There has been much disappointment with AT&T for not enabling tethering the iPhone to your laptop for Internet connections.
As a prior Windows CE "Smart Phone" user I have found this particularly frustrating as there were no restrictions on tethering the Windows CE phones. It was a lifesaver for us when traveling and staying at campgrounds that did not have a Wireless network to use.
The release of the new 3.0 iPhone OS, includes tethering BUT it is not functional in the U.S. as the Configuration File installed on your phone by default, does not enable tethering.
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NOTE
With the release of v3.1, and later, Apple has disabled the ability to Tether. It will appear that you still have it after updating your phone OS, but the first time you try to use it, it will fail and the "Tether" option will disappear from the Network configuration window! If you need to Tether, do NOT update the OS.
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I have always been reluctant to Jailbreak my phone, although that approach has provided tethering means for some time. With the release of OS 3.0, however, a number of people have published non-jailbreak methods of enabling tethering. Most require you to download a Config file, or modify your existing default file using iTunes.
All of these methods seemed to me to be fraught with unacceptable risk, and all I examined seemed to have blog posts here and there indicating that their implementation caused Voice Mail or other iPhone features to break!
Recently, however, I came across an approach that seemed more benign that any other I found. I tried it, and to my pleasant surprise it was very simple to do and produced perfect results that enabled tethering and did not break anything else that I could discover. I have tethered twice now for brief periods, with higher than expected speeds and no problems.
That said; NOTE that I have only used tethering in brief situations where it was the only means to access the Internet with my laptop. I have NOT used it as a replacement for a cellular modem. I suspect that AT&T is worried about that kind of abuse and thus has delayed enabling tethering until they can determine an associated rate plan and beef up their network capacity.
Accordingly I urge anyone trying to tether to NOT ABUSE the privilege at this time. After you enable tethering, if you review your next wireless phone bill, under the Data Plan section, you will see "phone" data sessions listed, as well as "WAP.CINGULAR" entries. These WAP entries reflect your tethering use. If you use it sparingly, you may probably be OK, but if you abuse tethering, it may well be flagged by AT&T's computers. Thus use tethering at your own risk as there is the potential for AT&T to hit you with unexpected charges.
The approach I discovered is accessible at: http://help.benm.at/usa.php (screen image below).
Browse to the above noted link with your iPhone and then click anywhere in the AT&T entry (circled in red).That's all you have to do. The link installs a new Mobile Configuration file on your phone.
You can now go to Settings>General>Network and you should see that "Internet Tethering" now appears as an Option. If it doesn't, then do a Reset on your phone (hold down the power button until the "slide to turn off" button appears). After it has powered down, then turn the phone back on (hold down the power button until the "Apple" appears).
Once tethering is ON, you can connect your iPhone to your laptop via USB or Bluetooth. Go to your laptop's Network Settings window and select the phone as your network connection method and you should be good to go.
When you are done, you need to turn tethering off on the iPhone before you can run applications again.
Note: Make sure your phone's data plan supports the data volumes you will use, otherwise you might get a very expensive and unpleasant surprise when your next phone bill arrives (could be in the thousands of dollars. . . no kidding!).
Also note that the above referenced link was, and remains, totally unknown to me as to credibility, integrity, etc. Use at your own risk. All I can say is it seemed to work fine for me.
The following has been added to the original post . . .
To remove the Tethering capability, go to Settings>General and scroll all the way down to the bottom of the screen.
There you will see a line that says Profile and it should contain "US AT&T" in it on the right side.
Tap on the Profile entry. It will open up a window with a description of the Profile and a Remove button (image to left).
Tap on the Remove button and when it finishes you should be back to your original (factory) default profile. To be sure, I would also suggest doing a Restart (on/off sequence) on your iPhone too.
Tethering
Ken. Sounds great, but when I went to the site on my 3GS, I see the at&t logo, but I click on the logo it asks for a password which I don't have.It says Instal and unsigned.
There is a right arrow next to the t-mobile logo, but that isn't what I need.
Is there something I am missing?
Jim, I followed the
Jim, I followed the directions Ken gave and it worked for me. The password they are asking for is the password used on your iphone for security features such as the lock for you phone. Hope that helps.
Billy
Password?
Jim I went back and tried everything again and do not encounter any PW requests. When I click on the ATT logo (or anywhere in that table cell) everything installs immediately. It only takes a few seconds.
Since I can't reproduce your situation on my phone, I'm at a loss to tell you what might be going on, as there is nothing I can think of except if for some reason the Cingular WAP network is asking for a password. It should be automatically supplied by the new Config file but try "CINGULAR1" (w/o the quotes). That is the WAP network PW.
Hi I did figure this out. It
Hi
I did figure this out. It was asking for the password on my iPhone (duh) and once I put that in it worked fine. I did discover that it successfully connected using the usb connection to my 3GS, but not through bluetooth, even though it showed a network connection. The good news is that it does work and with a cable connection, my iPhone will be charging while it is being used.
Thanks for the tip. Even though I will use this sparingly, it will make a big difference when I travel and save me those $9.95 for a two hour connections in the airports.
Jim
This is great for
This is great for emergencies, especially since I travel alot. That being said, if I want to go back to my original config, how do I do that?
Sean
Re: Tethering Removal
Good Question. I should have put that in the original process description.
There you will see a line that says Profile and it should contain "US AT&T" in it on the right side.
Tap on the Profile entry. It will open up a window with a description of the Profile and a Remove button (image to left).
