[Guide] Reverse USB Tethering step by step

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hello everyone!
I was trying to find a way to connect my iconia via usb with my laptop and use my internet access for instances that wifi isn't available.

I searched a lot but there wasn't any usefull clear guide. So after some failing attempts, finally i managed to succeed (using win 7). Here are the steps:

*root is required*

1. install http://code.google.com/p/android-wired-tether/ (i used stable version 1.2 but i don't think 1.4 will make any problems) but do not enable it yet.

2. Install USB drivers from Android SDK instructions found here: http://developer.android.com/sdk/win-usb.html , later you will also need RNDIS drivers because when you connect the tablet with your pc and enable wired tether it will install the drivers. I found working drivers from HTC sync located at C:\Program Files (x86)\HTC\HTC Driver\Driver Files\Win7_x64\htcrndis.inf

you have to install them manually from the device manager (pick the: HTC Remote NDIS based device)

3. now that we have completed the installation with Wired Tether (still leave it running), we are ready to proceed to the next step. Open network connections. You will notice that now there is one more. (in my case no1 is local area and no2 local area 5 (the one wired tether created). select the connection you want to share go to properties and enter "sharing tab". tick "Allow other network users to connect through this computer's Internet connection" and pick the connection made by wired tether. Hit apply and you will have bridged the two connections.

4. open any emulator on your tablet and type:

su
ifconfig usb0 192.168.1.9 netmask 255.255.255.0 up
route add default gw 192.168.1.1 dev usb0
setprop net.dns1 8.8.8.8
setprop "net.gprs.http-proxy" ""
netcfg usb0 dhcp

at ifconfig command you enter an available ip of your router for example if your pc is connected to 192.168.1.7 you can pick 192.168.1.9 that is free.
at the second line enter the default gateway of your internet connection found under the detailed view of its options.
setprop "net.gprs.http-proxy" "" is in case you are NOT behind a proxy server

5. wait about 15 seconds and...
enjoy!

each time you enable wired tether you have to type in:
su
netcfg usb0 dhcp

to undo the hole "reverse usb" thing, simply unbridge the 2 connections, restart wired tether and you are ready to use it for normal tethering.

browsers work fine, facebook, pulse, tunein. i haven't tested many apps yet...
issues: Market browsing is ok but downloading apps not, some apps do not work.




p.s: it's my first guide so if something seems confusing or unclear, please forgive me!

interesting... question... why do you do " setprop "net.gprs.http-proxy" """?
i'm asking because maybe this is what i'm missing in my usb 3g for my wifi only

Originally Posted by thor2002ro

interesting... question... why do you do " setprop "net.gprs.http-proxy" """?
i'm asking because maybe this is what i'm missing in my usb 3g for my wifi only

forgot to implement the source link...

comments to focus are:

Rugga said...

I'm using Windows 7. I shared my ethernet internet connection to the USB tether device.

In console emulator on the phone I typed:
ifconfig usb1 192.168.2.2 netmask 255.255.255.0 up
route add default gw 192.168.2.1 dev usb1

I can ping the gateway, I can also ping the web by IP address, eg 64.233.181.104 for google.com

What I can't do is use the browser or ping by domain name. I tried:
setprop net.usb1.dns1 192.168.2.1; and
setprop net.dns1 192.168.2.1

OK it is working now. After setting up ICS type in console emulator on your phone:
ifconfig usb0 192.168.2.2 netmask 255.255.255.0 up
route add default gw 192.168.2.1 dev usb0
iptables -F
iptables -F -t nat
setprop net.dns1 8.8.8.8
setprop "net.gprs.http-proxy" ""

it gave me a headache trying to understand what exactly does this line...

the only thing i managed to figure out is tha it redirects and leaves blank proxy server via gprs connection... is it a fake connection (gprs) that blocks data transfer via usb from apps? the only sure thing is that these 2 lines with setprop command fixed the issue with the apps (browser and others)...
first is google's dns, probably necessary as well...

btw great job with the modules!

A quick question

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Is this Iconia-specific or can the same method be used on any Android device provided we have working RNDIS drivers for it?

The way it appears to me, I don't see why it shouldn't work on other devices but please correct me if I am wrong.

Originally Posted by HQRaja

Is this Iconia-specific or can the same method be used on any Android device provided we have working RNDIS drivers for it?

The way it appears to me, I don't see why it shouldn't work on other devices but please correct me if I am wrong.

in devices which already have the tethering ability, the hole wired tether thing doesn't need installation, so it is easier and i think it will work on any android based devices. so give it a try!

probably you won't even need to install RNDIS drivers, but in any case the HTC ones work like a charm (some other that i tried crashed windows upon connection).
you don't have to get specific RNDIS drivers especially for your device cause they are used for connecting usb devices used as network ones.

so... give it a try!

Exactly what i need desperately, i have a wifi signal which is very poor, i use external antenna to boost wifi signal. This external antenna has no drivers for android for sure, therefore i need to do reverse tethering to share internet connection from my computer.
I tried to use your guide but i think it needs a bit more details. I installed android tethering 1.4 but i am stuck at step 2 cause at this step when i turn on debugging mode on iconia then PC searches for drivers but doesn't accept the ones i downloaded from android SDK.
Kindly help me with this, i will be grateful for that.
Thanks.

Originally Posted by usman3206

Exactly what i need desperately, i have a wifi signal which is very poor, i use external antenna to boost wifi signal. This external antenna has no drivers for android for sure, therefore i need to do reverse tethering to share internet connection from my computer.
I tried to use your guide but i think it needs a bit more details. I installed android tethering 1.4 but i am stuck at step 2 cause at this step when i turn on debugging mode on iconia then PC searches for drivers but doesn't accept the ones i downloaded from android SDK.
Kindly help me with this, i will be grateful for that.
Thanks.

Hi! Sorry for my late answer to that. I've been away for a while...
try the drivers that are located at http://acer.us/ac/en/US/content/drivers
pick tablet, iconia tab, a500 and then download the usb drivers.

Any chance to enable this with an android phone? Wired tethering from the phone I mean.

There's actually a free program @ http://www.connectify.me

Its for Windows and they are developing an android app as well. But the windows software is quite easy and makes your computer or laptop a "hotspot" to connect multiple devices too.

enjoy!

Originally Posted by Bec07

Any chance to enable this with an android phone? Wired tethering from the phone I mean.

i'll give it a try (i assume you mean via usb connection).

connectify is for wireless networking. the hole reverse usb tethering thing is based on usb connection without any participation of a wireless network at all.
the majority of the latest android phones can become a hotspot natively anyway.