[MOD/ HOW TO] Enable WiFi Tethering

[BigDogPooh]

Ok....real simple to do everyone. .

First make sure you have a browser with root access.

Go into system/app and rename the tetheringprovision.apk to tetheringprovision.apk.bak and do the same thing for the tetheringprovision.odex file. This is your saftey net just encase you want to revert back.

Now copy over the file you downloaded and move into system/app. Change the permisions to rw-r-r and reboot.

You now have tether....when you turn on you will get a screen that says to call or visit att to enable tether...click ok and you are now a wifi hotspot...

Thanks to the op for the mod....

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda premium

 

[HumanCaviar]

I can confirm that the modified APK works. Here's the instructions for ADB if people prefer that method. Make sure your SDK tools are up to date.

Commands:
adb shell
su
mount -o remount,rw /dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/system /system
chmod 777 /system/app
exit
exit

adb pull /system/app/TetheringProvision.apk C:\BackupDir\TetheringProvision.apk
adb pull /system/app/TetheringProvision.odex C:\BackupDir\TetheringProvision.odex

adb shell
su
mv /system/app/TetheringProvision.apk /system/app/TetheringProvision.apkbak
mv /system/app/TetheringProvision.odex /system/app/TetheringProvision.odexbak
exit
exit

adb push C:\DownloadDirectory\TetheringProvision.apk /system/app/TetheringProvision.apk

adb shell
su
chmod 644 /system/app/TetheringProvision.apk
reboot

-----Do this at your own risk, we have very few options to recover your device.-----

 

[chodaboy19]

Ok....real simple to do everyone. .

First make sure you have a browser with root access.

Go into system/app and rename the tetheringprovision.apk to tetheringprovision.apk.bak and do the same thing for the tetheringprovision.odex file. This is your saftey net just encase you want to revert back.

Now copy over the file you downloaded and move into system/app. Change the permisions to rw-r-r and reboot.

You now have tether....when you turn on you will get a screen that says to call or visit att to enable tether...click ok and you are now a wifi hotspot...

Thanks to the op for the mod....

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda premium

I used this method, worked great! :good:

 

[stangman]

Ok....real simple to do everyone. .

First make sure you have a browser with root access.

Go into system/app and rename the tetheringprovision.apk to tetheringprovision.apk.bak and do the same thing for the tetheringprovision.odex file. This is your saftey net just encase you want to revert back.

Now copy over the file you downloaded and move into system/app. Change the permisions to rw-r-r and reboot.

You now have tether....when you turn on you will get a screen that says to call or visit att to enable tether...click ok and you are now a wifi hotspot...

Thanks to the op for the mod....

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda premium

Confirmed working great!:good:

 

[gzrecoil]

Confirmed working on ATT version. Thanks!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2

 

[stevehkim]

Nottach, if this is you from moto atrix days glad you're here bro. Your rom's were the only one's I used for my Atrix. I'm still debating on getting the s4 and seeing you here may have just pushed me over that line. Will you be Developing for the s4 as well in the near future? Loved your work bro.

 

[Nottach]

If the real devs can get the bootloader unlocked ill probably build a ROM. But until then I'll just do how-to mods I think. Fingers crossed.

 

[DJsCrIBbLe]

Working here. Still got the pop up saying go online etc... but it worked after that..

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2

 

[captawsm]

On previous phones, couldn't you unblock tethering by making some changes to an array.xml file in framework-res.apk?

If so, why did you go this path by modifying the tetheringprovision.apk? Is it just because there is less danger in screwing up the phone by avoiding changes to framework-res.apk w/o a custom recovery?

 

[mostyle]

If I may make a suggestion to the OP..

Don't have my S4 yet or I'd build it for you..

This method completely bypasses tether provisioning to the point where you can delete the 'TetherProvisioning.apk' as it's not needed. It never gets used after this mod..

First decompile /system/framework/framework-res.apk using your preferred method (I do it with apktool manually)..

In the directory where you decompiled to browse to \res\values\.

Open the xml file arrays.xml in your preferred editor.

Starting at line 551 we see:

    <array name="config_tether_bluetooth_regexs" />
    <array name="config_tether_dhcp_range" />
    <string-array name="config_mobile_hotspot_provision_app">
        <item>com.sec.tetheringprovision</item>
        <item>com.sec.tetheringprovision.TetheringProvisionActivity</item>
    </string-array>[

We want to change those to look EXACTLY like this..

    <string-array name="config_tether_bluetooth_regexs">
        <item>bnep\\d</item>
    </string-array>
    <array name="config_tether_dhcp_range" />
    <array name="config_mobile_hotspot_provision_app" />

Notice the Bluetooth addition and the removal the configuration of tethering provision...

The added Bluetooth reference enables Bluetooth tethering which for some reason AT&T seems to not wanna give us..

I've applied this mod to three previous sammy devices so I can say with reasonable assurance that it'll work but seeing as how I don't have my device yet to test keep that in mind please...

