Does using 4G router count as tethering?

[JordanMac]

Hi Everyone,

 

I haven't been on this forum in ages, i've tried to find out an answer but everyone seems to have a different answer. Basically I have really poor broadband at my house(<1mbps) however on my phone over 4G I get 45-55 mbps, I was thinking of getting a 4G router and an unlimited data plan however all of the unlimited plans have a limit on tethering. my question is would attaching my pc to the router via an ethernet cable would that count as tethering? Sorry if this is a stupid question but I get computers I don't get networking

 

Thanks in advance

 

Jordan

 

P.s. I'm in the UK if that makes a difference? 

[Lurick]

I've always thought that tethering referred to sharing your connection with another device. In this case though the router is supposed to share it's connection, acting as a hotspot instead, so it shouldn't count as tethering since by that definition just using a mobile router/hotspot in general would count as tethering which would completely defeat the purpose.

[Mikensan]

Most carriers that sell 4g routers have separate data plans. If you bought your own 4g router you still have to provide the IMEI etc and they will know what it is. If for some reason they blindly add it as if it were a phone and the router unofficially shares the connection then you are golden.

 

Most carriers consider tethering to mean the internet being used by anything other than what is associated to that plan. 

 

They typically only know you are tethering if you go about it via official methods. That is why people who root or use custom ROMs tether for free. You could buy a cheap 4g capable phone with unlimited data, root it, share internet via wifi and then use a wifi repeater sitting right next to it to give the whole house faster speeds. Just expect a nasty letter from the carrier if you hit like 50-100gb in a month lol.

 

im not sure there exists shady 4g routers to effectively do the same thing.

[JordanMac]

2 minutes ago, Mikensan said:

Most carriers that sell 4g routers have separate data plans. If you bought your own 4g router you still have to provide the IMEI etc and they will know what it is. If for some reason they blindly add it as if it were a phone and the router unofficially shares the connection then you are golden.

 

Most carriers consider tethering to mean the internet being used by anything other than what is associated to that plan. 

 

They typically only know you are tethering if you go about it via official methods. That is why people who root or use custom ROMs tether for free. You could buy a cheap 4g capable phone with unlimited data, root it, share internet via wifi and then use a wifi repeater sitting right next to it to give the whole house faster speeds. Just expect a nasty letter from the carrier if you hit like 50-100gb in a month lol.

 

im not sure there exists shady 4g routers to effectively do the same thing.

This is the sort of router I was thinking: http://www.ebuyer.com/719111-asus-wireless-n300-lte-4g-modem-router-4g-n12?mkwid=sToyMwIUI_dc&pcrid=51482427899&pkw=&pmt=&gclid=CP6jy5eMns8CFUuRGwodOhABZQ

[dlink377]

The mobile operator can easily see your IMEI and what device you use, so it can easily see it is ASUS branded device, most likely they also easily know it is a 4G router, rather than ASUS phones. However, I highly doubt your operator care about IMEI at all.

 

You can always use cheap VPN to mask your connection, so no connection is questionable, such as connection to Microsoft servers for Windows Update.

 

I would do as Mikensan says, a cheap 4G phones and root it to force enable the tethering, and use a VPN router (such as Mikrotik) to connect to the Wifi and tunnel all connection to VPN server before sharing it back to the home network. If you can find a way to change the IMEI (which is illegal) of a 4G modem sticks to some phone, you can just use that and connect it to the router.  

[spellmanuk]

have you looked at EE pretty sure they do a "home broadband" deal that is exactly what your after just a router with a 4g connection 

[JordanMac]

16 hours ago, peej said:

have you looked at EE pretty sure they do a "home broadband" deal that is exactly what your after just a router with a 4g connection 

Thanks for the suggestion I looked into it and I think I might go for that

[JordanMac]

Thanks everyone for your help