How to Bypass AT&T Hotspot Block
If you’re an AT&T customer, you already know how quickly you can reach the limit on your personal hotspot. This can leave you without internet connection when you may need it the most and potentially saddle you with extra money on your bill. For many people, the solution to this problem has been simply to switch service providers and be rid of AT&T once and for all. That said, if you’re not wanting to go through the hassle, we’ll tell you how to bypass an AT&T hotspot block.
There are a handful of applications you can download if you want to bypass an AT&T hotspot block and enjoy more freedom with your Internet connection, including the Fox-Fi app, the PdaNet app, the NetShare app, or HTTP by Apache. You can also utilize a couple other tethering options through Xposed or Magisk or use VPN to get around these limits.
If you’re tired of your data getting throttled by AT&T, stick around, and read through these solutions for getting around these limits. In this article, we’ll go over the best ways to bypass a hotspot block as both an Android and iOS user. Let’s dive in.
About Hotspot Limits
AT&T puts a limit on how much of your hotspot you can use—15GB of data per day to be exact. Once you’ve used it up for the month, AT&T will send you a warning when your data is used up for the month and disable your phone’s data sharing hotspot function. Should you use it after this point, you face the risk of getting hit with an expensive charge on your next bill.
So, why do they impose these limits? Word on the street is AT&T doesn’t want their customers substituting their hotspot for their in-house WiFi systems. While this makes sense, it certainly is a deterrent for people who live in rural areas or those who travel a lot of work.
How to Bypass an AT&T Hotspot Block
If your smartphone isn’t rooted, you’ll have to use third-party apps, which is what we’ll be talking about here. The good news is none of these solutions are difficult to do on your own, and they do not pose a risk to your device.
Here’s what we’ll be going over below:
- Fox-Fi App
- PdaNet App
- NetShare App
- HTTP by Apache
- Alternative Tethering Methods
- VPNs
- Purchases through AT&T
NOTE: Most of these solutions are for Android phones. iOS users would have to jailbreak their phones to download most of these third-party applications.
Fox-Fi App (for Android)
Fox-Fi is a popular tethering software that will help you bypass a hotspot limit. In the past, AT&T has banned the app from showing up on the Google Play Store. Due to newer FCC tether regulations, however, it is unblocked, so you shouldn’t have a problem with that anymore.
Once you’ve installed the app, activate hotspot through Fox-Fi and launch the proxy by selecting it from the “Tools” menu. You should be good to go from there!
PdaNet App (for Android)
PdaNet is another application that functions very similarly to Fox-Fi. It is important to note, however, that some Android phones do not support this app. When using this method, be sure to update the app to the latest version and use the key program to unlock it.
Once you’ve installed the application, use PdaNet to allow USB tethering. Then, you can just connect your phone into your laptop or PC, and everything should work immediately.
HTTP by Apache (for Android)
You can also use an Http powered by Apache for Android, which is an app that allows you to select an internal IP address and apply it to your phone. With the changed IP address, you should have tethering feature available once more. Then, your internal IP address will appear on the list of available server IP addresses, so you can select it.
NetShare App (for Android)
NetShare is a Wi-Fi Repeater that works the same way as the other three apps mentioned above. You will be able to establish a WiFi hotpot to share unlimited data plans with other people. This app will work with any Android smartphone that is running version 6 or above of the operating system.
Other Tethering Options (for Android)
There are two other applications that Android users can use: Xposed and Magisk. If your Android smartphone has the Xposed Framework, you can install a basic Xposed module, which will allow you to use your mobile data as a hotspot for your phone. Magisk is also available for almost every Android device, and it will not set off a SafetyNet check. This gives it a leg up on Xposed.
VPN (for Android and iOS)
To bypass tethering altogether, consider using a VPN. VPNs secure your connection and hide your online activities from the network. The best way to do this is simply to download a VPN app and set everything up on your phone. This will work for both rooted and unrooted devices. The best VPNs to use for this purpose are…
Get an AT&T Hotspot Device or Buy Add-On Data (for Android and iOS)
If you’re tired of dealing with low hotspot limits, you most likely don’t want to give AT&T more of your money. That said, we figured we should still mention that AT&T does technically offer some solutions to the issue.
For starters, you can buy a hotspot device, which will extend the limits of your hotspot. If you are on AT&T’s prepaid $65 plan, you can also extend your hotspot data by paying an extra $10 per extension.
So, How Can You Bypass an AT&T Hotspot Block?
Bypassing AT&T’s hotspot limits will often bend their terms and conditions, and they can technically blacklist your device from the network if they find out what you’re doing. That said, there are a handful of solutions you can try to get around their hotspot block.
If you have an Android device, you have many more options for bypassing the hotspot limit due to the number of third-party apps out there. That said, you can still utilize a VPN or make a purchase through AT&T as an iOS user if you don’t want to jailbreak your phone.
Our final note is to just be careful when doing this and hide your hotspot usage. Otherwise, you risk getting in trouble with AT&T!
I am a copywriter and editor based in the Las Vegas area with nearly a decade of experience under my belt writing landing pages, cost guides, blog posts, newsletters, case studies, and social media content. I have a degree in Strategic Communication and experience working in both the account and creative spheres. My goal is to always be discovering new interests and bettering myself as a writer and editor along the way.
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