[MOD] WORKING Hotspot/Tethering WITHOUT Tethering Plan !CONFIRMED WORKING ON WEBTOP!

OK, this took a lot of trial and error, some bravery on my part, and SEVERAL calls to AT&T, but I finally got it working!* I am not a Dev anywhere CLOSE to the likes of DG, but I do have extensive knowledge of hacking mobile devices in general, GSM networks, CS/PS infrastructure, and industry experience from the NOC side of several MSOs (aka ISPs), so I tackled this problem from a "what would I implement if I were AT&T and wanted to force a tethering package on subscribers?" Point of view, and worked backwards from there.

Many have tried the solution already posted, and I give credit to the poster of that original "fix" while respectfully pointing out that using this "fix" accomplished AT&T deleting my data package twice, and provisioning a tethering plan automatically once, all automatically done by the system. This was not the solution I was looking for.

So, without further introductions/banter on my part, here is the step-by-step... I will try to keep explanations to a minimum for now, if they are asked for I will put them in post #2.


*Prerequisites: ROOT

*Tools required: Root Explorer, SQLite Editor (both available in market, yes they are paid apps but they are WORTH EVERY PENNY!)

----note: this can also be accomplished using adb and a sqlite database editor on your pc, but requires many, many more steps, and won't work after reboot unless you have a working busybox and can successfully chown/chmod the .db file after you copy it back to the device, and even then I still had trouble with it after reboot, so... I had success with these paid apps, so I'm writing the tutorial assuming you have them. If there is enough demand I'll write an alternate tutorial on how to do this using free tools.

*******


++++++++++++ Edited, now shorter! Thanks to all for testing these settings, the new steps are confirmed working!
*(if you used the steps prior to my editing them, you're good, your settings will work fine, the changes reflect a different, shorter way to do this)




1) Create a NEW access point setting using the following settings: (SETTINGS>WIRELESS AND NETWORKS>MOBILE NETWORKS>ACCESS POINT NAMES> {press menu} NEW APN

Name: whatever you like here, I use att
APN: wap.cingular
Proxy:
Port:
Username:
Password:
Server:
MMSC: http://mmsc.cingular.com
MMS Proxy: wireless.cingular.com
MMS Port: 80
MCC: 310
MNC: 410
Authentication Type:
APN Type: default,agps,fota,supl,fota,tether,mms

(all settings I left blank, leave blank, make sure you press menu, save to save)</br>

2) Enable Airplane Mode
(hold power button for three seconds, select Airplane Mode)

3) Open Root Explorer

4) Navigate to: /data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/

5) Click on "telephony.db"** (this should open the db using SQLite Editor)

6) Select "carriers"

7) You should see a long list of APN settings for various carriers, the ones you are interested in are rows 4, 6, and 7. Scroll ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT and the last column should be labeled "preloaded." You will notice that each is labeled "true" press and hold the word "true" in row 4 and select "Edit Field" from the pop up menu. Change the "true" to "false" and click "Save". Repeat this step for rows 6 and 7.


7b) Edit the type field of row 6. Right now the field says "tether". Change it so that it says "default,agps,fota,supl,fota,tether"

7c) Change the APN field in row 6 from BROADBAND to wap.cingular

8) Press back twice to close the SQLite editor and you should be back in Root Explorer. Close Root Explorer.

9) Disable Airplane Mode

10) Go back to the list of APNs you saw in step 1. You should see that the "locked padlock" is now unlocked on the preloaded APNs named AT&T US, AT&T US HSDPA, and AT&T TETHER. You now need to edit the one labeled AT&T TETHER. Change the following settings:

APN: wap.cingular
Proxy:
Proxy port:
APN type:

Press menu, save.

11) Select the radio button for the APN you created in step one. AT&T Tether.

12) Reboot phone.

13) Enjoy! Mobile Hotspot should now work first time no issues!

Note: (Due to some pre-existing (bug?) in the software, you do need to have wifi turned on BEFORE you enable Mobile Hotspot for it to set up properly. If you forget it will hang until you enable wifi.)




#########################
After staying up all night to figure this out, I have confirmed that using the Webtop without dock MOD combined with mine you CAN use webtop with your 3G/H+ connection!!! No wifi required!

