Secret $20/month Tablet UDP with 10 GB Hotspot

[robbyrobby]

That is very good to know! I may PM you for more info when I have time to play around with that, if it would be okay with you?

sure, thats fine

[PaulCrawhorne]

OK on-device data is fine now after update/reboots, but the Windows Hotspot button will not turn on, acts as if no cell data connection is available at all.

Same with the pre-installed AT&T All-Access software.

hotspot usage is separated via hidden APN's

I've never heard of these, can you link to a 101-level explainer or HowTos?


> i have used a variety of Android devices with unlimited ATT tablet plans and been able to successfully have hotspot data run as on device via careful APN setup. ensuring MVNO type is set to 'IMSI' to disable hidden APNs and making sure DUN is included in the 'APN type.'

Where do you see "MVNO type" as a field label, is that in APNs somewhere I've never seen?

...

> multiple hotspotting software I have tried has not been compatible with the ARM machines

The latest Win11pro apparently has implemented better compatibility-layer stuff lately. Could you give some pointers to programs I could re-visit and test with?

[robbyrobby]

Intel laptops with 4G/5G Modems do work great as Wifi hotspots sharing the cellular connection using multiple methods, my favorite software for such:

https://mypublicwifi.com/publicwifi/en/index.html


What i have planned to try but just have not gotten around too is using Windows Subsystem for LInux(WSL) on an ARM laptop setting up a network interface there to share over wifi or USB, possibly via a proxy or ssh tunnel if I can't create a proper hotspot.

Paul, I have consistently had the issue you mentioned of the cellular connection going away when i try sharing via windows, I believe the sharing of the official hotspot capability takes place on the modem itself in a level below what Windows for ARM is running on. i believe is in the modem firmware itself and so would be hard to 'hack'

I have experimented on multiple ARM/snapdragon laptops including multiple Lenovos and multiple Samsungs.

[robbyrobby]

OK on-device data is fine now after update/reboots, but the Windows Hotspot button will not turn on, acts as if no cell data connection is available at all.

Same with the pre-installed AT&T All-Access software.

I've never heard of these, can you link to a 101-level explainer or HowTos?


> i have used a variety of Android devices with unlimited ATT tablet plans and been able to successfully have hotspot data run as on device via careful APN setup. ensuring MVNO type is set to 'IMSI' to disable hidden APNs and making sure DUN is included in the 'APN type.'

Where do you see "MVNO type" as a field label, is that in APNs somewhere I've never seen?

...

> multiple hotspotting software I have tried has not been compatible with the ARM machines

The latest Win11pro apparently has implemented better compatibility-layer stuff lately. Could you give some pointers to programs I could re-visit and test with?

on my recent android devices at the bottom of the APN settings(when creating a new APN) there is ''Mobile virtual operator type' and 'Mobile virtual operator value' the value I always leave to the default. when setting an MVNO type you will notice the baked in APNs that cannot be edited from the MNO carrier will disappear from view and also the hidden DUN/tethering APN will be disabled.

[PaulCrawhorne]

OK, few more update / reboot cycles

also trying different APNs, ended up telling Windows to just take the Automatic default

now everything is working as it should, including Windows native hotspotting.

Will need to do testing past 10GB to see if it gets turned off then.

Under my ATT.COM online account interface, is that "On-device vs Hotspot" reporting considered working at least as a rough indicator?

[robbyrobby]

OK, few more update / reboot cycles

also trying different APNs, ended up telling Windows to just take the Automatic default

now everything is working as it should, including Windows native hotspotting.

Will need to do testing past 10GB to see if it gets turned off then.

Under my ATT.COM online account interface, is that "On-device vs Hotspot" reporting considered working at least as a rough indicator?

if you are not seeing any hotspot usage online you should be good, its possible all data may be going through the on device APN which is what you want

[PaulCrawhorne]

if you are not seeing any hotspot usage online you should be good, its possible all data may be going through the on device APN which is what you want

Yes but MS seems to actively be preventing my getting that.

So using the native Win11 Hotspotting, all that data gets accurately logged by AT&T as hotspot GBs, so presumably would get cut off at 10GB.

[robbyrobby]

Yes but MS seems to actively be preventing my getting that.

