iPhone as Modem | FerrariChat

iPhone as Modem

Discussion in 'Technology' started by agup48, Jul 9, 2009.

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  1. agup48

    agup48 Two Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 15, 2006
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    I read a couple places that it is possible to use an iPhone as a modem when it's connected via USB and also Bluetooth. It also needs to be jailbroken. Anyone use their iPhone 3GS as a modem for their laptop? How fast is it? Is it worth it, or should I get internet with another company.

    Thanks in advance.
     
  2. yzee

    yzee F1 Veteran
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    I have a 3G and was telling this 17 yr. old kid that by fall you should be able to teather it to your laptop and he replied, "I can make it do it now for you".
     
  3. dfratini

    dfratini Karting
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    The tethering feature has not yet been activated in the US. Apparently it is available in Europe but AT&T has not yet "turned it on" here in the US but supposedly will do in the fall. You have always been able to hack the iPhone and use it as a modem but as soon as you hack the phone you violate the warranty so if you really need to tether immediately do so with caution. There are several web sites where you can download the software to hack the phone.
     
  4. zoRob

    zoRob Formula 3

    Oct 31, 2006
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    I have unlimited browsing with my iPhone (as in unlimited unlimited, not unlimited but with a 5GB limit :) ) and called up my provider in the UK to ask how to get this working. They wanted £20-£50 per month extra to activate it even though i have the unlimited browsing through my phone already. I can get 50MB per second broadband for that. No thanks.
     
  5. agup48

    agup48 Two Time F1 World Champ

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    On the 3GS, it is simple to delete/reset the jailbreaking software.

    Thanks for the link Tillman!
     
  6. GrigioGuy

    GrigioGuy Splenda Daddy
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    No jailbreak required to tether on a 3G phone. It does work with bluetooth, but my Tiger install doesn't pick up the iphone as a networking device via USB.

    Based on the performance, tethering is an emergency-only connectivity option for me.
     
  7. agup48

    agup48 Two Time F1 World Champ

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    So it wouldn't be worth it, to rely soley on the iPhone as internet?
     
  8. GrigioGuy

    GrigioGuy Splenda Daddy
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    3GS is supposedly quicker in general, and the USB tether is faster than bluetooth. Just saying for me on the older hardware combo (laptop and phone), I'd rather hunt down a wifi hotspot.
     
  9. agup48

    agup48 Two Time F1 World Champ

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    Gotca, I'll probably be able to steal wifi from the Starbucks across the street. I guess, it would be better to find out what's around me there.

    Thanks.
     
  10. S Brake

    S Brake F1 World Champ

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    I have PdaNet on my jailbroken phone and tethering works really well. The speed is pretty good and would be suitable for regular use, but definitely not worth whatever AT&T is going to charge.
     
  11. Mondog1

    Mondog1 F1 Rookie
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  12. 4REphotographer

    4REphotographer F1 Veteran

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    Very cool workaround, posting this from my tethered laptop. I wonder how long until AT&T shuts this down.
     
  13. S Brake

    S Brake F1 World Champ

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    I'm going to restore my phone to see if this works. The main reason I jailbroke was to get tethering.
     
  14. 4REphotographer

    4REphotographer F1 Veteran

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    I used that method without jail breaking and it works great. It really just installs a modified network version to the phone that has tethering enabled. Make sure when putting in that website that it is formatted exactly the same, that threw me the first couple times I tried it.
     
  15. agup48

    agup48 Two Time F1 World Champ

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    Care to post again if they do have any other fees? Hopefully they don't.
     
  16. S Brake

    S Brake F1 World Champ

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    #17 S Brake, Jul 11, 2009
    Last edited: Jul 11, 2009
    Posting from my iPhone tethered laptop. Easy as pie!

    Has anyone gotten MMS to work by doing this? My VVM and Tethering are fine but no MMS so far.
     
  17. 4REphotographer

    4REphotographer F1 Veteran

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    Yeah, I couldn't figure that out, it said it should work, but after numerous resets like it says to do, it still doesn't work.
     
  18. agup48

    agup48 Two Time F1 World Champ

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    Did you make sure that you turned off your wireless on your laptop or computer?
     
  19. S Brake

    S Brake F1 World Champ

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    Yeah, the wireless connection was disabled while I connected to my phone via USB.
     
  20. 4REphotographer

    4REphotographer F1 Veteran

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    Yeah, I tested my speeds as well, full bars with 3G.

    1600kbps over Bluetooth
    2200kbps over USB
     
  21. Mondog1

    Mondog1 F1 Rookie
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    #22 Mondog1, Jul 11, 2009
    Last edited: Jul 12, 2009
    I checked my phone bill and it was the same as always, well within a few cents.

    I was able to download the software so you can send MMS. The camera shows up now and now i'm able to send MMS text pictures.
     
  22. 4REphotographer

    4REphotographer F1 Veteran

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    Any chance you could PM a link, or post it here?
     
  23. Mondog1

    Mondog1 F1 Rookie
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    #24 Mondog1, Jul 12, 2009
    Last edited: Jul 12, 2009
    I used this link mostly:
    http://www.krillr.com/blog/3DPQHBZ3/...-yes-im-on-att

    I screwed around with this yesterday for about 2 hours off and on. I might have used some other websites, but mostly the kriller site. I also googled the code that you enter in the DOS screen. That brought up a few more websites that said basically the same thing. After I installed the everything the camera showed up on the Messages screen. I then tried to send a picture but stopped about 90% of the way, it would then fail. I ended up putting my sim card back into my blackberry and tried to call my voice mail. I wasn't able to access my VM, even though it was showing up on my att.com as a BB. I then put the sim back in my iphone and tried it one more time. Success.

    One interesting note. The data plan isn't showing up on my online account, but I still have access to the web. hmmmmm
     
  24. 4REphotographer

    4REphotographer F1 Veteran

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    Alright, yeah for some reason it wouldn't let me install the new ATT profile, it was grayed out, oh well I am just happy with tethering, MMS will be out in a couple weeks anyway.
     

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