In no way do I mean to steal credit from the OP here.. Just sharing what I've found from past devices and saw that the arrays were identical.

 

[DJsCrIBbLe]

If I sent you the apk and odex can you deodex and mod for us then I can test.. seems like a better method

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Nottach]

Don't have my S4 yet or I'd build it for you..

This method completely bypasses tether provisioning to the point where you can delete the 'TetherProvisioning.apk' as it's not needed. It never gets used after this mod..

First decompile /system/framework/framework-res.apk using your preferred method (I do it with apktool manually)..

In the directory where you decompiled to browse to \res\values\.

Open the xml file arrays.xml in your preferred editor.

Starting at line 551 we see:

    <array name="config_tether_bluetooth_regexs" />
    <array name="config_tether_dhcp_range" />
    <string-array name="config_mobile_hotspot_provision_app">
        <item>com.sec.tetheringprovision</item>
        <item>com.sec.tetheringprovision.TetheringProvisionActivity</item>
    </string-array>[

We want to change those to look EXACTLY like this..

    <string-array name="config_tether_bluetooth_regexs">
        <item>bnep\\d</item>
    </string-array>
    <array name="config_tether_dhcp_range" />
    <array name="config_mobile_hotspot_provision_app" />

Notice the Bluetooth addition and the removal the configuration of tethering provision...

The added Bluetooth reference enables Bluetooth tethering which for some reason AT&T seems to not wanna give us..

I've applied this mod to three previous sammy devices so I can say with reasonable assurance that it'll work but seeing as how I don't have my device yet to test keep that in mind please...

In no way do I mean to steal credit from the OP here.. Just sharing what I've found from past devices and saw that the arrays were identical.

I saw this while poking around but I'm not about to replace my framework-res without a backup plan. I wouldn't recommend anybody try replacing framework-res.apk until we have a sure way to recover.

 

[mostyle]

I saw this while poking around but I'm not about to replace my framework-res without a backup plan. I wouldn't recommend anybody try replacing framework-res.apk until we have a sure way to recover.

Don't blame ya there friend.. Was just meaning to pass on info in case ya didn't know.

 

[bvic01]

Just like others have said, It works! Also, you sitll receive the pop-up telling you to go online to activate tethering on your plan, but it works after you hit ok. I think someone else mentioned that as well. Thanks a bunch OP!

 

[ravenofdoom]

General question - when you delete (or re-name) the original apk and odex and then drop in the modified apk... what exactly is the odex file and how is it that remove both the apk and odex and that just adding in the apk allows it to work. (Is the odex file created from the apk once you boot into android or something?)

Last question - if I were to pull an OTA update after doing this, will it be likely to fail (e.g. will it see that the file's been modified and fail a filesum check or something)? If so, I'm guessing just restoring the original apk and odex (renamed to .bak) will do the trick, yes?

 

[highaltitude]

So does this allow tethering without AT&T knowing? I have an unlimited data plan, but have heard that you get one warning of tethering, then the second time they bump you from your unlimited and onto a 2GB tethering plan?

 

[Nottach]

General question - when you delete (or re-name) the original apk and odex and then drop in the modified apk... what exactly is the odex file and how is it that remove both the apk and odex and that just adding in the apk allows it to work. (Is the odex file created from the apk once you boot into android or something?)

Last question - if I were to pull an OTA update after doing this, will it be likely to fail (e.g. will it see that the file's been modified and fail a filesum check or something)? If so, I'm guessing just restoring the original apk and odex (renamed to .bak) will do the trick, yes?

When a file is deodexed it's odex file is moved into the Apk or Jar as a dex file. It is possible to have single system/app Apks deodexed and not all. But I believe if you deodex 1 framework Jar you must deodex them all. Hence why you can replace SystemUI without issues while the other system apps are still odexed. You can't do that with say, framework.jar. It is possible to re-odex a file but it isn't too common because in order to modify it again you'd have to deodex it. There are utilities that will odex an entire system if you want the, minimal, performance gain of an odexed system.

I'm not sure about the OTAs but I'd imagine root would cause it to fail before a modded Apk.

 

[Nottach]

So does this allow tethering without AT&T knowing? I have an unlimited data plan, but have heard that you get one warning of tethering, then the second time they bump you from your unlimited and onto a 2GB tethering plan?

I've been using it without any issues or warnings. The way I modded it it never calls AT&T servers. It just calls your own device, fails, and allows it to be enabled anyway.

 

[Jragyn]

When you get the official tethering plan required, it adds a new APN on the back end that the personal hotspot is supposed to use. Using it without the APN/plan means it just uses whatever other APNs are on the device, like phone or PTA.

As Nottach stated, it doesn't ever actually flag AT&T. And typically AT&T only reeaaallly watches this with iPhones anyways.

Not to say its impossible, but I've been doing it for years as well without even a warning.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda app-developers app

 

[highaltitude]

cool I wasn't doubting it, I just have been too afraid to do any tethering over the last couple years because I didn't want to lose my data plan. Thanks for your work!