GrapheneOS Adding back dun would undo that. Raise TTL by 1 on the computer you're tethering and it won't be detected.

This worked for me, also on T-Mobile.

      NoWayOut I tried it couple of months ago on my laptop running Linux (openSUSE) and it worked. However, I never had to use it again.

      I also did try it on Windows but that did not work.

          ivicaivica
          Thanks, my gut tells me that the carriers have closed this loophole for the "mass" operating systems. The CEO's of these carries belong behind bars, IMHO.

              NoWayOut question for you: does the hotspot use a different APN then the default one? Does your macbook have same IP address as phone?
              The internet reports that T-Mobile hotspot uses its own APN and that's how T-Mobile monitors data usage?

                  nrt
                  I only see the default APN. Not sure about the IP address, it never occurred to me to check, since I expected the damn thing to be plug and play. I am away from home now, but will check later.
                  The developers will do well to look at this. I know it is a low priority, but... it is not working as expected.

                    cgro0550 If you have a more plausible suggestion for it, say it.

                    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TCP/IP_stack_fingerprinting
                    https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/47819/how-can-phone-companies-detect-tethering-incl-wifi-hotspot (note that the part about MAC addresses is arguably sort-of correct for IPv6 but probably wrong for IPv4)
                    https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8958772
                    https://www.jitbit.com/alexblog/310-how-to-hide-tethering-from-your-mobile-operator/

                    • de0u replied to this.

                        What seems to have been established so far is that increasing the TTL value by 1 does not
                        work on Windows and MacOS. It appears to be working on Linux.

                          NoWayOut What seems to have been established so far is that increasing the TTL value by 1 does not work on Windows and MacOS. It appears to be working on Linux.

                          Two Linux kernels (Android and another one on a laptop) may well fingerprint the same way. If there is no TTL jitter then the tethering may go unnoticed. Windows, macOS, Plan 9, etc., may fingerprint very differently, in which case TTL tweaking by itself won't work.

                          Meanwhile, I don't think my carrier has a "tethering quota", though I admit I haven't checked recently. Maybe switching carriers is an option?

                            In the US, all the three big carriers do it.

                            • de0u replied to this.

                              NoWayOut pdanet+ or pairvpn, and you have to be doing something different be it an app, setting, configuration. I've never gotten notices even before I used GoS, although I was using apps mentioned above to mask it. Since GoS I don't bother with em.

                              Using a Verizon MVNO Visible & UsMobile I've hit and blown past my cap on both plans with nothing more than GoS guilt in hotspotting. No issues.

                                  NoWayOut In the US, all the three big carriers do it.

                                  My carrier is Verizon. They write:

                                  Many of our monthly phone plans and certain prepaid plans let you use 5G Ultra Wideband, 5G and 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot on capable devices for no additional monthly charge.

                                  I looked at my "plan features" page and it says only:

                                  Personal Hotspot

                                  Use your shared data to turn your smartphone into a Wi-Fi connection for your other devices.

                                  So it's not clear to me that I have a tethering quota. They may have some plans with tethering limits, but that may be avoidable - on Verizon and maybe also on other carriers.

                                    NoWayOut Are you running a full system VPN on Windows? If you aren't, they can see you're connecting to Windows services and therefore must be running Windows. Raising the TTL by 1 and running a VPN should be adequate. You should verify that the TTL is being raised with the way you're configuring it.

                                      a month later

                                      NoWayOut That's due to TCP fingerprinting methods, other people say use a VPN but if you can get away with not using one as I currently do, that's faster.
                                      Linux's TCP/IP stack is very similar to Android, so it's easy to look like an Android phone.
                                      macOS you can make look like iOS easily. For Windows I am not sure, but it is very different compared to both macOS and Linux.
                                      There is anti-DPI programs for Windows that are more comprehensive than the macOS and Linux alternatives, so you might not have to worry about it.

                                      N3rdTek
                                      PDANet+ or PairVPN needlessly slow down your internet. They're either outdated, or over-complex methods.

                                            felikcat
                                            Hey, thanks for this! I haven't tested it yet, but if it works it would be heaven sent! I was wondering how T-Mobile detects hotspot usage and hadn't been able to evade the detection using the various online tutorials and the advice given here.

                                                felikcat

                                                Hi, this cannot raise the TTL, and macOS' PF does not support TTL mangling unlike iptables.

                                                Thanks for throwing light on this issue. It is nice to hear from someone who actually understands how MacOS works, instead of immediately assuming it must mimic Linux.

                                                  5 days later

                                                  felikcat
                                                  I am sorry, but your guide was completely incomprehensible to me. What am I supposed to do if I want to use my GrapheneOS Pixel 7 Pro as a hotspot for my MacBook Pro?

                                                  Am I supposed to install anything on the Mac?

                                                  Or just install Power Tunnel on the Pixel (did this, used the VPN method, hotspot usage was detected right away)?

                                                  Also, I assume we are talking about Wi-Fi hotspot, as I never use USB.

                                                  Please clarify!

                                                  Thanks.