Mobile HOTSPOT apps? | Squat the Planet

Mobile HOTSPOT apps?

Jerrell

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 27, 2017
Messages
349
Reaction score
676
Location
AZ / CA
I had Verizon for a loooong time and being able to use my cell for a mobile hotspot kept me from switching to something cheaper for a couple years, but last year I capitulated and moved to Straight Talk. It gets the same coverage as Verizon, so I'm solid there, but you cannot use the phone as a mobile hotspot. Last summer I used the app FoxFi some because I didn't need to root my phone to use it, but that app has gone to shit and won't work this year.

So, my question to all the techies around here is do you know of any apps that will bypass Straight Talk's anti-phone as a mobile hotspot so we'll buy their mobile hotspot card firewall? Preferably without rooting because I'm not even sure a Straight Talk phone can be rooted.

I know how to find free wifi and know how to buy a wifi card, I am specifically looking for an app. Preferably free. haha

Thanks for any good tips and/or advice!
 

Matt Derrick

Retired Wanderer
Staff member
Joined
Aug 4, 2006
Messages
10,542
Reaction score
13,815
Location
Portland, OR
Website
youtube.com
straight talk can't control your ability to root your phone, so yes, you can root your phone if the phone you're using can be rooted (post your make/model and i'll check for you).

your best option is to use a custom rom or upgrade to a stock rom that has built in hotspot support. most android versions 6+ support this, so you don't need an app.

i used straight talk for a long time before getting on my family's shared plan, and i would always just buy the phone i wanted (which was always root-able) and plug the ST sim card in and i was done.

on a side note, if you *can* get your phone rooted, i highly recommend adaway, it'll block 90% of ads (even ads that appear inside apps) which will save you a good amount of data each month. also, if you're really trying to conserve data, try the opera vpn app, it compresses pages before downloading to your phone so it saves a lot of data, but opera can see everything you do if that bothers you.
 
  • Like
  • Useful
Reactions: Jeddar and Jerrell

Jerrell

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 27, 2017
Messages
349
Reaction score
676
Location
AZ / CA
It's a Samsung SM-S120VL (Luna) and the android version just says 6.0.1, so I'm good there.

I've never had a reason to root before (read: too lazy) and only ever flashed my tablet, but I remember it being fairly straight forward. What would be a good place to look for a solid rom? I'm always leery that I'm going to be slapping some hacker special that wants to steal my passwords and such. haha

I've wondered about Opera VPN. I don't really like the stock Samsung browser and Chrome is pretty much bloat anymore. I'm going to check it out.
 

Matt Derrick

Retired Wanderer
Staff member
Joined
Aug 4, 2006
Messages
10,542
Reaction score
13,815
Location
Portland, OR
Website
youtube.com
this is the only thread i could find on your device:

https://forum.xda-developers.com/android/help/looking-sm-s120vl-firmware-galaxy-luna-t3509036

the xda developers forum is where you'll want to get any root or custom roms/firmware.

but, it seems that this device is only sold through straight talk, so it's unlikely you'll find a working root method. ideally, you should buy a device you know is easily rootable, then use the sim from ST to get service. buying the phones that come with those companies is almost always a mistake if you want to customize it in any way.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jerrell

Matt Derrick

Retired Wanderer
Staff member
Joined
Aug 4, 2006
Messages
10,542
Reaction score
13,815
Location
Portland, OR
Website
youtube.com
I've wondered about Opera VPN. I don't really like the stock Samsung browser and Chrome is pretty much bloat anymore. I'm going to check it out.

keep in mind it's not a browser, it's a vpn (virtual private network). so you'll still need to use a web browser like chrome, firefox, opera, etc.
 

Jerrell

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 27, 2017
Messages
349
Reaction score
676
Location
AZ / CA
Ah, I thought it was a browser with VPN settings. Maybe that's the desktop version.
 

Matt Derrick

Retired Wanderer
Staff member
Joined
Aug 4, 2006
Messages
10,542
Reaction score
13,815
Location
Portland, OR
Website
youtube.com
Ah, I thought it was a browser with VPN settings. Maybe that's the desktop version.

chrome actually has a similar function you can turn on by going into it's settings, i think it's called 'page compression' or something like that, it's an on/off setting that does basically the same thing as opera vpn, but opera vpn does a slightly better job of it (although it's a bit more hassle to set up).
 

Jerrell

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 27, 2017
Messages
349
Reaction score
676
Location
AZ / CA
How about a Huawei H892L? Can you find a custom ROM for that one?
 

Matt Derrick

Retired Wanderer
Staff member
Joined
Aug 4, 2006
Messages
10,542
Reaction score
13,815
Location
Portland, OR
Website
youtube.com

Jerrell

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 27, 2017
Messages
349
Reaction score
676
Location
AZ / CA
Ah, ok...thanx man!
 

About us

  • Squat the Planet is the world's largest social network for misfit travelers. Join our community of do-it-yourself nomads and learn how to explore the world by any means necessary.

    More Info

Help us pay the bills!

Total amount
$10.00
Goal
$100.00

Latest Library Uploads