Turning My Android Into a Hotspot
I Love It!!!
Saturday, March 12, 2011 by RedneckDude | Discussion: Mobile Tech
Hey guys, me again. I just want to share how much I love my Optimus S Android phone!
Today I am traveling down a Tennessee interstate highway with my laptop getting an internet connection from my cell phone so I can post this thread. The connection is a tad slow, but a lot better than just using the phone's browser! Of course, someone else is driving.
I'm using a hotspot widget to attach to my laptop. It's called Hotspot Widget. The phone acts as a hotspot for up to 4 connections, I think.
Totally bitchin' gnarly rockstar stuff.....lol!! 
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Reply #2 Saturday, March 12, 2011 1:51 PM
RnD's turning into a real gizmo geek. Who'da thunkit.
Reply #3 Saturday, March 12, 2011 1:56 PM
Where can I get it?
Reply #4 Saturday, March 12, 2011 1:58 PM
I just moved into a 3G area...connection is comparable to my home cable connection!!!
Reply #6 Saturday, March 12, 2011 6:45 PM
Quoting Tydorius, reply 1I got PDANet for my Droid. It's better than the cable service around here and comparable to most DSL speeds. 2/mbps down, 1 up. One time charge of $30 was worth it.
Where can I get it?
http://www.junefabrics.com/android/
Reply #7 Saturday, March 12, 2011 9:15 PM
Thanks Tom. I'm currently connecting to the phone wirelessly, do I need a USB connection for this, since my laptop has no bluetooth?
Also, what does this mean?
"Note: Once trial expires, you can continue using PdaNet for free. The only difference is that free edition blocks secure web sites."
Reply #8 Saturday, March 12, 2011 9:19 PM
It means you'll be left wide open to all kinds of not nice stuff a secure site would block.
Reply #9 Saturday, March 12, 2011 10:01 PM
Also, what does this mean?
"Note: Once trial expires, you can continue using PdaNet for free. The only difference is that free edition blocks secure web sites."
I have no idea on the USB thing Jim, I just happened to find the software. I do not have a cell phone that can be used like this. 
Reply #10 Sunday, March 13, 2011 1:30 AM
Reply #11 Sunday, March 13, 2011 3:08 AM
Shhhh.....Yrag might hear you!! 
Reply #13 Monday, March 21, 2011 3:10 PM
It actually means that you can't access https sites like logging into Email or Facebook, but you can still access things that you don't have to log in for - i.e. search engines, wikipedia, reading forums (Just can't log in) etc, youtube browsing and streaming.
Also, I have a first generation Android and PDANet works fine with it - I believe there are versions coming out for Blackberry and iPhone platforms in the future, maybe even Windows Mobile, but not certain - Haven't looked at the site in a while.
You just need the USB charger cable to use the tethering. You activate PDANet on the phone, enable USB Debugging, and then hit "Activate USB Tether" - Then you just plug it into the computer and run the program on the computer. It's pretty simple, and once USB debugging is enabled you can leave it toggled.
One note - Depending on your phone's power pull and signal strength in the area, sometimes PDANet uses slightly more power than the USB cord can replenish, so you'll have a slowly dying battery, but I can use my connection for eight hours at a time on some days, and my phone's battery life hasn't suffered for it. It routinely runs for days at a time when I'm not actively calling people, and I've been using PDANet for six months now.
There _is_ an option to enable bluetooth tethering, but you do have to root your phone for that option, or at least on the version I originally started with. Then you can use it as a bluetooth hot spot, depending on if your device is compatible. Again, I have a first gen phone and it's fine, so it should be fine with consecutive versions.
Reply #14 Monday, March 21, 2011 4:02 PM
Just something I read about.... AT&T is the first to do this.... http://lifehacker.com/#!5783440/att-starts-blindly-sending-emails-to-unofficial-tetherers
Reply #15 Monday, March 21, 2011 6:30 PM
So what I am gathering by all this is that it is illegal to use your cell phone as a WiFi hot spot then?
Reply #16 Monday, March 21, 2011 6:49 PM
Quoting DrJBHL, reply 14Just something I read about.... AT&T is the first to do this.... http://lifehacker.com/#!5783440/att-starts-blindly-sending-emails-to-unofficial-tetherers
So what I am gathering by all this is that it is illegal to use your cell phone as a WiFi hot spot then?
If you're paying for a data plan on the phone, no.
Reply #17 Monday, March 21, 2011 7:34 PM
Ahhhh, OK. Thanks Doc!
Reply #18 Monday, March 21, 2011 7:37 PM
It actually means that you can't access https sites like logging into Email or Facebook, but you can still access things that you don't have to log in for - i.e. search engines, wikipedia, reading forums (Just can't log in) etc, youtube browsing and streaming.
Also, I have a first generation Android and PDANet works fine with it - I believe there are versions coming out for Blackberry and iPhone platforms in the future, maybe even Windows Mobile, but not certain - Haven't looked at the site in a while.
You just need the USB charger cable to use the tethering. You activate PDANet on the phone, enable USB Debugging, and then hit "Activate USB Tether" - Then you just plug it into the computer and run the program on the computer. It's pretty simple, and once USB debugging is enabled you can leave it toggled.
One note - Depending on your phone's power pull and signal strength in the area, sometimes PDANet uses slightly more power than the USB cord can replenish, so you'll have a slowly dying battery, but I can use my connection for eight hours at a time on some days, and my phone's battery life hasn't suffered for it. It routinely runs for days at a time when I'm not actively calling people, and I've been using PDANet for six months now.
There _is_ an option to enable bluetooth tethering, but you do have to root your phone for that option, or at least on the version I originally started with. Then you can use it as a bluetooth hot spot, depending on if your device is compatible. Again, I have a first gen phone and it's fine, so it should be fine with consecutive versions.
I like my widget, it allows for WIFI tethering. I like wireless best.
Reply #19 Monday, March 21, 2011 7:38 PM
Quoting DrJBHL, reply 14Just something I read about.... AT&T is the first to do this.... http://lifehacker.com/#!5783440/att-starts-blindly-sending-emails-to-unofficial-tetherers
So what I am gathering by all this is that it is illegal to use your cell phone as a WiFi hot spot then?
If you're paying for a data plan on the phone, no.
Correct. Most all smartphones require a data plan anyway.
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Reply #1 Saturday, March 12, 2011 1:21 PM
I got PDANet for my Droid. It's better than the cable service around here and comparable to most DSL speeds. 2/mbps down, 1 up. One time charge of $30 was worth it.