yes you heard right, I recently find out that one can use an Android feature called “USB tethering” to get internet through an Android device. which is really cool since now you don’t have to worry about your wifi card not working in linux since you can just use your old Android device as wifi access point and have internet. not only it’s supported in Linux but it’s also supported in BSD world too. this can enable people in trying out distros like Guix, Parabola etc which doesn’t provide non-free firmware.
just wanted to share this amazing feature I didn’t know :)
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Hasn’t this been available for at least a decade? It’s always been there.
Yep, the feature was introduced in Froyo*, but there were third party apps that enabled the functionality even before that. It’s how I got through college.
Bit of a strange post, but hey, OP learned a cool thing today. I use my Android when my home internet shits the bed. Super slow, but it works well enough.
I was using it two decades ago.
There was a nifty feature in one of my older android phones where you could share the wifi as another wifi Hotspot, extremely useful while at a hotel or something so you can connect the chromecast or other devices that can’t “sign in”
And furthermore, you can share your internet from your computer, if running Linux, to other devices via Ethernet or WiFi! There may even be a super hacky way to do it through Bluetooth as well, but I’m gonna assume that wouldn’t be worthwhile to pursue…
Windows has (had?) the ability to share internet through Ethernet a couple of decades ago. I think it required a crossover cable? Anyone remember what I’m talking about?
EDIT: ChatGPT found it by inputting the above text. Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)! Gods it’s been a long time since I did that.
Yup, I’ve been using this for more than 10 years for gaming. It’s weirdly reliable.
As you suggested I used to do this when distro hopping on my old HP Elitebook that needed Realtek WiFi drivers to be installed manually most of the time.
I’ve used this a few times with my gli-net travel router (I assume it would work with any openwrt router)
Afaik that feature (or at least one of the implementations) was discontinued in one of the recent versions of Android.
Wait, Wifi Hotspot was discontinued?
It’s a different thing. I don’t remember what exactly it is though.
Can’t find any such news but apparently some phone makers hide it in their menu. Probably in carrier provided models.
Some anti-China ISPs won’t let some tablets connect. wifi hotspot from phone to rescue.
I do use my android to play mario kart wii online, on my wii
