6GB option was offered before the new plans but Sprint doesn't seem to advertise them. I do know that you cannot get the old ED plans now, nor can you go back. Sprint isn't forcing anyone off them yet though.

If I went with the Unlimited My Way plan I'd end up spending $20 more a month than I do now. So, we won't be moving any time soon.

The "guarantee" is a crock. Sure, Sprint locks you in for unlimited if you choose the new plan and you keep it as long as you're on the plan. But, all of the Everything Data plans were marketed as unlimited so I HAVE unlimited anyway.
 
trainwrecka said:
It's free for you, but when you steal something for "free", that just means others are paying for it.
Click to expand...

No, it means others did not perform the necessary measure on their mobile device to also be able to tether for free. Everyone could do it if they wanted too, granted, a jailbreak needs to come out first.

----------
flat five said:
sprint also has the $110 all-in plan which is unlimited talk/text/data and includes tethering.. problem is, tethering is limited to 5GB/month so it's not exactly 'all-in'.. ($15/GB upon going over).. i need about 10GB/month :/

i currently have sprint, tetherme, and iOS6.. seemingly a prime candidate to try this restore workaround for ios7.. still hesitant though- need more info prior to losing my jailbreak ;)
Click to expand...

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1593868/
 
Jimmy Guphanti said:
No, it means others did not perform the necessary measure on their mobile device to also be able to tether for free. Everyone could do it if they wanted too, granted, a jailbreak needs to come out first.
Click to expand...

I think he ment that you are not paying for a service, that means the cost for all users go up because someone has to pay for it, no such thing as a free lunch...
 
TriJetHero said:
I think he ment that you are not paying for a service, that means the cost for all users go up because someone has to pay for it, no such thing as a free lunch...
Click to expand...

What's the difference? I could use 2Gb on my phone or illegally tether to my laptop
And use 2Gb. How will that up the cost for everyone else?

Now, letting others tether from me when I am unlikely to use the data, isn't free lunch.
 
Thepoobear said:
What's the difference? I could use 2Gb on my phone or illegally tether to my laptop
And use 2Gb. How will that up the cost for everyone else?

Now, letting others tether from me when I am unlikely to use the data, isn't free lunch.
Click to expand...

The difference is they know most people won't use the full 2GB on a phone, but will very easily on a laptop. That is factored into the pricing they give people.
 
trainwrecka said:
The difference is they know most people won't use the full 2GB on a phone, but will very easily on a laptop. That is factored into the pricing they give people.
Click to expand...

Yea, right. I use much more than 2Gb on my iphone now that sprint got LTE.
 
Thepoobear said:
Yea, right. I use much more than 2Gb on my iphone now that sprint got LTE.
Click to expand...

And tethering you will even use more.

It's simple you enter a contract not to tether, if you do you break the contract terms. Up to you if you do so, but then also up to the carrier to charge you extra or terminate the contract.
 
TriJetHero said:
And tethering you will even use more.

It's simple you enter a contract not to tether, if you do you break the contract terms. Up to you if you do so, but then also up to the carrier to charge you extra or terminate the contract.
Click to expand...

You're butane a dead horse man

I cannot use more then there allotment so... I'm not talking unlimited data I'm talking about limited

On Sprint it is one thing because sprint is unlimited but on the other stuff is not unlimited I should be able to tether
 
Thepoobear said:
You're butane a dead horse man

I cannot use more then there allotment so... I'm not talking unlimited data I'm talking about limited

On Sprint it is one thing because sprint is unlimited but on the other stuff is not unlimited I should be able to tether
Click to expand...

Yes, we would all like to have this and that. But ultimately, they're a company and a company's goal is to make money
 
I had a backup that had Tethering enabled, did a restore to my 4S and the HotSpot feature thing was enabled, was gonna about to connect my laptop to the hotspot and then I got a "iPhone is activated" pop up message and the hotspot turned off, Then I get a message saying 2 contact my carrier when I try to enable it.
 
Thepoobear said:
Theft must be proven. Good luck proving that tethering equals theft on an Internet forum.

Edit: Wasn't Verizon made to let customers tether their data?
Click to expand...
Sprint has the ability to detect tethering data now.

They didn't two years or so ago, so the 5GB hotspot plan back then was technically "unlimited" because they couldn't detect if you went over. Then Sprint announced they would start enforcing the limit because they gained that ability.

So, you're right. Can't be proven on an internet forum. But if you are tethering on Sprint, they CAN prove it there, which I think, is actually where it matters.

Part of the reason I've combined TetherMe with a legitimate 2GB tethering option.
 
Not only that, even if you happen to allow tethering and change your tethering APN to your data APN, there's still the user agent that will give it away
 
darricksailo said:
Not only that, even if you happen to allow tethering and change your tethering APN to your data APN, there's still the user agent that will give it away
Click to expand...

I've emailed the developer of PDANet, and he said that no one really knows how the carriers are detecting it. It's pretty low level, and they do deep packet inspection to prevent the false positives. He says it's not the APN, nor the agent string, and I think he's correct.

On my jailbroken phone, i have a hack that allows me to set the user-agent to whatever browser I want so that sites don't immediately show me a mobile version of the site. I've done it a bazillion times in the last two years, and never got a letter -- So I don't think the user agent has anything to do with it.
 
Thepoobear said:
Theft must be proven. Good luck proving that tethering equals theft on an Internet forum.

Edit: Wasn't Verizon made to let customers tether their data?
Click to expand...

Well stating that you are willingly breaking a contract you entered in is prety much enough evidence. It's all about ethics on a forum grant you that, but in real life receiving a letter telling you to stop tethering or pay more/terminate contract is less comfortable i guess.

Good luck!
 
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