iPhone Need PROOF that PDAnet hides tethering from Att? ***We need a Verizon iPhone owner***

[ap3604]

Hey guys know no one knows 100% for sure how Att is catching people tethering but it sucks that they take away your unlimited data if you tether

Most of the people using MiWi have been caught and because of this PDAnet has come out with an update to their tethering app that claims to "hide tethering usage". It uses different levels of security to do this (1 and 2) and seems to try and fool Att into thinking your computer is an iPhone while you tether.

The only problem? There is no way for an Att person to see if PDAnet is actually working and fooling Att to think your computer is an iPhone. This is because when they take away your unlimited and upgrade you to the 4gb data pro plan it doesn't tell you if you are using tethering data or regular iPhone data.

The solution? If a Verizon iPhone owner who has unlimited data purchases the $20/mo 2gb tethering plan option, they keep their unlimited data and have a separate bucket of tether data to draw from. This means that if a Verizon owner with the 2gb tethering option uses PDAnet "Level II" protection to tether and can tell us Att owners if it draws from their 2gb tethering data bucket or if PDAnet actually fools Verizon to think that you aren't tethering (if it only uses your unlimited).

If anyone knows a Verizon iPhone owner that already has the tethering feature or is willing to do this it would be greatly appreciated by myself and the community

Eventually Verizon is going to kill off unlimited data as well and if they do that then they will target Verizon unlimited data owners as well. If you do this and PDAnet works you will also be helping yourself down the line avoid Verizon switching your unlimited plan in the future once it's not available.

The steps:
- Verizon iPhone owner w/ unlimited data
- Purchase the 2gb tethering add on
- Use PDAnet to tether using level 2 protection
- See if it used your unlimited data or your 2gb tethering data

Thanks again for your help.

 

[Interstella5555]

Maybe you could, you know, pay for a tethering plan?

 

[wordoflife]

Maybe you could, you know, pay for a tethering plan?

lol

I love the OP worded his post. Everything in it.

 

[jav6454]

Why do you need a Verizon user to test an AT&T problem? Just stick to AT&T testing, after all, that's the network being targeted.

 

[ap3604]

I love how the OP worded his post. Everything in it.

I was REALLY careful in explaining everything since I knew there would be one troll or another coming on and saying "just pay for a tethering plan".

If there was a way to keep unlimited while paying for a tethering plan I would. Verizon allows this but since Att takes away unlimited from you for no reason then that means war and we need to figure out how to hide tethering usage from them.

 

[Pmoser]

Hey guys know no one knows 100% for sure how Att is catching people tethering but it sucks that they take away your unlimited data if you tether

Most of the people using MiWi have been caught and because of this PDAnet has come out with an update to their tethering app that claims to "hide tethering usage". It uses different levels of security to do this (1 and 2) and seems to try and fool Att into thinking your computer is an iPhone while you tether.

The only problem? There is no way for an Att person to see if PDAnet is actually working and fooling Att to think your computer is an iPhone. This is because when they take away your unlimited and upgrade you to the 4gb data pro plan it doesn't tell you if you are using tethering data or regular iPhone data.

The solution? If a Verizon iPhone owner who has unlimited data purchases the $20/mo 2gb tethering plan option, they keep their unlimited data and have a separate bucket of tether data to draw from. This means that if a Verizon owner with the 2gb tethering option uses PDAnet "Level II" protection to tether and can tell us Att owners if it draws from their 2gb tethering data bucket or if PDAnet actually fools Verizon to think that you aren't tethering (if it only uses your unlimited).

If anyone knows a Verizon iPhone owner that already has the tethering feature or is willing to do this it would be greatly appreciated by myself and the community

Eventually Verizon is going to kill off unlimited data as well and if they do that then they will target Verizon unlimited data owners as well. If you do this and PDAnet works you will also be helping yourself down the line avoid Verizon switching your unlimited plan in the future once it's not available.

