How would you like to use your laptop computer even when there’s no WiFi connection. Well you can, just as long as you have the Droid, decent cell connection, and the PdaNet app.
PdaNet is just a regular Android app with super magical powers that “tethers” the Android phone to your laptop allowing you to use your data connection from your phone to get online.
Tethering is pretty simple using PdaNet, I found some video tutorials on how to install and begin using the app. There are two ways you can do this, download the the installer on your computer, or download the app directly from the phone. The choice is yours.
How to tether the Motorola Droid on the computer. This method requires you to download and run the installer directly on your computer.
How to tether the Motorola Droid directly from the phone. With this method you download the app and the included installer files onto your Droid.
Download the free edition of PdaNet from the Android Market.
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Is there an extra cost for downloading data via the WiFi or will my Verizon bill remain the same???? Not clear on how this works.
I am curious on if i’ll be charged for tethering to my computer or does the data plan from Verizon cover this too?
I’ve done research on this is the past and I’m pretty sure verizon charges for tethering connections. Even if you set it up without telling them, they’ll find out….they always do…
I have a Motorola Droid and an Itouch … the two are paired and I am running pdanet on my droid … and sharing the blue tooth DUN .. but the iTouch does not
This is the scoop I got from multiple sources: If you use it occasionally and are very mindful about how much info passes through the tether, you’ll be fine. I’ve used it several times, just to check up on something or go to a site that runs better than on my droid, and have had no problems. O
On the other hand, I know someone who used PDA net to download large amounts of data (I.E, download movies and lots of music) and was caught right away. His next bill showed an additional $40 a month charge for their network service. Apparantly, they look for red flags in your data usuage that are suspisously high for normal mobile use, then they investigate and tag on extra xharges. Bottom line: as long as you use it liberaly and are smart about it, verizon will be none the wiser and you’ll have a handy app to use in a pinch. Hope this helps, and if anyone knows more about this please let me know.
i bought the droid today and specifically asked about tethering it to my laptop. the app is not controlled by verizon, so there’s nothing they can do about it. for regular unlimited data, it’s 30$ per month, however if you wanted to use a phone other than the droid for tethering, it was 45$. i only have to pay 30
I tried pdanet during a business trip a few weeks ago. I’ll check my next bill to see if they found out, and let you know
I agree with Greg on this one. They say unlimited data but there’s no such thing. There is a cap. You will get charged, warned, or dropped. Download a few movies and see what happens.
have used PdaNet on Treo on VZ network without any problem from VZ, if you are careful with usage it won’t look out of ordinary. I did use VZAccess on last phone before Droid and regretted paying 13 bucks a month for so-so connectivity.
I have tehtered on my old vx6900 for over a year, just email and reading news…never once got asked/charged extra by verizon. I am on the “unlimited” data plan
I will be d/l the app for my moto droid soon.
dickbetts.com was the guy who first introduced me to the pdanet. He goes around the country doing ” outsmarting the smart phone” seminars.
He has told THOUSANDS of people about PDAnet, he said the ATT and Verizon who have booths at his events folks cried to him only once, then he said I am helping you sell more smart phones and data plans so shut it.. You ask $15 a month for tether, stop crying. They stop crying to him
Looking for an answer to the Verizon (extra) charge for tethering as well. Does this application get around the Verizon data plan charge for tethering?
Go to http://www.junefabrics.com to find out what it does
Yes this does get around the tethering fee. Verizon has no way to distinguish tethering vs regular data usage at this time. My Verizon sups and employees are using this program and others to tether and no charges have appeared on their bill.
Issue: Free PDANet is telling me it will not open https sites. Was working fine. Now it’s alerting me as soon as it connects causing me not to be able to logging into yim, yahoo mail or myspace. Any suggestions other than purchasing?
Besides the transparency of it, we’re all paying $30/mth for unlimited data, so who cares which device is using it…
well, theres a way to get pased it, you have to dig hard through search engines, but you can score an email with a serial id number..theres a guy named rob somewhere that openly displays his registration to everyone to use the full version completely free. oh yeah, i download hundreds of songs and video files using pda net tether on limewire through my pc, never had an issue with my bill.. on top of all of that, im always signed onto my pc internet through my fone.. at least eight hours a day.. good luck hope i helped you guys out there
I have to agree with Randall. If you have their unlimited data plan, how the hell can they tell whether you’re surfing from the droid or surfing from your tethered laptop? To them it’s just zeros & ones.
rich, did you ever check your data usage?
I am using tethering on the droid as well, and it’s half through the month, and my usage is already at 4.7 GBs, and I am afraid to go over 5 GB. I heard it’s 5 cents per MB after your usage is over 5GB.
