That didn’t take long: tethering support already hacked 26
Sure, Palm doesn’t want anybody talking about tethering hacks, for fear of Sprint cracking down on them (and the *ahem* stuff rolls downhill, no doubt) for standing by and letting their network get crushed under the onslaught of unauthorized data tethering connections. But that doesn’t matter, as it’s already been broken wide open. With SSH tunnels and proxies and all that jazz it can and has been done, and there’s nothing Palm or Sprint can do to stop it now. Actually, there probably is, but our suggestion to Palm and Sprint makes more sense: actually put together a tethering plan and make it legal instead of trying futilely to stop people from hacking Linux. You'll make your customers happy, and make money in the progress. Sounds good, no?
[via: Engadget]
Thanks to everybody that sent this in!
26 Comments
Derek, you are aware that this "hack" was developed on this forum, correct? I'm not sure why you are citing Engadget on this one -- the "hack" originated right here on PreCentral.net a few days ago. I am surprised it took you guys so long to finally post it on the news over here....
Yeah, it originated here, but everybody's following this so closely that Engadget sometimes picks up on things before we do. 'Tis a crazy digital news world we live in.
lol.
I know man...for a palm website, you should be on top of every palm news...especially the new palm pre. I read this a couple of days back also. Not that I want to hack my pre yet...maybe in about a month when I know all the side effects of hacking the pre. It seems I always find out the news somewhere else before here and I come here all the time.
From what I understand, you are missing something... I just don't know what.
We've been sprung!
Eric from comments section - comment 15 (http://www.isyougeekedup.com/palm-pre-how-to-guide-to-enable-tethering/):
I don
Huh? I use a Palm Centro with Sprint and my plan allows tethering.
How exactly will Sprint crack down on Palm?
Sprint: Stop them from doing tethering apps...
Palm: We can't. We're not Apple you morons. They can install what they want.
Sprint: Huh? Well we don't like you no more.
Palm: So what you gonna do? Drop us? You're leaking customers left and right. Shut up and get that 4G going so we can get it in the next Pre. Geez, we let you put that Nascar app on our ROM, what more you want?
Sprint: Apple pie
Cardfan: Thanks for the morning funny. :) Wholly agreed about that Nascar application!
Derek: Very wise advice to Sprint about getting their act together and offering a legitimate plan.
And it's not like anyone buy's that wireless dongle that sprint sells and charges $60 a month for... I had one for a month (hate cable) and it sucked so bad i returned it. The conection was fine, but the hassel of loggin on and all the ad's and auto-updates and crap made it Horrible.
Now i can teather with my phone and just pay for 1 plan! Wahoo!
Actually I think many business users would prefer to have the dongle and a phone. I hate having to untether the device to take a call.
ya, actually i have their data plan as well, though being on a friends and family plan it's only $30/month and I got one of the older ovation usb dongles, took it apart and removed the mini-pcie card and put it internally in my laptop. With my laptops superior antennas, it works great. I can't live without it especially when I'm working onsite at client's sites that have their internet locked down.
I have my pre set for tethering now too, but I'll probably never use it. Just did it because I could.
OK, I am now keeping my pre!
Everything Data without tethering!? isn't "tethering" a data transfer...!? LOL...I tether with my Treo 755p using PDANet and I will tether with my incoming Pre
I'm going to wait for the new update to see what happensas well as see if people will actually be avoiding charges. I had an instinct last which I used for tethering several hours out of the day and worked pretty well, so i'll just play it safe with the waiting game.
I am personally hoping anyone tethering in violation of Sprint's TOS gets massive overage fees and penalties.
People need to learn to follow the rules, and honor their agreements.
Such abuses only make things worse for those of us who do play by the rules.
-n8
I really don't agree this part. We pay 99 bucks for unlimited data. It should be unlimited no matter how we use the device. We only tether so that we can work better on big keyboard and screen. Not like we hadn't already paid for the plan. Our phone is capable of much more things...it should not be limited by the carrier.
But did you sign the contract? If so, you aren't in a position to disagree with it's terms because you already agreed to them in writing.
-n8
@natrixgli
I think you are wrong in your thinking. We should not be nickel and dimed. What does unlimited data mean?
Do you think the price that cell phone companies charge for sending text message a fare?
The point is I do not think anyone who have the pre and tether it will be replacing their ISP to use it.
I had the 30 dollar black berry data plan before it I tethered with it all the time. Now I have the 100 dollar simply everything plan, 25 more a month than my old bill and I can't tether? I'm certainly not about to pay even more for the privileged. One of the reasons I went with the new plan is because silly me I still thought it allowed tethering like that stated back when it was announced. Must have missed the press release where they removed that option.
Or maybe you should have asked - or read the agreement you signed. Buyer beware! The Sprint employees I asked at the Sprint store were very up front about the lack of tethering support for the Pre.
But then again it would make far to much sense to confirm the availability of a feature that's of such importance. Far better to just assume, right? Leap before you look?
-n8
I am with you on that one. I know it is on me for not doing my research before getting the device. I should have double checked again, but the good news is I can still return the device within 30days and get my money back if they do not change this very silly move.
Let Sprint put in a hard line of "go ahead, but if you break the usual 5 GB cap, we'll bring down the fee hammer when you're tethering."
It's an unlimited plan. And if they can directly detect when we're tethering, let them limit that usage and slap fees on it for going over. I think for many of us we aren't looking for a replacement internet connection. We just need a lifeline while spending the night at a hotel trying to wring $20 out of us for one night of 'net access.
You hear me, Sprint?! Stop trying to break my tethering, it's one of the reasons I've always liked you!
Logically, I think Sprint's right...for now. As a cash-strapped company, they don't have the money to beef up their infrastructure for all the additional bandwidth usage that tethered Pre's could bring.
Tethering should be an extra cost option. Unlimited data should be unlimited data for device internal usage. Those that want tethering should have to pay a nominal fee -- 10-15 or so -- for that privilege.