So using the native Win11 Hotspotting, all that data gets accurately logged by AT&T as hotspot GBs, so presumably would get cut off at 10GB.

do you have different public IP(IPv4) address' on device versus on hotspot connected devices ?

can you ping the internal IP of your thinkpad from a hotspot connected device ?

when you goto settings - network & internet - cellular - mobile operator settings do you have a separate 'Attach APN' listed ? is it the same as your 'Internet APN' ?

[mindmsc]

Thanks for the instruction! If I want to use the SIM card in a different tablet, do I need to contact AT&T to update the IMEI?

[robbyrobby]

Thanks for the instruction! If I want to use the SIM card in a different tablet, do I need to contact AT&T to update the IMEI?

should be able to just move the SIM

[PaulCrawhorne]

my favorite software for such:

https://mypublicwifi.com/publicwifi/en/index.html

As soon as I install this software, the Qualcomm Snapdragon X55 5G cell data module disappears completely!

and the WCN6855 module appears to work, lets me connect to my WiFi APs but then does not actually allow an Internet connection.

The Control Panel network troubleshooter (apparently now deprecated?) sees problems with both, tries to remove / restore drivers, but cannot successfully repair them.

I did a factory reset of Win11 and created a restore snapshot just before installing Mypublicwifi, same result

so will rollback.

The Mypublicwifi software did not exhibit any compatibility issues with the updated ARM version of Win11 factory installed on ThinkPad X13s

1. any ideas on how to proceed with this software? I suspect Windows Defender...

2. Suggestion for another 3rd party hotspotting package?

I would love to try your Linux based approach, whether inside the Win11 environment, or a VM

maybe something like a container-ized Open WRT?


Or maybe just forget Windows completely and do a from-scratch install of Linux running on bare metal

There are Debian / Ubuntu versions for the X13S

but this Arch project

https://github.com/ironrobin/archiso-x13s/wiki

has definitely got the WWAN cell data Snapdragon X55 module working.

I assume then I will be able to find packages for routing / AP / firewall / adblock / VPN

more user friendly than the native Linux CLI tools.

[PaulCrawhorne]

If I want to use the SIM card in a different tablet, do I need to contact AT&T to update the IMEI?

IME so far no, if it is detected as an acceptable device it just works, you can see the device listing in your ATT.com account page change eventually.

However many of the devices I'm experimenting with just get denied access after a few days, which is why I'm now experimenting with a full fledged PC same as / close to the one ATT itself offers on their "upgrade device" page.

[PaulCrawhorne]

do you have different public IP(IPv4) address' on device versus on hotspot connected devices ?

can you ping the internal IP of your thinkpad from a hotspot connected device ?

when you goto settings - network & internet - cellular - mobile operator settings do you have a separate 'Attach APN' listed ? is it the same as your 'Internet APN' ?

I'm away from home will try these when I can.

Do you have explainer resource links for me to start grokking these APN arcana?

[robbyrobby]

As soon as I install this software, the Qualcomm Snapdragon X55 5G cell data module disappears completely!

and the WCN6855 module appears to work, lets me connect to my WiFi APs but then does not actually allow an Internet connection.

The Control Panel network troubleshooter (apparently now deprecated?) sees problems with both, tries to remove / restore drivers, but cannot successfully repair them.

I did a factory reset of Win11 and created a restore snapshot just before installing Mypublicwifi, same result

so will rollback.

The Mypublicwifi software did not exhibit any compatibility issues with the updated ARM version of Win11 factory installed on ThinkPad X13s

1. any ideas on how to proceed with this software? I suspect Windows Defender...

2. Suggestion for another 3rd party hotspotting package?

I would love to try your Linux based approach, whether inside the Win11 environment, or a VM

maybe something like a container-ized Open WRT?


Or maybe just forget Windows completely and do a from-scratch install of Linux running on bare metal

There are Debian / Ubuntu versions for the X13S

but this Arch project

https://github.com/ironrobin/archiso-x13s/wiki

has definitely got the WWAN cell data Snapdragon X55 module working.

I assume then I will be able to find packages for routing / AP / firewall / adblock / VPN

more user friendly than the native Linux CLI tools.

simply uninstalling mypublicwifi should get your 5g back. other similar software i have used has done exactly the same, what i believe is going on is a adhoc wifi driver gets installed and that breaks the cellular capability on the X55.

[robbyrobby]

I'm away from home will try these when I can.

Do you have explainer resource links for me to start grokking these APN arcana?

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/wi...ovisioning-apn

you may be able to build and deploy a custom APN package with official microsoft tools