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l.handke Author

Level 1

0 points

iOS 4.2.1 tethering gone.

Hi there, I have following issue:

Internet tethering options and internet tethering itself is gone on my iPhone 3G under iOS 4.2.1.

* iPhone is NOT Jailbroken, never, ever, was.
* iPhone is officially unlocked.
* My carrier officially supports tethering (in fact I PAY for it).
* It was there in iOS 4.1
* It was there in iPhone OS 3.x days

I remember Apple did the same in iOS 4.0 days.

Question - anyone have same syndroms? I allready know it's common but I wanted to ask on international boards.

Any Advice? Custom IPCC? Downgrade? JAILBREAK?

I allready sent feedback to Apple: http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone.html
I'd like you to also send feedback to Apple about this issue, since it's big one IMHO - Apple DID advertise iPhone with tethering feature back in the day and now its SECOND TIME they "forget" to enable this option.

iMac C2D, Mac OS X (10.6.5), 2.66 GHz, 2GB 1066 MHz DDR3 RAM

Posted on Nov 23, 2010 3:20 AM

Best reply

_MagnusB_

Level 1

9 points

Posted on Nov 23, 2010 4:55 AM

The same problem. Used tethering only last week, and now it's gone again 😟

For me it's been on and off since 3.0. Apparently Apple's turning this feature on and off according to AT&T's whims...This is really frustrating. I live in Norway with an unlocked phone (legit, not jailbroken), AT&T shouldn't have a say in whether or not I can tether my phone...

View in context

121 replies

Feb 28, 2011 2:01 PM in response to atom80

hi,

i just tried it on my iPhone and doesnt give my any error.
It just installs again.
Seems like you have two different APN configs. ( The one in the mail and the one already on the Phone )
1. Did you use the right carrier ?
2. Try making a config with "custom carrier" entering your APN Data from the iPhone.

Look here for APN: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2283?viewlocale=de_DE

maybe that helps, sorry could be more of help. let me know when solved.

Feb 28, 2011 6:48 PM in response to pfanni

What do you expect, You have an Apple Product, they want more money

I think IPhones are taking a backseat to the newer phones.

Mac Gary

Level 1

28 points

Mar 6, 2011 4:21 PM in response to SEUpnorth

After 4.3 being released only for iPhone 3GS and up, I am preaty much sure that all of us are stucked with this faulty 4.2.1 iOS on iPhones 3G... I don't realy want any of the features of 4.3 but would be realy glad to see 4.2.2 - with just tethering fix comming out for iPhone 3G - option that was previuosly available!

Apple, how do You expect me to cosider bying any iPhone again - when paying full price for the phone is still not enough to have all its basic functions...! Why only specified carriers should be previliged, when divice itself is available in free sale for everyone?

That is so far from fair...

stronk7

Level 1

0 points

Mar 17, 2011 3:25 AM in response to Mac Gary

Same here, Spain 100x100 unlocked (free) iPhone 3G.

After upgrading to 4.2.1, tethering option disappeared, while my mobile company explicitly allows it.

Already have tried:

- restoring old backup.
- creating own profile with iPhone utility.
- resetting network settings.

Nothing works. Only option is:

- downgrade to previous 4.0 / 4.1 version.
- try some of those jailbreak-ed tether options.
- switch to android.

My phone is mine, my company (Pepephone) allows tethering (was working before the upgrade). So the only "culprit" in the equation is Apple (and his Carrier 9.0 settings for 3G?).

Please, Apple, fix this. I need tethering working back ASAP in my 3G. So 4.2.2 for it, please!

Ciao 🙂

Mar 23, 2011 3:30 AM in response to l.handke

I've been using 4.1 and not upgrading. Tethering was working fine and my carrier (mobile viking) has no problem about it.

Just upgraded to 4.2.1 and now I can't use usb tethering anymore. I don't even want to use wifi personal hotspot, just usb tethering just like IT USED TO before the upgrade. Can it still be called an upgrade when there's less features available after... Oh but wait, now I can change the font in notes! YAY!

I've contacted my carrier about this and they replied that it's not up to them and that they did not change anything.

Seriously this ***** big time. I was perfectly happy with my 3G and was waiting for iPhone 5 to be released to swap but this makes me reconsider.

Now all I can do is jailbreak (don't really want to..) or restore to 4.1 and lose all my data...

Oh Apple. I love you, but sometimes, I really don't.

Apr 5, 2011 8:28 PM in response to pingtomislav

I believe in 4.2 it's called Hot Spot.
If so it's not gone at all.

Message was edited by: Cloudmaker

Suttinun

Level 1

4 points

Apr 7, 2011 2:20 PM in response to l.handke

Hi,

I'm not sure if you managed to get this fixed since it was a while.

However I also got the same problem just last 2 weeks when upgraded to ios 4.2.1 (my iphone is 3G, unlocked and Internet Tethering was working fine when I was on ios 3.1.x)

Here is how I did it in my case.

I have removed profile setting (it should be under setting>general>network>profile, I'm not 100% sure for exact location of Profile because I could not see Profile Option anymore after removing it). In my case there were 2 profiles found, one is from AIS (my operator in Thailand) and another one in which I have no idea how it comes.

