Show HN: DIY solution to enable hotspot, when your eSIM does not support it

https://blog.cyrusroshan.com/post/phone-data-hotspot

by tejasmanohar • 2 years ago

20 5 2 years ago

blog.cyrusroshan.com

3np• 2 years ago

Thanks for sharing!

When you use a hotspot on iOS, your device treats your hotspot's network packets differently than the network data that apps use. Hotspot packets get routed differently, and they get metered

The OP doesn't mention it but it looks like a case of where the operator monitors TTL of packets to detect tethering.

E.g.

https://piped.video/watch?v=alMsu_tfZPE

https://github.com/RiFi2k/unlimited-tethering

dTal• 2 years ago

So, regarding the title: "support" is used euphemistically here to mean "permit" (an editorialization not present in the article). This euphemism is usually used by companies who want to de-emphasize their exertion of control over you - Apple is particularly fond of it (as when they say they do not "support" downgrading iOS - there is no technical restriction, they just don't want you to). Here, though, it seems to be to de-emphasize the "rule breaking" nature of this hack - the original title is far more blunt: "Bypassing hotspot limits on iOS".

It is interesting that this hack is entirely about defeating a conspiracy between Apple and a network operator to control what goes on beyond the netop's endpoint, and it does this - barely - by exploiting the fact that an iOS device is still a general purpose computer despite Apple's best efforts:

After an hour or two of constantly running sshd on iSH, your phone gets warm and toasty. This is because iSH emulates all of its commands—-but for good reason, App Store approval!

This is not a good reason.

timvdalen2• 2 years ago

I wondered: why can't I use my phone's LTE data to hotspot?

I heard of this 10 years ago, but is this still the case in the US? You can't just hotspot? I thought iOS and Mac devices did this automatically when they were near each other.

leejoramo• 2 years ago

At least for me on AT&T, using my phone as hotspot is part of my service plan with the carrier. Given that I pay for it, it works as you describe.

The hacks described here are if you don’t have hotspot usage enabled with the carrier.

timvdalen2• 2 years ago

Culture shock!

Show HN: DIY solution to enable hotspot, when your eSIM does not support it

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