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Is it relatively easy to tether an android smartphone to the chromebook? I have a galaxy s phone with unlimited data plan and was hoping to tether instead of buying the 3g chromebook.
Thanks!
Thanks!
tethering android to chromebook?
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You have two options:
Your first option is to add T-Mobile's Wi-Fi tethering plan to your account, which is an extra $15/mo. Your second option, which is what I did (I have a Galaxy S 4G), is to root your phone and install an app that allows Wi-Fi tethering with root access. I had no clue what I was doing when I rooted my phone, but it turned out to be a lot simpler than I expected.
I assumed you are with T-Mobile. That in mind, know that T-Mobile has a data cap of 5 gigabits. Fortunately they don't charge extra for going over, but they will switch you from 4G to Edge (aka 2G) for the remainder of that billing cycle if you do happen to cap out.
Tether, either by PDAnet or other app turns your phone in a USB modem. The operating system that you plug it into must first actually look for internet access at the USB connection and second, be able to recognize the USB device as a modem. From the promo material I have read so far, the USB connection is evolving, and from what I've read as of a couple days ago (16Jun2011), the answer is no.
Two things. One, there is always some hacker out there who wants to do the same thing you want (have your Chromebook recognize your cell phone) and has the tools to make it happen. YMMV. Second, Droymac is talking about turning your phone into a wifi hotspot. The phone would act as a wireless router, you would log in and be connected to the web via your phone's data plan. There are ways to do this without paying the $15/month. Again, YMMV.
Wireless tethering is the only way to access your phone's data connection via Chromebook at the moment. PDAnet works great for Windows machines, and is also a lot easier than rooting your phone, but Chromebooks don't have the driver support needed to use such a program.
I wrote a full review on my experience with my new Chromebook that can be read here. It covers data tethering and more.
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I actually have ATT - I had the unlimited data grandfathered into my plan.because I had the iPhone.
Is pdanet available too ATT subscribers? I have had trouble finding it?
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Thanks for your review. So is the general consensus that the only way to tether by rooting your android phone? I was hoping there was an easier way
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Root it is!
PDAnet is available to anybody who is with a carrier that allows third-party apps. The app used to be available via Android Market, but was removed due to the whole tethering controversy.
Unfortunately rooting is the only option at this point. All of the popular tethering apps that don't require root do require client software to be installed to your computer, which Chrome OS doesn't support.Thanks for your review. So is the general consensus that the only way to tether by rooting your android phone? I was hoping there was an easier way
Amazon app store, apple app store, android store show or don't show apps based on your carrier, your phone type, and your operating system release. Things that may not be available on Android HTC Hero or Eris because of how old it is would be available for the new EVO because they stopped updating Android OS for Hero and Eris.
All 3 stores to varying degrees flag and remove apps because of agreements with carriers or internal policy. We normally don't see this because Angry Birds is available to all, but for things like PDANet, it's much more variable.
There is always rooting of a phone. It's upside/downside can be very negative (dead phone) to very positive (tethering, wifi hotspots, access to programs that you wouldn't otherwise be able to).
If you use your phone for excessive data they will call you on it. With AT&T and Sprint they called me and ask how my tethering software was working...I denied and they simply informed me that they could cancel my plan for breach of contract....so YMMV!!
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