Just remove these profile setting all, then go to Reset and then "Reset Network Settings".

Afterward iphone will restart, thenthe field "Internet Tethering" is back.

And it works fine afterward for me (btw I use bluetooth connection from my Mac to my iphone).

Hope this help. At least this is works for me with iphone 3G (unlocked and operator is AIS, Thailand) and upgrade to ios 4.2.1

Mac Gary

Level 1

28 points

Apr 8, 2011 12:06 AM in response to Suttinun

AIS (Thailand) is Apple's supported carrier in this country as far as I know. I.e. Apple signed agreement with AIS to distribute iPhones via this carrier.

The problem that is mentioned here does not concern Apple's aproved carriers. It concerns all those customers that use iPhones 3G with other service providers.

For example situation in Poland looks like this (4 carriers total in the country):
- Orange (officially supported by Apple) tethering works on iPhone 3G 4.2.1
- Era (officially supported by Apple) tethering works on iPhone 3G 4.2.1
- Plus (NOT supported by Apple) tethering DOES NOT work on iPhone 3G 4.2.1
- Play (NOT supported by Apple) tethering DOES NOT work on iPhone 3G 4.2.1

Solution provided above does not work with any carriers that have no agreement with Apple - no matter what. Taking this into account it is clear that tethering issue in 4.2.1 for iPhone 3G i Apple's BUG or what is even worse DELIBERATE ACTION to forbid usage of tethering service unless you stick with Apple's approved carriers - which is against free market rules, not mentioning all those people that legally paid full price for officially unlocked devices that are now left with partially functioning iPhones.

Simply it is Apple's screw up in a BIG SENSE this time!

l.handke Author

Level 1

0 points

Apr 17, 2011 2:40 PM in response to Mac Gary

Thanks Mac Gary!

Your post was really helpful.

I think the only solution for now is to downgrade to iOS 4.2, hey it's not like 4.2.1 gave *anything* to iPhone 3G in the first place.

I might even consider downgrading to 4.1 or plain 4.0, so I have my SMS search ability again, it can come in handy sometimes.

May 4, 2011 2:21 AM in response to l.handke

Apple has let me down and more and more people want to go andriod because you have more freedom with your MP3's your pictures and your Internet - Apple you have no respect for your customers and not all your aplications are practical - very selfish considering we pull out cash to support you !!! now when i am on the road I have to pull out my old sony erricson from 5 years ago that has tethering ??? what kind of crap is that !!!!!

India 42

Level 1

10 points

Jun 5, 2011 7:34 PM in response to studmed

I just found this thread while looking for information on how to use my iPhone for tethering. Like many other posters, I have an officially unlocked 3GS (from New Zealand) running iOS 4.3, but I could not see the Personal Hotspot menu under Settings, General, Network.

However, I followed the advice of 'studmed' (Nov 24, 2010) and now I can see it.

To reiterate:

1.Settings, General, Network, Cellular Data Network.

2. Make a note of the APN, Username and Password at the top of the page under Cellular Data.

3. Scroll to the bottom of the page and enter the same information under Internet Tethering.

4. Power Off and On.

5. Now on the Settings Page you should see an entry for Personal Hotspot. Mine is fourth one down after Airplane Mode, Wi-Fi and VPN.

I wasn't aware of this before, but on the 3GS, Wi-Fi tethering is not available. Your only choices are Bluetooth and USB.

masklinn

Level 1

0 points

Jul 31, 2011 12:31 PM in response to SEUpnorth

SEUpnorth wrote:

What do you expect, You have an Apple Product, they want more money I think IPhones are taking a backseat to the newer phones.

They don't even seem to want money: I'm on a pretty small belgian MVNO (MobileVikings) which has no issue with thethering, it worked (they even provided a custom IPCC) until 4.2's signed IPCC, they tried to contact Apple in order to get some kind of IPCC-signing procedure (or get their IPCCs hosted on iTunes sync whatever) and according to support they got no answer. At all. Just blank.

India 42

Level 1

10 points

Jul 31, 2011 12:47 PM in response to l.handke

masklinn

I'll repeat what I said in my post above yours. Tethering works for me on an iPhone 3GS running 4.3.

I've been using it on my local carrier's SIM card (Vinaphone in Vietnam) and currently I'm using tethering via a T Mobile pay-as-you-go SIM card in California, with no problems.

masklinn

Level 1

0 points

Jul 31, 2011 1:05 PM in response to India 42

India 42 wrote:

masklinn

I'll repeat what I said in my post above yours. Tethering works for me on an iPhone 3GS running 4.3.

And I'm really happy for you, but see when you write:

India 42 wrote:

3. Scroll to the bottom of the page and enter the same information under Internet Tethering.

this section is not visible anymore on my 4.2.1 3G, and has not been visible since the 4.2 update.

DaRK_PT

Level 1

0 points

Sep 1, 2011 6:41 AM in response to Cloudmaker

I think you're rigth my friend. Tethering menu, it's called hotspot now...

So... one question... does bluetooth have any utitlity, between macbook and iphone?

iOS 4.2.1 tethering gone.