I have Verizon and used Teather Berry on my BB before I bought my Droid. I used it a lot when I was camping, even used it a few times while running Skype. I would browse for a few hours watch a few videos. I didn’t download huge files but I did down load a few small programs around 100mb and never had a problem with Verizon. I do have the unlimited Data plan.
i have been using padnet for about 3 months now. on my verizon plan i have unlimited internet access for my smartphone which is moto droid. i have not seen any extra charges at all.
I tethered using PDAnet for over a year as my only internet connection, I streamed Netfix almost everyday for hours. I never once got any charge from AT&T. I have a BB with the unlimted data plan. I do go through Verizon now. I really think it is very random that anyone gets any charges. I use my phone for email, FB, Pandora, Websurfing and tethering. They would really have a hard time figuring out which is which.
I NEED HELP!!! I downloaded PDAnet (free market version) to my phone (Droid Incredible) and computer (Windows XP) and when I get connected and go to the internet – I can’t get past the VZW WEB page which asks me to agree to pay $25/month! WHAT’S HAPPENING???
They cannot distinguish phone data from computer data, in and of itself. They are, however, able to detect data usage period (hence charging when trying to use data without a plan).
The charge, were it because they knew you were tethering, would be $40. The $25 is for unlimited data on the phone.
Verizon can burn in hell, 1) because they false advertise with the whole “unlimited” ploy, and two because who the hell charges AGAIN for using data?? “Oh, you can use your phone to connect to the internet, but NOT on your computer.”
The HELL I can’t! I paid you for the damn thing, it’s mine; AND I’m STILL paying you $30 a month to use the internet on it. Who the hell are you to say how I can or cannot use a device that I own, with a service I’m PAYING for.
That make sense to anyone? I can’t be the only one who is infuriated with this bull crap.
God bless Google (and PdaNet developers) for their efforts to rip that control from Verizon’s grasp.
That kind of stranglehold is what’s keeping the iPhone from possessing Flash capabilities (legitimately).
I just got a My Touch Slide will PDANet work on it and my Mac Laptop?
Will the PDA Net work with the I Pad from a MyTouch phone?
Been using PdaNet on various phones (storm, droid eris, curve 8530, Droid, etc.) all while having the “unlimited” data plan and I generally twitter, FB, news, youtube, etc and have never been charged extra. My usage is around 1-2 gigs a month.
Lou, the only way the iPad will work is if you can get the MyTouch slide to work as a wifi router. I’m not sure if it is possible to do
Will this application work with the new droid x that will be released this month?
I just purchased the droid x. How do I tether for free without verizon charging me or knowing?
Used the PDANet app on my Incredible last month. Reached 130MB data usage. No issues on my bill.
Anyone here have any experience with Verizon on weather or not their “Unlimited Data” plan is actually Unlimited or not? The sales rep I talked to said that it really was unlimited and PdaNet would get around the tether fee. I have been lied to for years with at&t, and had my internet on my old phone quit working for the remainder of a month once when I hit two gigs without even tethering. Right now, I am at 370,000kb on my Ally, and half way through the billing cycle, but I have been using it sparingly (by my standards) and want to know if I can just cut loose with the phones connection or if I should still be conservative with it.
When my daughter and I were looking at phones, my daughter asked the salesman (Pete) at the Verizon store if she could tether a Droid to a laptop. So Pete whips out his own Droid and flips through a couple of screens, and says, yes no problem, just get the PDAnet app and you will be all set. It was right there on his phone.
Daughter installed PdaNet to use with her Droid. She is currently is at 7gigs of data usage looking at Verizon’s site. She has the “unlimited data” package. Are we look at an issue here being that she is only partially through her billing cycle?
Thanks
looking at the droid x and the droid 2. i read somewhere that verizon will block the download for PDAnet, anyone else hear about this?
Is it possible that those who got caught were using services that are not supported on the Droid (e.g. Using the iTunes store, viewing flash content depending on your device ). It seems really unlikely that Verizon has another way to infer the use of tethering, but I’m no techie.
Try not to use their misleading (Really its lying and dishonest) “market speak” of unlimited. None of the plans are unlimited. They are like 5GB of data which really is not all that much if you do much of anything with videos or photos.
I would pass my monthly bandwidth limit uploading a single days photo shoot.
Will this app work on the Sprint EVO??
Thanks,
Di
It in theory works on all Android phones.
