Simple Hack to Enable Tethering on iPhone OS 3.0

The non-availability of tethering and MMS features in the U.S at the time of the launch of iPhone OS 3.0 was probably the most disappointing news that was announced at the WWDC 2009 Keynote address.

However, some clever folks have figured out a way to enable tethering on iPhone OS 3.0 without the need to jailbreak their iPhone.

There are several methods floating around to enable tethering on iPhone OS 3.0 but I found the method where you can enable it via iPhone's Safari, the easiest.

The process of tethering allows your laptop to use your iPhone's data connection to surf the internet.

The idea behind the hack to enable tethering on the iPhone running iPhone OS 3.0 is to download a .ipcc, which is carrier specific and update your iPhone with it via iTunes. The procedure gets even simpler using iPhone's Safari browser.

Step 1:

Folks at BenM.at have hosted several iPhone tethering configuration files for many carriers across several countries. You need to go to the following link http://help.benm.at/help.php using iPhone's Safari browser.

Step 2:

Then click on Mobileconfigs on that page:

Step 3:

Select your country from the list.

Step 4:

Once you have selected the country, you will be prompted to select the provider.

Step 5:

Tap on the Install button.

Step 6:

Then tap on the Install Now button.

Step 7:

Tap on the Done button.

Step 8:

Finally, go to Settings -> General -> Network -> Internet Tethering and tap on the toggle button to enable tethering.

That's all, it is as easy as that and no hacking required, can you believe it and the best part is it's free.

But the way this hack has spread, I won't be surprised if AT&T clamps down on it soon so enjoy it till it works.

Please note that this is a hack so proceed with caution.

Some known issues:

This seems to disable Voicemail feature for some users.

It doesn't seem to work with 1st generation iPhone.

Update:

iPhone OS 3.1 Beta 2 disables the tethering functionality enabled using this hack, so don't upgrade to iPhone OS 3.1 whenever it is released if you want to use this functionality.

As always, please don't forget to tell us how it goes.

[via ModMyi]

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151 Responses to Simple Hack to Enable Tethering on iPhone OS 3.0

  1. Happy Nate says:

    Been using it since early yesterday afternoon. Works great! I wouldn't mind paying for it at all. I would pay for anything provided that Apple and AT&T gave us the ability to do so. The fact is, hackers have been giving us things for free cause legally they can't charge for it. I think if you can afford an iPhone you should be able to afford all the other things they may charge for. However, when they do not provide these things, I'll have to get them for free. Their loss really. I realize I've rambled on uselessly when the bottom line is, YES this works and it works better than anything else so far. Now we just need mms ;)

  2. Happy Nate says:

    Oh, and I forgot to mention… Hackers have to give us the stuff for FREE so be sure to DONATE.. Plenty and OFTEN. These guys are the reason you don't throw that BRICK of a phone into a wall.

  3. :( says:

    Is this only for iPhone 3g? I have 3.0 on my first gen iPhone and installed the profile settings and followed all the steps. But when I go to general>networks, I don't see anything that says Internet tethering. I updated to 3.0 from iTunes and how do I get the battery percentage, I don't see that either :( . Thanks

  4. J says:

    wow. serious. awesome. mad props!!!!!

  5. Bah@Gmail.com says:

    Does tethering cost money?

  6. biiek says:

    do you people not read the entire article before posting

  7. wolverinemarky says:

    theres always pdanet, u need to go into sbssettings and enable ur battery percentage,steps are sbsetting, then more, then extras & options, then toggle on Numeric battery and ur done if the battery doesnt show a number click on the battery and it will change to a number

  8. john says:

    how do we know AT&T won't detect the usage and charge you?

  9. Javier says:

    good question!

  10. hxclos says:

    lol that is too cool! Thanx for sharing iPhoneHacks. I know our data plans are unlimited but I just hope hacks like this don't ruin it for everyone.

  11. hxclos says:

    It should not matter to AT&T how we use our network if we are under a contract for unlimited data and are in fact paying for it. It's the future of unlimited data plans that has me worried.

  12. Vishnu says:

    Its soo bad it dosent work on iphone 1g sucks

  13. iPhoneHacks says:

    As wolverinemarky rightly pointed out jailbreak apps like Pdanet already enabled users to use iPhone's data connection so this isn't something new just that this method does not need users to jailbreak their iPhone.

  14. Kingclew says:

    Works Great!!! This is the best Iphone site ever!!!!!! Thanks guys for everything

  15. JB says:

    I wonder if this will finally enable me to connect to my tomtom for plus services!? Thanks

  16. Tyler927 says:

    This is so awsome! Hope that AT&T doesn't do anything about this and now there needs to be a hack to enable MMS like this

  17. Tim says:

    Sorry but I couldn't get it to work on my 3G 16G with 3.0 installed. I was able to pair but received a message that service not offered. I don't have MMS, does that make a difference? I *need* tethering badly, how do I get this to work? (I'm in downtown SF, CA)

  18. Tim says:

    Let me add: I'm trying to tether to a new 2.53GHz 13" Mac Book Pro using the iPhone and an AT&T mobile account.
    Tethering would be a Godsend for me because I'm often in places where there is no WiFi or Ethernet connections available and need to send or receive data, etc.

  19. Jon says:

    Bit of a newbie in this. Can you walk me through step by step. I don't understand the sbssettings and battery percentage. Where do you find that on the 1st generation iPhone.

