PDANET+ IS A MUST HAVE PHONE TETHERING
SOFTWARE
You can download PDANET+ for Android, iPhone, Windows Mobile, Blackberry, and/or PalmOS. The software is free to download from the internet or Google Play Store. There is no rooting or hacking required. PdaNet+ is one of the top smart phone tethering applications of all time. It also does not require a tether plan from your phone service, since tethering has been legal (by precedence) with all cell phone companies since a court case decision against Verizon several years ago. PdaNet+ supports connections by using WiFi, USB Tether or Bluetooth. There is no speed limit with PdaNet+. There is a ONE TIME fee of $7.95 to register the software per phone it is downloaded on. If you have two phones, you should put PDANet+ on one phone & Easy Tether on the other phone. Your computer can have two different tethering software programs running at the same time, but not two of the same program, so each phone must have a different tethering software on it. The install & setup instructions on their website is very easy to follow. Once you are set up, you can be using your AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile or whatever unlimited data cell phone plan you might have as your Free internet for your desktop(s), laptop(s), tablet(s), or iPad(s) on your own hotspot. Your phone will still ring, you can still fully use your phone while tethering (texting, incoming & outgoing phone calls), and your internet is put into a holding pattern, if only tethering one phone. If you are using two tethering phones, there is no interruption in your internet while using one of the two phones. Note: Essentially tethering is simply connecting your phone to your computer so you can use the larger screen, larger keypad, & larger data storage on your computer, but you are still using the same unlimited data you are already paying your cell phone company for, so it truly isn't free, but at least your not paying extra for it as so many people do. You can also tether your cell phone to your TV so you can watch streaming videos & movies on its big screen, rather than your small cell phone screen. I have articles on how to do that too.
EASY TETHER IS A MUST HAVE PHONE TETHERING SOFTWARE
You can download Easy Tether by Mobile Stream for Android, Windows Mobile Smartphone or Pocket PC, Blackberry, or Palm phones. The software is free to download from the internet or Google Play Store. There is no rooting or hacking required. Easy Tether is one of the top smart phone tethering applications of all time. It also does not require a tether plan from your phone service, since tethering has been legal (by precedence) with all cell phone companies since a court case decision against Verizon several years ago. Easy Tether supports connections by using WiFi, USB Tether or Bluetooth. There is no speed limit with Easy Tether. There is a ONE TIME fee of $9.99 to register the software per phone it is downloaded on. If you have two phones, you should put Easy Tether on one phone & PDANet+ on the other phone. Your computer can have two different tethering software programs running at the same time, but not two of the same program, so each phone must have a different tethering software on it. The install & setup instructions on their website is very easy to follow. Once you are set up, you can be using your AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile or whatever unlimited data cell phone plan you might have as your Free internet for your desktop(s), laptop(s), tablet(s), or iPad(s) on your own hotspot. Your phone will still ring, you can still fully use your phone while tethering (texting, incoming & outgoing phone calls), and your internet is put into a holding pattern, if only tethering one phone. If you are using two tethering phones, there is no interruption in your internet while using one of the two phones. Note: Essentially tethering is simply connecting your phone to your computer so you can use the larger screen, larger keypad, & larger data storage on your computer, but you are still using the same unlimited data you are already paying your cell phone company for, so it truly isn't free, but at least your not paying extra for it as so many people do. You can also tether your cell phone to your TV so you can watch streaming videos & movies on its big screen, rather than your small cell phone screen. I have articles on how to do that too.
I RECOMMEND YOU GET A METAL, BRAIDED, TYPE 'C', FAST CHARGING, USB (MALE) TO MICRO-USB (MALE) SYNC CORD/CABLE FOR YOUR SMART PHONE TETHERING USE
You really need to get one of these types of cables for each smart phone. They have the fastest data transfer rates, they do not bend & break like regular plastic USB sync cables, and they keep your phone fully charged while you are tethering. If using two different phones, each phone can be tethered differently. It is OK to leave your phone plugged-in as much as you want for USB tethering, especially since modern phone batteries are much improved, and computer USB ports use a slow type charge that is very safe for phone batteries. The USB tethering is the best method for the strongest & fastest signal while keeping your phone charged, but you can do WiFi or Bluetooth tethering as well. The 3 foot or 6 foot cables are the best length, and often you can get even better prices when buying 2 or 3 of them together as a packaged deal. The cables normally cost $10.00 or less each on Amazon or Ebay.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND CONNECTIFY & SPEEDIFY SOFTWARE TO MAKE YOUR TETHERING HOME NETWORK EVEN BETTER
Connectify is a
hotspot software that connects all of your devices to your own easy-to-use
virtual network. This software will turn your computer into a router, so you
don't have to buy a separate router to tether your cell phone(s). This software only works on computers with Windows
operating systems. It includes a universal ad blocker, allows bypassing all
device restrictions, boosts your Wi-Fi range instantly with repeater mode,
allows you to avoid overage charges if using a metered rather than unlimited
data connection, share any available network over Wi-Fi or ethernet, bridge
connected devices to your home/RV network. I highly recommend you buy the Hotspot Max version
because it includes bridging & Wi-Fi repeater modes. The one-time purchase
price of $14.99 includes a lifetime of free updates. This software works
flawlessly with Speedify.
