# Tethering App



## g.c.87 (Sep 20, 2007)

So... it looks like Apple has done the unexpected and allowed the addition of a tethering app to to the App Store. Netshare by Nullriver. From what I gather Rogers' 6GB plan allows it. So... Go nuts with your laptops!

Nullriver Releases Official iPhone Tethering Application On App Store - iPhone Alley


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## MomentsofSanity (Jul 9, 2008)

Looks like it got pulled off the App store as quickly as it was put on. Can find it in the store but clicking it says it's no longer available.


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## g.c.87 (Sep 20, 2007)

DAMN... i knew i should have bought it right away. Hopefully it shows back up on the Canadian store, because I'm pretty sure my rogers 6GB plan doesn't exclude tethering.


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## Delroy666 (Dec 12, 2006)

Although I think you can do this for free with a jailbroken phone, this app sure makes it easier. Rogers' 3G Smart Phone Data Plan webpage doesn't say anything specifically about tethering, it just says "Offer does not apply to laptop access cards."


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## slicecom (Jun 13, 2008)

The screenshot for the app on iTunes actually had ROGERS as the carrier on it.


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## psxp (May 23, 2006)

Macrumors is reporting that some people managed to get the app before it was pulled. 

Dang I hope it becomes available on Jailbroken iPhones at the worst case.


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## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

Developer reply:


> We're not quite sure why Apple took down the application yet, we've received no communication from Apple thus far. NetShare did not violate any of the Developer or AppStore agreements. We're hoping we'll get some feedback from Apple tomorrow. Sorry to all the folks that couldn't get it in time. We'll do our best to try to get the application back onto the AppStore if at all possible. At the very least, I would hope Apple will allow it in countries where the provider does permit tethering.


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## g.c.87 (Sep 20, 2007)

It's back up! You can only use the direct link though. Here it is NetShare


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## Jet_Star (May 20, 2005)

g.c.87 said:


> It's back up! You can only use the direct link though. Here it is NetShare


Actually doing a search worked for me.


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## michaelg (May 17, 2006)

Has anyone tried it?


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## slicecom (Jun 13, 2008)

michaelg said:


> Has anyone tried it?


I bought it, but I'm at work. I'll try it when I get home.


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## psxp (May 23, 2006)

yeah, would be interesting to see how well this works.


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## bob99 (Aug 16, 2007)

*Video*

This is a video of it working, from Engadget.

Netshare iPhone tethering app reappears in the App Store - Engadget


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## lindmar (Nov 13, 2003)

Anyone try it?
It's back on the store.


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## Delroy666 (Dec 12, 2006)

I'm tempted to try it, but I don't know how often I'd actually use it. Apparently it doesn't work for all apps. Safari works right away, and in some apps like Firefox and AIM you can manually configure the proxy settings to get it working. For other apps you have to use a 3rd party tool like Proxifier, which is $40.


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## MikeyXX (Aug 2, 2008)

When I was asking Rogers about their 6g plan on the iPhone, I asked if that included tethered internet use. They quickly replied with conviction that it does not include tethered internet access and that would be billed at X cents/Kb.

Now, the question is, running this app, does the iPhone report the usage as tethered connection, or does it act like it's originating from the iPhone.

They mention the term "proxy" which leads you to believe that latter.... but I wouldn't mind being sure.

If I were to purchase this product and try it. I wonder how soon I could tell if Rogers saw it as a tethered device or not. Would I have to wait a month for the bill?


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## CaptainCode (Jun 4, 2006)

I don't see how they can tell any difference. It's a SOCKS proxy so the data originates from the phone and shows up in the data usage area. I just tried it. The only thing they would notice is if you go from low usage to huge usage then they will probably call you out. But if you have 6GB then I don't think they could really do anything about it.


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## kevleviathan (Apr 9, 2008)

I called rogers and they said the 6GB plan does cover tethering. Besides, they can't tell either way really...

I tried the app and it works fine.


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## MikeyXX (Aug 2, 2008)

I take it when you say "how would they know" you mean via the iPhone right?

The reason I say this, is that I have a blackberry with an "unlimited" data plan through work. I tethered it and ran my laptop through it for 2 days straight. I received (or my department) a whopping data bill. When I called Rogers to question it, without my prompting they indicated that the data plan is for the device, not when used as a modem. They indicated that the extra charge was from the device being used as a modem. 

This is different than using the device as a proxy of course. So I'm hoping they can't tell. My wife can really use the tethered data option at her work.

So can anyone let me know how we can know for sure, IE use it, then verify data usage? Do we need to wait for a bill?


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## jonhimself (Jun 27, 2008)

Just because you used the app and it worked fine (on Rogers) doesn't mean you won't get billed for tethering. I'm hopeful based on what you've said and others that have posted that the 6GB will cover tethering but I'd like to see people's bills to confirm it for sure (we all know that customer reps lie/are misinformed)


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## askywalker (Sep 30, 2007)

Searching doesn't find it for me. Following the link posted earlier says: Not available in the iTunes Canada store...


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## MikeyXX (Aug 2, 2008)

jonhimself said:


> Just because you used the app and it worked fine (on Rogers) doesn't mean you won't get billed for tethering. I'm hopeful based on what you've said and others that have posted that the 6GB will cover tethering but I'd like to see people's bills to confirm it for sure (we all know that customer reps lie/are misinformed)


Yes, agreed. It's unfortunate that their training wasn't a little more consistent.

I'll purchase it as soon as I pick up my iPhone and run some tests. I couple hundred K of download via tethered should cost 5 to 10 bucks if they are charging for the tethered.

How quickly would we know though? Could I use it, then call them a couple days later and ask for the stats on my bill? Or do I have to wait for the next billing cycle?


