Wow! Just tethered my DroidX to Linux -- works great!

[samalex]

Hey Guys --

A few weeks ago we got my wife a DroidX, and today I borrowed it for the day to see if it's something I'd like to get full time. After researching tethering options and seeing problems with PDANet (plus not liking the $30 cost) I found this site which shows how to tether an Android phone to Linux with one script:
http://www.humans-enabled.com/2009/12/how-to-tether-your-verizon-droid-as.html

I ran it and in a few seconds I was up and going == which I'm using it now to type this! I did some speed tests and most seem to average out to about 750Kb down and 512 Kb up with 200 ms latency. Not too bad for completely wireless over 3G.

I'm impressed! The only problem though is when someone calls the Internet connection drops off since through Verizon it can't do data and voice traffic concurrently. But not a huge deal.

Sam

[whiskeylover]

That is awesome. I've been trying to tether my Android phone with Ubuntu, but haven't got very far. I'll try that link in the evening.



I'm impressed! The only problem though is when someone calls the Internet connection drops off since through Verizon it can't do data and voice traffic concurrently. But not a huge deal.

Sam
That's why I haven't and will not switch to Verizon. They refuse to conform to standards (GSM) and still run their antiquated CDMA network just to be dciks.

[Calash]

...
That's why I haven't and will not switch to Verizon. They refuse to conform to standards (GSM) and still run their antiquated CDMA network just to be dciks.

Yeah, thats why they don't just drop the current infrastructure so you can talk and data at the same time...just to make you mad....yeah...........


Side note: Verizon is rolling out LTE for their 4G. LTE is an evolution of GSM.

[whiskeylover]

Yeah, thats why they don't just drop the current infrastructure so you can talk and data at the same time...just to make you mad....yeah...........


Side note: Verizon is rolling out LTE for their 4G. LTE is an evolution of GSM.

I'm not suggesting they drop their existing infrastructure. Other telecoms have done it incrementally ALL OVER THE WORLD.

There is no point in discussing this with you... yeah.........

[Calash]

I'm not suggesting they drop their existing infrastructure. Other telecoms have done it incrementally ALL OVER THE WORLD.

There is no point in discussing this with you... yeah.........

Then why did you reply??

GSM was adopted in Europe almost at the get-go. There was no need for a transition. Verizon and Sprint really pushed the CDMA network here, soaking up many of the smaller companies and/or renting the towers.

The argument if GSM is superior to CDMA is a bit outside of the allowable character limit in a post, however the point is a but moot with Verizon adopting GSM for 4G.

And finally, to the point of my sarcasm. There seems to be a general feeling that any major corporation has the equivalent mentality of a 5 year old bully doing things "just because". Corporations don't work like that..if they did they would not last a month. They do what needs to be done to keep the business alive.

So no, they are not doing it just to be _____ (Fill in your own blank, I don't like filter skipping). They are doing it because the customers want it, because it will bring in revenue, and because it keeps the business alive.

[whiskeylover]

And finally, to the point of my sarcasm. There seems to be a general feeling that any major corporation has the equivalent mentality of a 5 year old bully doing things "just because". Corporations don't work like that..if they did they would not last a month. They do what needs to be done to keep the business alive.

So no, they are not doing it just to be _____ (Fill in your own blank, I don't like filter skipping). They are doing it because the customers want it, because it will bring in revenue, and because it keeps the business alive.

While my post did say "just because..." I thought it was pretty obvious I didn't mean it that way. But anyways, you can think whatever you want. You think the customers actually know the difference between CDMA and GSM to "want it"? I don't think so.

Besides, the whole point of standardization is so the people can use their devices across carriers (not considering the fact that the carriers like to lock the devices, but that's a different story.) It would be like some company using a non-standard screwdriver head, instead of the standard Phillips head. It won't make too much sense unless you're using their proprietary screwdrivers, even though theirs might actually be better in some way.

[samalex]

OP here, sorry didn't mean to start a flame between you two, just wanted to note how simple it is to tether Ubuntu and an Android phone.

FWIW --

Sam

[pwnst*r]

GSM is now a poor and unsecure "standard". Get with the times.


OP here, sorry didn't mean to start a flame between you two, just wanted to note how simple it is to tether Ubuntu and an Android phone.