Tap on the Remove button and when it finishes you should be back to your original (factory) default profile. To be sure, I would also suggest doing a Restart (on/off sequence) on your iPhone too.
I get a "restricted URL "
I get a "restricted URL " error when I click on AT&T
Will this work on 3G and 3Gs?
Will this work on 3G and 3Gs?
Tethering
does this work with the Iphone 2g with 3.0 upgrade
Restricted URL
I can't duplicate that error, so not sure why you are getting it. It certainly isn't normally restricted. Not sure what to tell you!
You can go to that site with your desktop computer by entering the URL into your browser. That doesn't help you install things on your phone but it would give you a chance to see if you got the same error message.
Tethering with 3G and 3GS
Yes. It works with both the 3G and the 3GS as long as OS 3.0 is installed on the phones. I have tried it on both models successfully.
Tethering the 2G
Since this is a software feature, if you can install OS 3.0 on the 2G (I an not able to try or verify this), then I would expect it to work OK.
I enabled tethering via the
I enabled tethering via the sync method of the file with itunes.
I thought what happens if i have to go to Apple for an issue that is carried under my warranty. They then see the tethering and then tell me it is voided now. I know the odds might be slim but with my luck it might happen.
What I like about this method is that I can remove and no one would know. I am wondering if i could apply your method over mine.
Tethering over prior effort
I suspect that the method I have described will install over your prior effort, although since I have not tried it, that is just a guess.
You might try installing my method and then clicking on the Remove button as I have described in my original post. After Removing, check your Settings>General>Networks screen to verify that the Tehering Option is gone. If that works then you can be pretty sure that tethering was removed. Go ahead then and reinstall my suggested method.
Alternatively you could do a Hard Reset on your phone which will restore the Operating System to factory settings. Then just sync with iTunes and all of your data and Applications will be reinstalled. Then you can install my tether method.
Or, alternative #3. Just leave your current approach installed if it is working for you, and if you have to take the phone into AT&T, do a Hard Reset before taking the phone in (this assumes the iPhone has not totally died, so some risk here that you could not do this step).
Data problem when using tethering option
Everything worked fine for me up to about a week ago. iPhone wouldn't update ANYTHING (stocks, app store, weather, mail, you name it). Spent about 3 days racking my brain for the solution (which included hours on the phone with apple and AT&T, because I was always showing full 3G signal strength) and remembered that a guy at work who I showed the tethering option too was also having data trouble. Sure enough I removed the tethering profile and the phone instantly started working again. Anyone else experienced this?
will not uninstall fully
I have tried to remove this by folloing the instructions. However I cannot get the tethering option to disappear. The profile is gone and I have done a hard reset, but still tethering under network still remains. Any suggestions?
Same here. Deleted the
Same here. Deleted the profile, but the Internet tethering setting remains.
Tether Removal
I am unable to replicate your experiences of no tether removal. It works every time for me, when I try.
Have you done a Reset (hold down Off button until "slide to turn off" icon appears) and then restart of the phone? That should clean things up.
Me too...
Cant get the tethering option off my phone... Removing the profile alone does nothing... Whoever figures this one out please post
Apple's New iPhone Software Version (3.0.1)
When I make my USB connection from my iPhone to my laptop (running Windows Vista), the iTunes website asks me if I would like to install the new iPhone software version (3.0.1). I have tethering capability (thanks to the info you provided on your website!) I have hesitated to install the above mentioned new software version, because I have a paranoid thought that my tethering capability might be "wiped out". Please give me your thoughts (or experience) on this issue.
Tethering with 3.0.1
While I have not attempted to tether after installing 3.0.1 I do note that the "Tethering" option is still listed in my Settings Network choices.
Given that tethering merely uses WAP protocol (used by all carriers) and has nothing to do with the operating system, I would not expect any changes in the OS to destroy tethering capability (unless a special block for just that purpose was coded in, but then ATT is planning to offer tethering soon and they couldn't put blocks now in the OS and then have tethering work later without a nightmare.)
Go ahead and upgrade.
Tethering 3.1
Hello Ken
When I installed iPhone 3.1, it knocked out tethering that worked find on 3.0.
Any ideas on how to fix this?
Jim
3.1 Tethering Knockout?
I have seen reports elsewhere that 3.1 added blocks to the tethering hacks (such as this one) that have been appearing, allegedly so that they can assure it is a chargeable phone feature.
If that is the case then we are out of luck for the moment. :-(
That said, while I have not tried tethering recently (I only use a few times a years as necessary when traveling) since updating to 3.1 I see that Tethering is still in my Settings>General>Network features list and I can toggle the On/Off status. I don't know if it will really work if I turn it on, but at least the choices are still there.
Exactly what happens in your case?
AT & T's Indefinite Delay of Internet Tethering
I am disgusted with AT & T's indefinite delay of "authorizing" internet tethering. They have the monopoly on iphone service in the USA; therefore, they have no competition, and they obviously don't give a damn about iphone customers.
Last month, I made the mistake of accepting the iphone software version 3.1 update, and promptly lost the tethering capability I had previously gained from your blog. I finally was able to revert back to version 3.0.1 (after many failed attempts!), and now I can tether again (but I do it sparingly, of course, so the AT & T bastards can't gather sufficient evidence to "terminate" me). My advice to all who want to keep tethering is: DO NOT ACCEPT ANY FURTHER IPHONE SOFTWARE UPDATES! (They are now trying to tempt us with version 3.1.2, which motivated me to write today!)