The steps:
- Verizon iPhone owner w/ unlimited data
- Purchase the 2gb tethering add on
- Use PDAnet to tether using level 2 protection
- See if it used your unlimited data or your 2gb tethering data

Thanks again for your help.

I'd test it for your if you volunteer to pay for the plan for a month how about that

 

[Applejuiced]

Why do you need a Verizon user to test an AT&T problem? Just stick to AT&T testing, after all, that's the network being targeted.

I agree.
One carriers way of detecting tethering has nothing to do with anothers.
And as far as I know Verizon hasnt bothered people with unlimited data that are tethering without a tether plan.

 

[MEJHarrison]

I was REALLY careful in explaining everything since I knew there would be one troll or another coming on and saying "just pay for a tethering plan".

If there was a way to keep unlimited while paying for a tethering plan I would. Verizon allows this but since Att takes away unlimited from you for no reason then that means war and we need to figure out how to hide tethering usage from them.

Add all the you want. You're still trying to invent your own plan that AT&T chooses not to sell. You can justify it all day long, but it's still theft and it's still wrong. It's no different than me walking across the street to the 7-11, buying a candy bar for $1 and slipping two into my pocket because I feel they should be 3-for-$1. AT&T is not choosing to sell you what you want. That doesn't give you the right to take it anyway.

Now if you admit what you're doing is wrong, that's one thing. I just get upset when people steal and try to pin the blame for their crime on the victim. I'd much rather see a post where someone asks how to steal their service than try to justify why they need to resort to stealing. That's just lame.

 

[Givmeabrek]

Theft of service no matter how you twist it.

 

[surfologist87]

If it bothers you, go find another thread to comment in!
Why do people feel they need to set everyone straight on the internet!

OP, i am on sprint, (doing the same thing, tethering with my rooted evo).. I am considering switching to ATT or Verizon for the iphone and this was really interesting. Info i did not know.

Hopefully verizon doesnt start doing this anytime soon, because i use tethering a lot.

I just dont know if ill be able to switch to verizon yet with all of the info im reading tonight about the new iphone(s) coming in the next few months. I dont know what do get or if i should stay with sprint. But i dont want to miss out on unlimited from verizon, because i really liked their service when i had them.

 

[treyjustice]

Add all the you want. You're still trying to invent your own plan that AT&T chooses not to sell. You can justify it all day long, but it's still theft and it's still wrong. It's no different than me walking across the street to the 7-11, buying a candy bar for $1 and slipping two into my pocket because I feel they should be 3-for-$1. AT&T is not choosing to sell you what you want. That doesn't give you the right to take it anyway.

Now if you admit what you're doing is wrong, that's one thing. I just get upset when people steal and try to pin the blame for their crime on the victim. I'd much rather see a post where someone asks how to steal their service than try to justify why they need to resort to stealing. That's just lame.

I disagree you pay for unlimited data or even 2gb of data why would it matter what it was used on? That's like paying for 2 cokes but being limited to only one thing. It's your coke you paid for you can do whatever you want with it.

 

[Hueyfreeman]

Unlike AT&T the people of other networks have lives and don't really care how a person uses the data plan that they have techniquely paid for.

 

[Goldinboy17]

I disagree you pay for unlimited data or even 2gb of data why would it matter what it was used on? That's like paying for 2 cokes but being limited to only one thing. It's your coke you paid for you can do whatever you want with it.

That's an awful analogy. A better one would used often is comparing the unlimited data plan to an all-you-can-eat buffets. The foods only for you(your device) not for anyone you care to try to sneak in. I can understand the aversion to having to pay an additional fee when you have a tiered plan though.

 

[maflynn]

Interesting how MR takes a hard stances towards piracy but stealing a service is allowed here

 

[scaredpoet]

If there was a way to keep unlimited while paying for a tethering plan I would.

I can get behind this argument. I can't blame someone who argues that taking away unlimited data plans is a problem for them. Maybe if AT&T wasn't so skittish, and would be willing to offer an unlimited data plan, people might be more willing to pay for tethering. Even if the plan offered unlimited data on the iPhone only and then had, say, a 2 or 3GB bucket to draw from for tethering.