FWIW --

Sam

And we appreciate it. I'll be trying this with my Evo this weekend.

[v1ad]

ty for the link, i can't wait to get my droid now :D.

[Calash]

OP here, sorry didn't mean to start a flame between you two, just wanted to note how simple it is to tether Ubuntu and an Android phone.

FWIW --

Sam

No flames were intended from my part, but I will apologize for participating in derailing your topic.

I have a Droid 1 myself and have used the Wireless Tether app many times on my Ubuntu laptop, as well as a Powebook G4 a few weeks back. Can't say I got the speed results you posted though, I wonder if it has to do with the radio in the devices.

Good information, thanks for posting.

[pwnst*r]

Can't say I got the speed results you posted though, I wonder if it has to do with the radio in the devices.



Doubt it. 3G varies greatly by geographic locations.

[samalex]

No flames were intended from my part, but I will apologize for participating in derailing your topic.

I have a Droid 1 myself and have used the Wireless Tether app many times on my Ubuntu laptop, as well as a Powebook G4 a few weeks back. Can't say I got the speed results you posted though, I wonder if it has to do with the radio in the devices.

Good information, thanks for posting.

Yeah I was very impressed to see the speed. The first tests were using Broadband Reports but I just ran it again using Speakeasy and got this:
Download Speed: 770 kbps (96.3 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 596 kbps (74.5 KB/sec transfer rate)

I haven't tried from home, which the 3G service is hit or miss out there, so I'm curious to see what the speed is there.

But given this is my wife's phone I'm passing it back to her this evening, but I'm seriously thinking of buying one for myself. I'm still debating between a new phone or a Kindle 3, but I'm sure leaning more towards a DroidX.

Take care --

[pwnst*r]

I'm still debating between a new phone or a Kindle 3, but I'm sure leaning more towards a DroidX.

Take care --

That's a determination on your budget, right? Considering they don't nearly do the same thing ;D

[castrojo]

My Nexus One tethers out of the box with zero configuration, odd that you have to go through all those steps. I just plug mine in to my laptop and network manager finds it and I'm done.

[samalex]

That's a determination on your budget, right? Considering they don't nearly do the same thing ;D

It's one of those things where I don't need ether, but I'd sure like to have one :) The only thing that'll suck is the $30/month extra for the DroidX which I wouldn't have to fork out with the Kindle. The biggest thing I'd use the DroidX for is the Internet anywhere now that tethering works, plus listening to streaming audio in the car.

Sam

[samalex]

My Nexus One tethers out of the box with zero configuration, odd that you have to go through all those steps. I just plug mine in to my laptop and network manager finds it and I'm done.

Is the Nexus One through Verizon? If not that's why... Verizon is funky about tethering in that they want $$$ for it. The DroidX has a 'HotSpot' ability where it can turn into a Mifi kinda device but it requires $20/month extra.

As for the hassle of enabling it, using the site I linked to it's just one script and a setting on the phone to install, then to active it just running the VPN app on both computer and phone to start it. It's worth it to save $20/month :)

[pwnst*r]

Is the Nexus One through Verizon? If not that's why... Verizon is funky about tethering in that they want $$$ for it. The DroidX has a 'HotSpot' ability where it can turn into a Mifi kinda device but it requires $20/month extra.

As for the hassle of enabling it, using the site I linked to it's just one script and a setting on the phone to install, then to active it just running the VPN app on both computer and phone to start it. It's worth it to save $20/month :)

Also, that $20/month you pay Verizon is also capped to 2GB.

[MoebusNet]

Yeah, Shannon's script did the trick for me. I originally tethered my HTC Droid Incredible running Eclair 2.1u1 which worked great! The OS has since updated to Froyo 2.2 OTA and the tethering still works, but I've got the hotspot option now as well. I prefer the tethered option for just me, because any extensive data-usage runs down my battery unless I'm plugged in anyway. This is my only data connection for my notebook.

BTW, talking to Verizon's tech support I was told (and my Verizon bill supports this) that since I'm paying for both the data plan and tethering that I have "unlimited" data usage. However, I haven't tried going over 5 Gigabytes of data/month either. (yet) ;) I could easily do so by watching streaming videos very often!

Posted from my Dell Latitude D800 notebook tethered to my Droid Incredible.