Put Your Laptop on a Leash with an Android Phone

Posted by ttblogger on 08/22 at 12:57 PM Permalink
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There’s a lot of free wireless (wifi) out there. It seems like it’s almost everywhere. The problem with that wifi is that it’s not always available or completely reliable. Worse, it’s not always available or reliable when you need it the most.

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    Posted by John H.  on  08/22  at  11:34 AM

  1. I am on Sprint and have been told by several of their folks that Sprint no longer supports phone as modem (tethering) via my Blackberry like it did when I got it 12 mos. ago. Obviously, an aggravating situation

    Also, now there is a $30/mo for the phone doing wifi associated with the Evo Droid phones plus $10/mo for the 4G network which is nowhere in my home state.  Since I only occassionally need tethering, will it work like you describe with a Droid phone on Sprint.

    Comments or other suggestions appreciated.

    2. Posted by Phillip Howell  on  08/22  at  12:31 PM

  2. Great article on tethering.  Do you know if a static IP can be assigned to the android system as it can on a win mobile 6.5 device?  I am looking to replace a 5 yr old device and am interested in the Android OS.

    3. Posted by Melvin Duncan  on  08/22  at  02:30 PM

  3. I’m not interested in communicating with my computer by phone no matter what you call it robot or something else I don’t have a cell and don’t want one. I am 70 and not interested in toys. I am on a fixed income and can not spare money for such things. I am a writer and trying to sell my books on a shoe string. I don’t own a laptop and don’t want one and don’t want an android either.

    4. Posted by Claude Stack  on  08/22  at  04:33 PM

  4. Just curious, Verizon offers something similiar through their devices but you have to pay for it. Am I to understand that this is simply a means of reaching out and touching the internet through the wireless netwwok without a cost? Sounds like the old way I used connect to Verizon dialup and run that way many moons ago.
    CZStack

    5. Posted by someguy  on  08/23  at  07:23 AM

  5. You can do this out of the box under Debian (and likely other Linux based OS’s) w/ no extra drivers required since your phone is seen as just another network interface.

    To obtain an i.p.:

    dhclient3 usb0

    If you need to find the name of the interface:

    ifconfig -a

    6. Posted by Win Bent  on  08/23  at  08:17 AM

  6. Just FYI - Those of us with older versions of Android can use PdaNet http://www.junefabrics.com/android/ - Fortunately, I haven’t needed it a lot, but when I did, it worked perfectly!

    7. Posted by Mike O'Brien  on  08/27  at  07:14 AM

  7. I have a Motorola Droid running the 2.2 Froyo update on Verizon with a MacBook Pro. Verizon has (apparently) taken steps to prevent customers from tethering the Droid without paying ($15/mo I believe) for a tethering option. The new tethering feature does not work with Verizon - I’m reasonably certain this applies regardless of your computing platform.

    The answer is PDANet. I’ve had it since shortly after getting my Droid and it works flawlessly. It uses an applet on the Droid and a desktop app on the laptop and works with both Windows and Mac OS/X.

    8. Posted by translation services  on  08/30  at  11:12 AM

  8. Verizon offers something similar through the devices but you have to pay for it. Do I understand that this is the only way to reach and touch the netwwok Internet wirelessly at no cost? Sounds like the old way I used the dial and drive so many Verizon ago

    9. Posted by wholesaler  on  09/06  at  03:34 AM

  9. lot of good information to link your laptop with phone but i am interested in computers and software.

    10. Posted by Will Luker  on  09/14  at  11:35 AM

  10. I recently purchased my first droid phone to try out the tethering and wifi connections instead of buying the Sprint USB cellular modem or the MiFi.  It has worked great and my speeds are quite good (1+ mbit).  However, I was reading the fine print of my Sprint contract and there’s a section in there that gives them the ability to charge me for “excessive bandwidth.” I don’t plan on using this often, but I’ve heard horror stories about getting $500 phone bills.  Just something to keep in mind if your using your phone to surf to high-bandwidth sites and applications.

    11. Posted by August Van Suchtelen  on  09/28  at  08:23 PM

  11. just ordered the G2 on T-Mobile it has 2.2 (called Froyo)have you gotten any information on this phone and it works on this new 4G speed phone thanxs

    12. Posted by Jack Perry  on  10/22  at  08:07 PM

  12. Sprint blocks the tethering and portable hotspot options that are part of the standard settings available on the android phones unless you pay them an extra $30 a month.  HOWEVER, you can use easy tether app to do it. http://mobile-stream.com/easytether/drivers.html and I hear you can also get the hot spot if you are willing to ‘root’ your phone.

    13. Posted by Dave Michaels  on  12/17  at  03:33 PM

  13. Hi Scott:

    When I attempted to purchase a Droid running Android 2.2 at Best Buy, I was told that Verizon, AT&T;and Sprint now charge for tethering or hotspot capability.  Is your article dated 8-22-10 on this subject still saying that I can STILL use a Droid as a hotspot without provider charges, even as the providers are saying they will charge for this capability?  Is there still a way to do this without provider charges?

    Thanks and keep up the great work!

    Dave Michaels

    14. Page 1 of 1 pages

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