I mean, AT&T claims to already detect the difference between tethering and iPhone data usage, right?

But then, this...

Verizon allows this but since Att takes away unlimited from you for no reason then that means war

No, there is no "war" here. It's that kind of "militancy" that gives people who want unlimited back a bad name.

If you don't like what AT&T is doing, then go to Verizon. Denying AT&T revenue is the most important "weapon" you have, and it helps to make them know why you're switching when you cancel.

Just know that you better do it quickly, because Verizon is planning on following AT&T's lead with their data plans VERY soon.

(For the record, I pay for the tethering plan on my iPhone, recently switched over. Before this, I paid for a separate line with a data card, but this is obviously cheaper for me.)

 

[MEJHarrison]

If it bothers you, go find another thread to comment in! Why do people feel they need to set everyone straight on the internet!

It does bother me, but I will not go away for two reasons:

A) I'm an AT&T customer. When people steal from them, it affects all of us, me included.

B) What's the point is having a forum where people can have discussions if one group is not allowed to provide the other side of the story? If people want to have a conversation and control who is allowed to make replies, a public forum is not the proper solution to the problem.

I disagree you pay for unlimited data or even 2gb of data why would it matter what it was used on? That's like paying for 2 cokes but being limited to only one thing. It's your coke you paid for you can do whatever you want with it.

I'm a technical person. A computer programmer and I've been in the business for over 20 years. So I completely understand from a technical point of view that you are absolutely correct. Data is data and it doesn't matter which devices are using that data. It's still just data being used which technically is "unlimited" for many of us.

Still, there are more than just technical limitations that control the world around us. While we technically have "unlimited" data, there are also other rules here at work. And they dictate how that "unlimited" data can and can not be used. And they say it can't be used for tethering. Why? My guess is to put more money in their pocket. Regardless, it's their data and they've said you can't tether unless you pay for that right.

This is no different than anything else in life. My car can technically go faster than 55, but that doesn't mean I'm allowed to. I have the skills and equipment to cut down a tree. While I can "technically" cut down any old tree, I'm sure my neighbors wouldn't be happy if I did so to theirs. Going back to the all-you-can-eat buffet someone else mentioned, it's "all-you-can-eat", yet their terms and conditions don't let me share with anyone, take leftovers home or come back and eat for free the next day. I could go on for days listing things I can technically do, but which I'm not permitted to.

You can't accept the part of the agreement that says you have "unlimited" data, then ignore the part that tells you it can't be used for tethering. Sure, one is an artificial rule used to generate revenue for AT&T. But people still don't have the right to take what they want because AT&T won't sell it to them. They say you can't tether. That doesn't make it ok to do so anyway.

 

[Squid7085]

I think it is pretty easy for AT&T to tell you are tethering on an iPhone line, when User Agents show up as "IE 7, Firefox and Safari." If you want to tether, just don't be stupid, I tether to my iPad when I am out and about, and never use more than 2GB, haven't heard a peep from AT&T. AT&T are cracking down on the people that are abusing the system, as they should be.

This is how I see it, if you pay for 2GB, it shouldn't matter how you use it, I agree that charging more for it is BS, although they made it better by adding 2 more GB for the Tethering. Despite the fact that I never use more than 2GB, so it makes little difference, but a step in the right direction. Unlimited on the other hand is an issue, Unlimited was sold on the premise that it would be used on the DEVICE, at the start of this all, to use a significant amount of Unlimited data on the iPhone was difficult, those times have changed. People complain about not being able to use their "Unlimited" data, but they are the ones tethering. The TOS say that, if you are abusing the system and using Unlimited iPhone data for your home internet connection, you deserve what AT&T does to you. If AT&T offered me to move to the 2GB plan and get tethering for free, I would jump, until that day comes I refuse to drop my Unlimited plan and pay $15 more for tethering. Like I said, I only tether to my iPad and never use more than 2GB, if I even make it to 1GB. AT&T won't take Unlimited away from you if you stick to the terms of that Unlimited data, if they take it away from me, I would be frustrated, but I broke the rules and I should be happy I did it for the time I did.

