Tethering performance problems on T-Mobile in the US

U

uOpt

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Mar 29, 2006
Messages
1,592
I have low performance when tethering on T-mobile in the US. Like dialup slow.

A while back I could solve that by setting the TCP TTL from 64 to 65 on the tethering computer which sabotaged the mechanism to tell whether a TCP connection is tethered. But this seems to do nothing now. I currently don't know how they recognize tethering in the first place. Anybody can shed light on this?

Regardless of why this is on T-Mobile, would a switch to Google Fi help?

Hardware involved right now is an unlocked Pixel 6 and a Macbook on wifi tethering.
 
lots of carriers have separate data and tether speeds/caps. maybe you need to add it to your account. idk how they tell.
 
pendragon1 said:
um yeah. how bad is your signal?
Click to expand...

Right now it is just one bar. But I observe no speed problems on the phone itself.

But anyway, the tethering is slow no matter where I am and what the signal is like. And the in-phone browsing is fast. Even now and here.
 
uOpt said:
Right now it is just one bar. But I observe no speed problems on the phone itself.

But anyway, the tethering is slow no matter where I am and what the signal is like. And the in-phone browsing is fast. Even now and here.
Click to expand...
iirc tethering will nearly half the speed, so... you could try this, to hide the tethering:
http://pdanet.co/
 
uOpt said:
Says "Coverage as SMHS only works in 4G and 4G LTE coverage".

I'm unsure what they here. Tethering is disabled in areas with speed lower than 4G? Speed is limited to 4G?

I try to avoid dealing with Google but it looks like I might be heading for Google Fi.
Click to expand...
that means your phone has support it and have good enough signal to enable 4G/LTE modes. it should show at the top of your phone if its in 4G or LTE(L), wifi has to be off usually.
 
uOpt said:
Says "Coverage as SMHS only works in 4G and 4G LTE coverage".

I'm unsure what they here. Tethering is disabled in areas with speed lower than 4G? Speed is limited to 4G?
Click to expand...
I just think that's an old article. WiFi hotspot on any carrier should be able to share whatever kind of connection the phone is receiving (doesn't matter if HSPA+, LTE, or 5G). And then they're just implying you have to have a data signal to use it (like obviously you can't hotspot from your phone if your phone has no cellular data connection).

uOpt said:
I have low performance when tethering on T-mobile in the US. Like dialup slow.
Click to expand...
I'm pretty sure carriers still detect hotspot based on TTL. I wasn't even aware you could do it on connecting client side, I was under the assumption you changed the TTL on the phone. This Magisk Module (which requires your phone to be rooted with Magisk installed) should do the trick. Otherwise pdanet like pendragon1 is suggesting. This will make the traffic indistinguishable from "native" phone traffic. Just be aware this is breaking the TOS from T-Mobile. Most likely you'll be fine but if you end up using obscene amounts of data they probably won't be too happy.
 
Dopamin3 said:
I'm pretty sure carriers still detect hotspot based on TTL.
Click to expand...

I thought so, too, but increasing TTL doesn't get the job done anymore. Rooted phone is no problem for me, but I am getting closer to switching to Google Fi.
 
pendragon1 said:
its not an article though, thats their current help section.
Click to expand...
Does T-Mobile really block 5G phone hotspot and instead only allow 5G on dedicated hotspot / home Internet type devices?

uOpt said:
I thought so, too, but increasing TTL doesn't get the job done anymore. Rooted phone is no problem for me, but I am getting closer to switching to Google Fi.
Click to expand...
I'm not sure how switching from T-Mobile proper to a T-Mobile (and US Cellular and whoever else Fi uses) MVNO is going to help out your situation... I was going to say you might see slower speeds on Fi, but apparently Fi has QCI 6 on T-Mobile just like T-Mobile postpaid plans (except for Essentials) have.
 
Dopamin3 said:
Does T-Mobile really block 5G phone hotspot and instead only allow 5G on dedicated hotspot / home Internet type devices?
Click to expand...
doubt it. the 4g/lte might be a minimum, idk. just pointing out that its from them.
 
Dopamin3 said:
Does T-Mobile really block 5G phone hotspot and instead only allow 5G on dedicated hotspot / home Internet type devices?


I'm not sure how switching from T-Mobile proper to a T-Mobile (and US Cellular and whoever else Fi uses) MVNO is going to help out your situation... I was going to say you might see slower speeds on Fi, but apparently Fi has QCI 6 on T-Mobile just like T-Mobile postpaid plans (except for Essentials) have.
Click to expand...

Google Fi has tethering at full speed included.

They also have other advantages that I now realize, such as data-only SIM cards for random devices that then go on the same plan.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top