  20. Tim says:

    OH MY GAWD! I DID it! I forgot to shut the iPhone off and turn it back on. I am now connected to the 'Net. You have to turn WiFi off if using BlueTooth.

    Amazing. Most excellent! Big kudos to those who figured this out!

    WaaaHOOO!

  21. Bradley says:

    Doesn't work in Australia for Telstra. No Tethering option is visible in Settings > General > Network. Only a profile entry is available in Settings > General – giving status of Unsigned with the option to remove.

  22. :( says:

    Sbsettings requires a jailbreak and 3.0 isn't jailbroken yet. And I thought 3.0 had te percentage battery included in the firmware.

  23. Per says:

    My carrier is not on the list, so i guesss it's possible to create a mobileconfig file for it, but I need the one on my iPhone to use as a guide, does enyone know how can the file be extracted from the iPhone?

    Thanks!

  24. applefanb0y says:

    Ahhhh! i love tethering… it works flawlesly… USB and Bluetooth… and i dont have problems with my voicemail… it still works for me.. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!

  25. Jakk says:

    Now we need a way to unlock the video future on the 3G.

  26. Jonathan says:

    How did you get it to work. i tried everything man i did exactly what it says to install it man i have tethering on iphone but when i hook it up to my laptop and start seaching networks it does not find my iphone can you please help me man

  27. duluen says:

    +1

    be patient o give it a month after jb goes live.

  28. JC says:

    It works great!!. I'm using it right now to post this comment

  29. jon says:

    how did u get it to work i have tried everything but no luck can you please help man please

  30. applefanb0y says:

    Hmmm! i followed the instructions from Apple:

    1.In Settings, choose General > Network > Internet Tethering.
    2.Slide the Internet Tethering switch to On.
    3.Connect iPhone to your computer:

    USB: Connect your computer to iPhone using the Dock Connector to USB cable. In your computer’s Network services settings, choose iPhone.

    On a Mac, a pop-up window appears the first time you connect, saying “A new network interface has been detected.” Click Network Preferences, configure the network settings for iPhone, then click Apply. On a PC, use the Network Control Panel to select and configure the iPhone connection.

    Bluetooth: On iPhone, choose Settings > General > Bluetooth and turn on Bluetooth. Then refer to the documentation that came with your computer system software to pair and connect iPhone with your computer.

    When you are connected, a blue band appears at the top of the screen. Tethering remains on when you connect with USB, even when you aren’t actively using the Internet connection.

    Hope this helps buddy!

  31. benee says:

    This is awesome it works kind of slow in this area…but still,it works. i tried it on 4 laptops 3 work but the one i need doesn't. it finds the network adapter then says that i have to find drivers for it, so it does not come up. also says that driver is not for this OS. HUH? Anyway THANKS>>>>

  32. lee says:

    Will this work with the 3GS?

  33. jon says:

    i got these cheeseburgers man… mannnnn i suck yo dick mannnn please

  34. Jonathan says:

    Thanks man it worked

  35. JustinWoodypond says:

    I did this for ATT on my 3G and everything installed fine. I turned on tethering, went to my network connections in windows xp, but there is nothing extra there other than my wi-fi connection and my local area connection. Is there something I'm missing?

  36. jules048 says:

    This is awesome. I am in Syndey Aus with Vodafone and it works well. I was able to send an important email this morning because of this.. Thankyou!!!!!

  37. scott says:

    This is great – thanks for posting about it. However, I wonder if this may be the reason we have not heard anything from June Fabrics about their PDANet plans for 3.0. Most all other software developers have already tweaked their apps for 3.0. Maybe PDAnet is no longer needed?

    Also, I read the article and can follow the instructions, but I don't understand what is happening here. Is this "hack" just making standard iPhone features available to those of us where the carrier "turned them off"?

    Thanks,

    -Scott

  38. Erwee says:

    Guys tried this but South Africa is not on the list to select from is their any other way to do this…?

    Great website by the way !!!

  39. Love says:

    hats off to a great inventor….
    awesome application so far…

  40. Ken says:

    I am using Softbank in Japan on the 3g. After the install I get the thering option but when i try to setup i get a popup telling me to contact the carrier to active tethering on this account??!!

    Any way around this?

  41. Gordon says:

    I had the same setup. When I checked the Device Manager->Apple Mobile Device Ethernet, the status says "Windows cannot initialize the device driver for this hardware (Code 37).
    I think that's the reason no iphone shown on the network connections window.
    Anyone knows how to fix this?

  42. Christopher says:

    Perfect works great!!

  43. este says:

    for Chile please!

  44. landon says:

    do you have to be on the 3G network, or will tethering via USB or Bluetooth also work on the Edge network?

  45. landon says:

    i have a 3G iphone, with the 3.0 update, but the city i live in most doesn't have the 3G network, only the Edge network. but I travel a lot to cities that have the 3G network. hope this helps.

  46. Jason says:

    Yes this works on the 3GS. I just installed it without a problem.

  47. personal@rodhall.net says:

    Didn't work for O2 Contract in the UK

  48. Rod says:

    Doesn't work for O2 Contract in the Uk

  49. cAv says:

    Works a treat! Thanks very much. This was pretty much the only reason I ever hacked my iphone anyway. The only snagg is that it's like in the old days, on Dial Up at home, when your on the net, no one can call you, it just diverts to ansaphone, but hey, who cares?!

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