Steps to make this work:

1) Connect Webtop

2) Using the window that allows you to control the regular phone interface, navigate to the ACCESS POINT NAMES menu described in step 1 above.

3) Select the radio button next to "AT&T Tethering"

Done! Open firefox and enjoy!


Credits to Fenny, author of the MOD to enable Webtop without dock!
Also designgears, author of Adeo, which is necessary to run aforesaid MOD!
And to t0dbld, who contributed significantly and led the discussion that resulted in said MOD.

##########################
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App (yes, posted entirely from my phone. Thank you swype!)

If this helped you great! I'm glad I could help! I am not asking for donations! If you still feel like this saved you enough money to buy me a beer, my paypal email's in my profile.

The method described here with altering sqllite database didn't work for me. I'm in Europe. So, after a smashing a head in the wall couple of times I calmed myself down and did some deep dive in the framework. I've stumbled at "ro.mot.entitlement_check" parameter in /system/build.prop. In default it is set to "true". I've set it to "false" and viola! While enabling Mobile AP it no longer does "check APN" part. This solved my problem.
To enable Mobile AP simply enable 3G/4G, and enable Mobile AP. Of course, you need to have root to edit build.prop.

I don't know if the parameter refers to any other functions so be careful.

Possible SPEED decrease!

First and foremost, I want to thank richhed for posting this "How To" as I despise AT&T's rules and refuse to get rid of my unlimited data plan but most definitely want to use all the features I have on my phone.

Anyway, I'll be honest and say I worked for AT&T for 3 years until recently. I'm happily employed elsewhere (that company wears you down!) but still maintain a close connection with those previous co-workers. I won't go into a whole lot of details as to where my info comes from, and no one HAS to believe me, I'm just putting it out there to help future developers and hackers.

So to get to my point: this message is going to be longer than I intended. But for my point to get across, I want to make sure people understand the back story first. Here it goes..

As many people are aware, AT&T uses multiple APN's or access point names for various systems in their network. Depending on the dataplan added to someone's account, various APN's are or are NOT provisioned.

The "public" APN's that exists are:
wap.cingular
isp.cingular
PHONE
BROADBAND
blackberry.net

PHONE came around less than 2 years ago and BROADBAND came around at the release of the first iPad.

ONE YEAR AGO (give or take), these were the purposes of the APN's:
wap.cingular: provisioned on almost all plans (except aircards) & for MMS - primarily used for feature phones, Windows Mobile (Windows Phone), Android, blackberry "MediaNet" browsing, Palm's, Nokia's - provisioned on iPhone data plans but NOT used by iPhones (by default)
isp.cingular: provisioned only on AirCard (dataconnect) plans, Windows Mobile & Blackberry tethering plans. This is the APN these services connected through.
PHONE: used soley for iPhone - only provisioned on iPhone data plans
blackberry.net: used by Blackberry push services and the BLACKBERRY Browser on Blackberry devices.
BROADBAND: after the release of the iPad, this was the APN all iPad data was routed through

Now this is all beautiful, but who gives a **** about what they were used for a year ago? Well, AT&T has changed their setup dramatically since the release of tethering plans on iPhones and with the iPad.

The biggest change has happened with their now released "4G" (HSPA+) phones.

Since the obvious name change from Cingular to AT&T, the company has been trying to get away from the WAP.Cingular and ISP.Cingular APN's. I am told that in the upcoming years these plans will be removed, but that's pretty much impossible at this point.

Essentially, in the future we're only looking at:

PHONE: for every device
BROADBAND: for tethering / aircard plans

Like I said I NO LONGER work for the company so I cannot easily just look up which plans enable what APN's but I can say pretty much all plans currently enable WAP.CINGULAR and PHONE. ONLY tethering / dataconnect plans can connect to BROADBAND.

"Seriously, what's the ****in point? Just get to it!"

Okay, so here's what I'm getting at:

If anyone with an AT&T issued Atrix checks out the "Network settings" and looks at "Access Point Names" they will find FOUR options.

AT&T US: wap.cingular
AT&T US HSDPA: PHONE
AT&T US Tether: BROADBAND
AT&T US MMS: wap.cingular

Depending on the data plan which you currently have, your phone will decide which to connect to.