 

[MEJHarrison]

Like I said, I only tether to my iPad and never use more than 2GB, if I even make it to 1GB. AT&T won't take Unlimited away from you if you stick to the terms of that Unlimited data, if they take it away from me, I would be frustrated, but I broke the rules and I should be happy I did it for the time I did.

This is what I tried to say in my first post (I don't think it came out right). You're doing wrong, you know you are, you know why it's wrong, you admit to it and you're willing to pay the consequences if you get caught. That I can respect.

What I can't respect are those who make up excuses and try to justify their wrong doing by saying it's AT&T's fault. If you're going to steal service, at least have the balls to own up to it!

 

[kuebby]

That's an awful analogy. A better one would used often is comparing the unlimited data plan to an all-you-can-eat buffets. The foods only for you(your device) not for anyone you care to try to sneak in. I can understand the aversion to having to pay an additional fee when you have a tiered plan though.

But in your analogy the 2nd person at the buffet is directly eating the food, whereas when one tethers the 2nd device is getting internet through the paying device.

I think a more appropriate analogy, still using the buffet example, would be if the human centipede went to a buffet, do they pay for 1 person or for however many people are in the chain?

 

[Nrwrit3r]

But in your analogy the 2nd person at the buffet is directly eating the food, whereas when one tethers the 2nd device is getting internet through the paying device.

I think a more appropriate analogy, still using the buffet example, would be if the human centipede went to a buffet, do they pay for 1 person or for however many people are in the chain?

How did a thread on tethering turn into one about methods of eating at a buffet??

 

[cortland1998]

I have a Verizon iPhone... been using PDANet from day one. Their newest update which allows for hiding tether, seems to work for me. I've never received a text or anything from Verizon, regarding my tether. Even with the news today of Verizon taking the lead on blocking, Article Here, I haven't seen anything from Verizon. In my opinion... it works! I average around 6 gig a month of usage. I'm on the unlimited data plan and I'm not paying for the additional 2 gig for a hotspot.

 

[JesseW6889]

I wish they would change the name of this website to 'MoralPolice.com' or something creative like that, to allow all the honest and just people to bask in their greatness as the point fingers at the creatons.

 

[JCCL]

Maybe you could, you know, pay for a tethering plan?

Sorry but don't know how you put up with limited data plans and in addition to your already limited plans, you have to pay extra to consume the data you have already payed for. Fortunately, all plans here include tethering and unlimited is available...the way it should be....

 

[Hackintosh Sr.]

You know I thought the thread starter had a real legit question. Then I read all the people complaining about paying for it blah blah blah. Can we just answer the original question? I am curious about this also. I want to know if i turn on PDAnet I'm not gonna kick myself in to the lame 2gb plan

 

[bossxii]

I'm sorry, but if a carrier wants to know what device is using their data... then can. Simple as that.

They can see data traffic at all levels. If your familiar with Cisco gear and are in the IT business, you would know the general rule is you simply can't hide. I'm guessing that AT&T has some pretty smart engineers and IT professionals that can easily see the who/what/where and when you send data.

Everyone wants to jump up and down about "it's my data, I'll use it however i want"... actually no, it's not YOUR data, it's AT&T's, you pay them a fee to get to use THEIR NETWORK. Pretty sure you, nor I spent a few BILLION to build a network, so I have to agree to their terms of service to use THEIR network.

If you cannot grasp this simple concept, i'm sorry but your not entitled to squat. Their terms clearly state unlimited data is to be used on the phone, not on other devices. Unless english is not your first language, not sure how you can't figure this one out.

No I don't work for AT&T, I just am amazed how... umm.. to not get moderated I can't use any sort of derogatory words... so I"ll say "mentally challenged" people can't figure this out.