Speedify
is a channel bonding VPN service. The channel bonding technology allows you
to use multiple Internet connections simultaneously for their combined
speed. Everything including uploads, downloads, web browsing, and streaming
video can be accelerated by Speedify. You can combine the signals from
multiple tethered cell phone(s) and/or cell phone router/modems, multiple Wi-Fi connections, and even multiple ethernet connections to increase the reliability & speed of your internet
connection, while also encrypting the data from all prying eyes, including
your very own cell phone carrier(s). At its core, Speedify is a VPN or
“virtual private network” which is a must have in today's internet
environment. It protects you from hacking, it encrypts all of your data, it
hides your real location, it turns free public networks into a safe, private
network, and much more. You can get the 5 GB per month starter plan for free,
or get the unlimited yearly plan for $49.99 for one user. Most people will
use more than 5 GB per month if you deal with any videos, movies or photos,
so I suggest you get the unlimited yearly plan for one user. By using this
individual user plan in conjunction with Connectify, you save yourself from
buying the multiple user plan while you make your entire home/RV/timeshare
virtual network
faster & safer for your entire family. This software works flawlessly with Connectify.
IF YOU DO DECIDE TO BUY A DATA ONLY PLAN, MAKE SURE YOU ALWAYS USE A DIFFERENT CARRIER THAN YOU ARE USING FOR YOUR PHONE PLAN(S)
So many people that opt for a data only plan using a router/modem will make the BIG MISTAKE to get their phone & data only plans from the same carrier. They think they will get a better deal if they do, and they absolutely will not. The cheapest data only plans that are both unlimited & unthrottled are prepaid plans. You buy your own router/modem and prepay each monthly bill using a credit card set to autopay. Prepaid plans also have NO CONTRACTS.
Coverage is the name of the game for people that travel full-time living in RVs and timeshares. Data speed is a close second in importance to coverage, because good coverage & speed allows you to cut the cord with DirecTV, Dish, and Cable TV. No cell phone carrier has 100% coverage of the country, or consistently the fastest speed. Here are the differences I have found during 10 years of full-timing: Verizon has the best coverage, but a slower speed; Sprint has a slightly lower coverage, but the fastest speed; and AT&T has the second best coverage & the second fastest speed. BUT also know that there is a less than 5% difference between the top 4 cell phone companies: Verizon, AT&T, Sprint & T-Mobile.
Since no cell phone signal means no phone, no internet, and for many nowadays, no free streaming television, then coverage becomes even more important. This is the main reason why you ALWAYS get your phone plan(s) and data only plan(s) from different carriers, so you have MORE COVERAGE, and less chances of not getting one carrier or the other. And when using two or more carriers, you will nearly always get one signal or the other, and most times you will get both signals so using Speedify & Connectify, allows you to combine those signals for faster speeds & stronger connections.
As of right now, you can get unlimited & unthrottled phone, texting, & data on the VISIBLE 4 Phone Party Plan that uses the Verizon network. Each person can live in a different state, they only pay $25.00 per month each for unlimited & unthrottled everything, which includes Internet & Streaming TV. Each person even gets their own log-in & pays their own bill. If you have two phones on the Visible system, using Speedify & Connectify, you can combine the speed of both phones together, still received incoming calls, make outgoing calls, and create & use your own hotspot without any hotspot throttling or data throttling.
If you find yourself in a location that only has your phone signal carrier, you can at least tether your phone(s) for internet & streaming television. If you find yourself in a location that only has your data only signal carrier, you can at least use your phone in roaming talk mode only, or better yet switch your phone to WiFi calling and connect it to your data only signal carrier. If you find yourself in a location that has both phone & data only signals, which will be the case MOST OF THE TIME, you use your Speedify & Connectify software to combine both signals for an even faster & more reliable connection. If you are staying at an RV Park or Timeshare that offers free internet, you can also combine that connection too.