Questions about Hotspot - Please Answer

[OptimusElite]

Here is where I stand, I am buying a new Virgin Mobile phone tomorrow and it is either going to the the LG Optimus Elite or the Motorola Triumph.

First Question, which one would you all reccomend?

I am set on getting the Elite except for the hotspot trouble I keep reading about on the site, this is making me lean towards the Triumph. I am frustrated because everybody is talking about having the problem but nobody is posting anything on how to avoid it. I've seen that certain apps trigger the hotspot, but that's all I've gotten.

Second Question, What Apps trigger the hotspot?

I am not going to purchase the phone if in a week I have to send it in for a new one. I currently have the LG Rumor Touch so I am not used to a smartphone which is the base of most of my confusion. I am looking to use this phone to go on the internet as in Espn, Ebay and basic sites, download the Twitter/Facebook apps, and text and call.

Third Question, will doing these simple tasks trigger the hot spot problem?

Most Importantly I am just looking for an answer on how to completely avoid having this happen if I purchase this phone.

Thanks,
Sutto

 

[Murf1]

I asked in one of the "Hotspot" posts a similar question and never got an answer.

I want to avoid apps that use "hotspots", but I'm not sure what "Hotspots" exactly are as it pertains to phone use.

 

[bn35]

the hotspot
is when you use your phone
to wirelessly tether another device(ipod laptop etc)
to your phones internet
..its turning your phone into a wireless router ..

if you want to tether a device
you must be rooted
and then get an app that is a hotspot
if u do not have anything to tether
you dont have to worry about it

bottom line
rooted phone = hotspot/tethering
unrooted phone = no tethering
no tethering = no problem

 

[riggerman0421]

The hotspot is used to tether your laptop or other device to your phone's data connection. Just using the phone to get online through either the pre-installed browser or one you download yourself will not cause any problems. If you are not planning on using your phone's data connection for another device, you won't have any problems. Just stay away from any apps for any kind on tethering.

 

[teh chem]

Here is where I stand, I am buying a new Virgin Mobile phone tomorrow and it is either going to the the LG Optimus Elite or the Motorola Triumph.

First Question, which one would you all reccomend?

I am set on getting the Elite except for the hotspot trouble I keep reading about on the site, this is making me lean towards the Triumph. I am frustrated because everybody is talking about having the problem but nobody is posting anything on how to avoid it. I've seen that certain apps trigger the hotspot, but that's all I've gotten.

Second Question, What Apps trigger the hotspot?

I am not going to purchase the phone if in a week I have to send it in for a new one. I currently have the LG Rumor Touch so I am not used to a smartphone which is the base of most of my confusion. I am looking to use this phone to go on the internet as in Espn, Ebay and basic sites, download the Twitter/Facebook apps, and text and call.

Third Question, will doing these simple tasks trigger the hot spot problem?

Most Importantly I am just looking for an answer on how to completely avoid having this happen if I purchase this phone.

Thanks,
Sutto

Try not to double-post the same questions across sub-forums. I answered your other post in the other thread here: http://androidforums.com/lg-optimus-elite/552099-warning-do-not-try-mobile-hotspot.html#post4859479

the hotspot
is when you use your phone
to wirelessly tether another device(ipod laptop etc)
to your phones internet
..its turning your phone into a wireless router ..

if you want to tether a device
you must be rooted
and then get an app that is a hotspot
if u do not have anything to tether
you dont have to worry about it

bottom line
rooted phone = hotspot/tethering
unrooted phone = no tethering
no tethering = no problem

No, you can generate a hotspot on a non-rooted phone just by downloading one of the many apps in the Play store. No rooting is required. Quicksettings was the one for me, I downloaded it right after getting my Elite and got the Error 67 code. Had to do the factory reset process. My phone was never rooted.

 

[HackADevice]

I have the Elite and my mom had the Triumph and I'd like to say she hates it and with good reason. To out it out flatly the triumph sucks. It freezes all the time and the when u touch the screen it sometimes doesn't even register. All around the elite is better and that's what it recommend

 

[ktb83]

No, you can generate a hotspot on a non-rooted phone just by downloading one of the many apps in the Play store. No rooting is required. Quicksettings was the one for me, I downloaded it right after getting my Elite and got the Error 67 code. Had to do the factory reset process. My phone was never rooted.

I believe he means that if one wants to sucessfully tether a device to the Elite's data connection via WiFi, then their Elite needs to be rooted. This has been my experience.

OptimusElite,

This information is posted in several places spread out around this forum.

Previous to the ZV5 update (and the following is still probably true), I tested Wifi tethering after rooting my Elite...

Using the PdaNet Tablet app on my Galaxy Tab and the FoxFi app on my Elite I got an error 67 and lost my data connection. What was interesting to me is that a simple reboot brought back my data connection. I have since used Bluetooth tethering with these two apps and the same devices and that worked great.

Using the Wifi Tether for Root Users and Barnacle Wifi Tether apps both worked well for me provided my Elite was rooted and I allowed root/all applications in the firewall app (Droidwall) I was using on my Elite or just turned the firewall off all together.

Apps that provide widgets to toggle on/off features like WiFi, 3G, GPS, Sync, Brightness, Bluetooth, Hotspot (WiFi Tethering), etc. are the cause of the initial error 67 problems people experienced. These include Quick Settings, Quicker, Extended Controls, Power Controls (recently renamed to Power Toggles), Power Control Plus, Widgetsoid2.x, and other apps. I never tried Quick Settings myself, but I did accidently toggle on the hotspot button in the Power Toggles widget thinking it was just a WiFi toggle. I was rooted at the time, but it produced an error 67 and I did need to reset my phone to get my data connection back.

As someone has explained, using your phone to connect to a WiFi hotspot (ex. a router's Wifi access point) is fine and will not cause any errors. This is what you do when you use the web browser on your phone to access websites/email/whatever but are using an internet connection (cable, DSL, etc.) over WiFi at home/work/coffeeshop/etc instead of the phone's mobile data connection (3G).

Using your phone as a WiFi hotspot to provide an internet connection (sharing your phone's 3G) to another computer or device is called Wifi tethering and this where the problem (Error 67) arises. But you should be able to use your phone as a WiFi hotspot for other computers/devices in this manner provided your Elite is rooted and you don't use a widget to turn on the hotspot feature.

Just know that connecting to a WiFi access point to access the internet from your phone is different than using your phone as a Wifi access point to provide another device access to the internet. The latter is called Wifi Tethering.