Is teathering as painfully slow as the BlackBerry built-in browser?

**lawlist** · 06-21-2010, 10:02 AM

I am interested in teathering, but I do not have hours of free time to wait for an internet page to load, nor would I be happy with limits on the size of pages that can be loaded or the size of the file that can be downloaded. With teathering is there a limit on the size of the web-pages and files that can load / download, and is there any way to load web pages as quickly as the opera mini? Thanks.

**wnm** · 06-21-2010, 10:20 AM

Tethering is the same as any other internet connection, so there are no limits on page sizes or download sizes. If you set up tethering like a modem, you will be limited to dial up speeds. If use a 3rd party program like Tether, speeds will be significantly faster.

**mixercub** · 06-21-2010, 10:22 AM

I was on 3G the other day in SC and had it tetherd using the BlackBerry Desktop Manager with the T-Mo settings and it worked great for me.

**lawlist** · 06-21-2010, 10:29 AM

I see Tether is reported to work with Mac and PC, which is great since I use Mac. Does the Tether application require that I sign up with AT&T for the ability to Teather, which is an additional $15.00 per month (I think)?

**DrMPH08** · 06-21-2010, 10:33 AM

I use VZW tethering and it works super fast. I downloaded Tetherberry's free trial and it was a lot slower then VZW.. Anyone else? I thought it was maybe because I was using the trial version.

**dbone15** · 06-21-2010, 10:38 AM

I've used it many times on VZW through the Tether program. Most of the time, it's really fast. Ocassionally it slows down though. In a pinch for checking email and browsing the web, it's awesome. I don't suggest downloading big files on it.

Just saw that Tether is having a 50% off sale right now as well.

**Tether** · 06-21-2010, 02:07 PM

Hey Lawlist

You do not have to sign up for tethering through your carrier to use Tether. That is one of the benefits of it. No monthly bill.
Try out the trial and see what you think.

**lawlist** · 06-21-2010, 02:10 PM

Thank you very much -- I'll try it out this week. I feel much better about not having to pay a monthly fee.

**yehrulz** · 06-21-2010, 06:21 PM

why will apps like tether give you 3g speeds, while using the "IP MODEM" option in BDM will only give you dial up speeds?

what about the app "pdanet"?

**mattburns9999** · 06-21-2010, 06:24 PM

mine works pretty fast using pda net trail version. annoying window pops up now and then but works fine.

**westla7** · 06-21-2010, 06:36 PM

You can easily tether 8900, 9000 or 9700 (and may be other Blackberries, but those are the ones I tried personally) via Bluetooth to your Mac WITHOUT ANY THIRD-PARTY SOFTWARE. It's dead simple! http://forums.crackberry.com/f62/how...solved-260401/

**ennx** · 06-21-2010, 06:59 PM

I tether with a Mac. It's the best tether I've ever used and I thought iPhone tethering out of the box was great. This is better. I get excellent 3G tethering, which I use for my work as a news correspondent to send back MP3 files and written reports. I don't use Bluetooth for fear of slowing it down. I use a USB tether. For Mac users it's dead easy. You go to the menu bar and click on "Connect RIM Composite Device". In seconds you're online with a time count in the menu bar. It's always fast and always seamless.

**shansmi** · 06-21-2010, 07:05 PM

Wow, maybe an explanation of bandwidth is in order. The native browser is by no means slow. If yours is, I would call your carrier after running some bandwidth tests. Tethering will be at max what the phone can do by itself.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

**A93hunt** · 06-21-2010, 07:20 PM

It depends on your location. I have T-mobile and in my neighborhood, I get at tops half a megabit per second on 3G, which certainly isn't terrible for internet. However, considering that T-mobile has been expanding and restructuring their 3G networks, I've had a semi-experience with HSPA+ where my phone has hit around 3 Megabits per second... which is 3 times better than my crappy home internet. Yes, I have cheap DSL internet at home. Anyhow, with 3 Megabits per second, pages should load instantly and should leave you comfortably with some room to download content.

**rizzzzoooo** · 06-21-2010, 07:29 PM

Originally Posted by lawlist

Thank you very much -- I'll try it out this week. I feel much better about not having to pay a monthly fee.

Just be careful because tethering w/o signing up for it is against your TOS with your provider if they happen to catch you doing it. I know friends who do it but they do not want to download tons of things online to curb data usage and not give off any red flags their carriers might catch.

**ennx** · 06-21-2010, 07:33 PM

Originally Posted by rizzzzoooo

Just be careful because tethering w/o signing up for it is against your TOS with your provider if they happen to catch you doing it. I know friends who do it but they do not want to download tons of things online to curb data usage and not give off any red flags their carriers might catch.

That depends on where you are. I'm in Canada, and carriers have no problem with tethering. I don't know why it's such a contraband thing in some countries. They should encourage you to use data. My current provider insists that you have one GB of data to use tethering. My previous carrier didn't care. It's a non-issue.

**rizzzzoooo** · 06-21-2010, 07:37 PM

I know. I totally agree that you should use your data as you please whether it be through tethering or not. I am just saying what I was told about tethering. I know my two pals that use tether try to not blow up their their data usage to more than 5 or 6 gigs in order to raise suspicion.

**ennx** · 06-21-2010, 07:46 PM

Originally Posted by rizzzzoooo

Just be careful because tethering w/o signing up for it is against your TOS with your provider if they happen to catch you doing it. I know friends who do it but they do not want to download tons of things online to curb data usage and not give off any red flags their carriers might catch.

Raise suspicion? Why are these carriers in your country so down on tethering? Is it to sell data sticks? Is that the rationale?

**rizzzzoooo** · 06-21-2010, 08:06 PM

They are not....they just want to cash in on it. I know on the 2 biggest carriers here in the states you have to sign up for tethering which of course comes with a monthly price. Not sure what it is (might be something like 15 or 20 bucks more a month) and the kicker is that it is limited.