HELP! I installed pdanet on my computer, but when I try to connect my Droid – I get a message from Verizon that I need to sign up and pay for the service. I have tried to uninstall pdanet on my computer, but cannot complete the uninstall. Any suggestions??? thanks
I called Verizon and the tech told me to use PDAnet… They can’t track usage because PDAnet is completely seperate from Verizon. I used it last night, downloaded music and everything and all seems to be well. To get around the verizon page that says they will charge you the 25$$ should be as easy as going to the web address bar and typing in where you want to go. Verizon said they might release for the moto droid to tether but doesn’t know when. Why release an update that can let you tether, if they are going to block it out anyways? IDK but Verizon is pretty shady. I also heard that after the trial period, PDAnet is free but doesn’t allow HTTPS sites…. well I also heard on the free version after the trial they still work so.. we will see.
ok so basically i got the tmobile motorola cliq and i have used pdanet few time and after so long it ask me to register it …so does anyone have a email and serial number or nkno where to get one?
verizon plans are unlimited not capped i spoke with someone from verizon and read the fine print although “soon” they will “more than likely” switch to capped plans at around 5g but if you have a unlimited plan you will keep your full unlimited by grandfathering that in your contract (as long as you always pay bill and never have it taken off your account)
also pda net worked for my wifes phone for a few days past the trial then it did stop loading all sites but we paid for it and it has been our only source of internet for several months. i have a droid x on way and have heard tethering might be free for rooted users…i hope this is true
Thanks for the videos. I’m getting my droid soon since its free with a plan now. you did a great job on the video until you opened internet explorer. You should feel ashamed lol.
anyone looking to use https there is a good working key gen for 2.42 version of PDAnet.. the $30 price tag per seat is crazy especially since they used to give this away for free in earlier versions. linezer0 keygen can be found here [ http://www.filez.st/file.php?id=MTM5Njcy ] as of aug 31 2010
K maybe buy one seat but each time you use another computer on a mobile device c’mon….
i havent used tethering yet but… i did sign up for the 3g mobile hotspot WHICH i was told was $20 for unlimited data usage on up to 5 other devices… I unfortunately found out the hard way that apparently after paying $30 for unlimited data usage on the phone and then an additional $20 to use it as a router for a laptop… i was shocked to see my bill for the next month had WHOPPING $171+ data charge!! for going 2 gigs over the cap that I didnt even know existed… commenting on what someone else had said WHO THE F*CK IS VERIZON TO LIMIT MY DATA USAGE JUST CAUSE I USE A DIFFERENT DEVICE TO USE THE INTERNET??!! And not only that but I was cool enough to accept and pay the additional $20 for 3G mobile hotspot!!! AND!!! they couldnt send me a notification, email, a friggin text message STATING that I was over my 2 gig limit??!?!?!?! W.T.F??!!?!!!!! Ive tried using this PDANet tethering and have gotten fair results… disconnects a lot. Its really sad because this technology is freakin awesome but that fact that verizon is trying to monopolize and make every last little dollar they can off the little guy that can barely pay the $140+ dollars for unlimited talk,text,internet and insurance is just… sad. I support any and all persons that are able to find ways around this. Yeah thank you Verizon and Motorola for your Technocrack, you got me, I cant live without this phone and its services but a big F.U. you have 40… no 80 million customers isn’t it? With an average of $100 a person prolly a month? Billions of dollars… You have billions of dollars and had to charge me $171+ in data usage when Im paying $30 for “unlimited data” then $20 for the “hotspot” sorry for ranting. im just… peeved. Be wary consumers…
Follow up to earlier post on August 12th about Data useage through Pdanet. Total data used was 16 gigs. for the billing cycle. The bill was same as it always was. So for now life is good!
ok i work for sprint at a call center. i have seen my share of overages on bills. i am a heavy data user. i say i at least use about 15gb a month. with sprint if u have the everything data plan then there is no cap. heavy data will put a flag on ur acct but i have never seen data overages on any customer’s bill while on the everything data with a cell phone the only thing i have seen is a suspension on a “high usage” so IF U HAVE SPRINT U HAVE NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT yet… lol who knows if they will catch on. now as a rep im supposed to tell u that there is a 5gb cap but that is only on our connection cards for ur computer. be smart. only use pda net for normal browsing. dont use it for downloading movies because if ur usage is too high u may get a suspension on ur line.
Can I connect(tether) my Droid (original) or Verizon Gateway (unlimited use) laptop to an Apple Ipad 64GB (without 3G service)? …and how????
Thanks, folks!
i have had my droid and PDA net for about 6-7 months now and i even called Verizon to make sure that i would not get charged extra money. they told me that they cant because its an app. as long as you have unlimited internet usage you shouldn’t worry about going over your limit cap. I am always on my laptop using PDA net. i download games and movies all the time. my bill has not changed. just the original $30 for unlimited internet.