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## slicecom (Jun 13, 2008)

MikeyXX said:


> Yes, agreed. It's unfortunate that their training wasn't a little more consistent.
> 
> I'll purchase it as soon as I pick up my iPhone and run some tests. I couple hundred K of download via tethered should cost 5 to 10 bucks if they are charging for the tethered.
> 
> How quickly would we know though? Could I use it, then call them a couple days later and ask for the stats on my bill? Or do I have to wait for the next billing cycle?


Too late. It was taken down again last night. Should have grabbed it while you had a chance! I've been using it and it works great!


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## zlinger (Aug 28, 2007)

Just jailbreak and tether using the free solutions available. I'm actually posting this message from my tethered 3G phone & MacBook from a laundromat. It works perfect, and performance is superb. Lets just hope I don't get a bill in the mail, but a network friend I know says that it should be fine as long as I do not run any downloads to use up all my 6GB.


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## MikeyXX (Aug 2, 2008)

zlinger,

The problem is two fold. 1) you need to jailbreak, this can add an unknown stability issue (however slight). 2) this particular app, utilizes the wireless so you don't have to physically tether and you utilize the iPhone as a proxy so it's as though the internet conversation is actually originating from the iPhone. 

Does the Jailbreak option have the wireless option (although this isn't super important). But more importantly, does it add the iPhone as a modem? Or do you use it as a proxy. If you are using it as a modem, you can get charged for "tethering data". If you use it as a proxy, it's not obvious you are tethering.


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## scandals (Oct 9, 2007)

Anybody have any more experience with this app? I am still curious as to whether Rogers can tell if you are using it or not.


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## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

scandals said:


> Anybody have any more experience with this app? I am still curious as to whether Rogers can tell if you are using it or not.


Rogers doesn't care. You will care, though, depending on whether or not you have a data plan, and which data plan you have.


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## MikeyXX (Aug 2, 2008)

How do you know Rogers won't care? When the guy ahead of me in line was getting a Data plan for his phone, he asked if he could tether it to his laptop. The agent said, Sure! But it's not covered in any data plan and it'll cost you .05 per Kb.

Or do you mean they don't care because they will bill separately for it?


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## kevleviathan (Apr 9, 2008)

They can't tell..... the tethering app for the iPhone simply uses a proxy to route all your computer's data through the iPhone. There is NO way for them to tell that you've tethered something! It's just data going over the network.


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## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

MikeyXX said:


> How do you know Rogers won't care? When the guy ahead of me in line was getting a Data plan for his phone, he asked if he could tether it to his laptop. The agent said, Sure! But it's not covered in any data plan and it'll cost you .05 per Kb.
> 
> Or do you mean they don't care because they will bill separately for it?


Rogers doesn't care because you either have the $30/6GB data plan, which generates a lot of revenue for Rogers; or you don't, which generates a truckload of cash for Rogers.


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## MikeyXX (Aug 2, 2008)

kevleviathan said:


> They can't tell..... the tethering app for the iPhone simply uses a proxy to route all your computer's data through the iPhone. There is NO way for them to tell that you've tethered something! It's just data going over the network.


I know the wireless one creates the proxy, and I agree it would be difficult to know unless you sniffed the packets. But what about the wired tether, does that not get installed as a modem and then you are no longer safe behind the "proxy"?

When I wired my blackberry up and it became a modem for my machine, my data bill was 240 dollars for a day of heavy surfing as it was a "tethered" charge.


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## scandals (Oct 9, 2007)

"Unlike other cellphone carriers, Rogers is allowing customers to "tether" their smartphones, or connect them to a computer and use them as a modem." from today's CBC article - Rogers extends iPhone prices, revamps data plans

I guess it's official and we can safely use NetShare?


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## satchmo (May 26, 2005)

scandals said:


> I guess it's official and we can safely use NetShare?


Looks like it...but the question is, where can you get NetShare? Didn't Apple remove it from the App store?


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## scandals (Oct 9, 2007)

Yeah it was removed, but I managed to grab it before they took it off for the second time. I thought it was a decent $10 gamble. If you don't have it there is probably something on installer (jailbreak) that does the same thing.


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## Vexel (Jan 30, 2005)

I have a feeling that we'll see it again. They still mention that they're in talks with Apple on the NullRiver site. I think it was taken down to protect customers from potential "unknown" charges for tethering their phones.

Apple will likely allow it to be released in countries that allow tethering, eventually.



> AUGUST 4TH, 2008
> 
> NETSHARE STATUS REPORT 2
> 
> ...


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## croatsensation (Jul 14, 2007)

What i can't believe is i missed that app on the iphone and did not hear rogers would allow tethering. Damn !!!!!!!! i am always looking for new things on the iphone 3g and cannot believe in missed this on the App store. I just hope Null River is allowed to re-release it.


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## smellybook (Aug 31, 2006)

*If you have a jailbroken phone, you can just download it*

and install it. It's all over the internet.

I have not downloaded or installed netshare.


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## croatsensation (Jul 14, 2007)

I just don't feel like jailbreaking my iphone as i use to do that with my first generation but not really something in need with 3g. I just hope it is put back on the app store again.


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## redheadgod (Nov 18, 2003)

*PDANet the way to tether!*

The way to go is with PDANet for the iPhone! It is way better and turns your iPhone into a wireless router. No need to use proxy or socks protocols, just have to jailbreak  June Fabrics are the creators: June Fabrics PDA Technology Group

A good review and how to at: PdaNet - The best tethering program you can get | ehPhone.ca - Canada's iPhone Home!

I know how I will be using my 6GB plan.

Thanks so much June Fabrics you guys rule! :clap:


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