Example: if someone puts a sim with a blackberry plan (wap.cingular & blackberry.net provisioned) into their ATRIX, the ATRIX will use "AT&T US" and connect fine to the internet, but will NOT access the tethering function.

However, if someone puts in a sim with the ATRIX (android) dataplan (wap.cingular & PHONE provisioned) into their ATRIX, the phone automatically connects to "AT&T US HSDPA". Why does the phone choose that over "AT&T US" when it can technically connect to either? AT&T set the phone up to choose the HSDPA option first as THAT APN is provisioned with extra throughput!

I can't give out specific numbers, but I can say that WAP.CINGULAR has a speed cap, and that cap is SIGNIFICANTLY lower than that of the "PHONE" APN. Essentially, using your trick, richhed, if people are happy with it, don't change anything. But, if they CAN CONNECT to "AT&T US HSDPA" and their data plan has the "PHONE" apn enabled, then I would recommend using THAT apn instead. To quote AT&T, "This is the only APN CERTIFIED for 4G speeds."

Sorry this message was so long winded, but hopefully at least one person will get some use out of it.

- bwg

bennyboie said:

Hey guys, I just unlocked and installed the 2.3.4 rom and custom kernel. My radio file is the 1.77.30p file... When I look into the "carriers" file, the line items for all ATT selections are not 4,6,7. They are 2,4,5. I followed the directions and substituted the line items to the corresponding profile names (ATT HSDPA, ATT Tether), but no dice. Actually, Im not sure about the hotspot, but I am trying to get the lapdock tethered without the plan. Any thoughts?

FYI:

HSDPA settings:
preload=false
apn=phone
type=default, agps, fota, etc etc, tether

Tether settings:
preload=false
apn=phone
type=blank

BTW, on the tether settings, the "Type" had the word "entitled" on it instead of anything else.

Is there an updated script or something? Or could it be reading off the backup xml file? Please advise.

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

For any and all of you that are having issues with 4.5.91 (Gingerbread final release for Atrix) and Webtop tethering working within Webtop read on now.

The reason why this problem is occurring is due to the fact that AT&T and Motorola caught on to the bypass for webtop and tethering. However, this problem is easily fixed, first start in this mod thread. After applying the settings in this thread, we will continue via the original instructions for tethering via mobile hotspot and tethering in Webtop.

Try this, all of the original instructions are correct, however substitute rows 4,6 and 7, for rows 2,4, and 5. In row 4 make sure that the field "apn" is corrected to "wap.cingular" (without the quotes of course). Make sure the type for row 4 is set to entitle <--(This is where things vary in the original instructions) Since AT&T and Motorola caught on to the fact we could easily hack in order to get tethering with our MediaNet plans they set up a proxy on firefox. Once you have the "type" for field 4 set to "entitle" this should fix EDGE/3G/H+ connections in webtop without AT&T's tethering plan. Also allowing firefox to change the firefox proxy effectively to wap.cingular, allowing us Android users to use our data plans to their fullest extent. =D

Also just for a reference. The original instructions say that the preloaded values for 4, 6, and 7 needed to be set to false. However this is not true in 4.5.91, the only reason to set these to false is only if you want to be able to easily modify them through settings-> wireless & networks and then the wireless network apns. Personally I left these values set to true, so I may not accidentally bump something and spend days trying to figure out what I might have changed. Anyway, I hope this post is valuable to some of you folks =D.

So I've modified the MotorolaSettingsProvider.apk file for several edits, including:

• Enabled MMS Reply to All
• Max recipients of SMS/MMS increased to 20
• AGPS Enabled by Default (was disabled for some reason?)
• Disabled the locking of the Default APNs (so you can edit them if needed)
• Enabled ICE (not sure yet what this does, but ICE is usually "In Case of Emergency")
• Disabled Entitlement Check to enable Tethering

I created a CWM flashable update.zip file for you guys to test with. Keep in mind that for this to work to re-populate the databases you need to FACTORY RESET after flashing this zip. If it works I'll include this by default in my future ROM releases.

*Tested working on my Atrix! If there are any APN settings for other carriers that need to be modified for tethering to work please let me know and I can add them to my ZIP file!