New app lets your Mac share your iPhone's internet connection

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
A new iPhone application available for download on the App Store will let your Mac or PC share the internet connection provided by your iPhone or iPhone 3G.



The $9.99 NetShare application from Nullriver, Inc. was released to much excitement on Thursday evening but inexplicably pulled from the App Store by Apple moments later.



"We're not quite sure why Apple took down the NetShare application yet, we've received no communication from Apple thus far," the company said in posting to its website. "NetShare did not violate any of the Developer or AppStore agreements. We're hoping we'll get some feedback from Apple today."



In an email to AppleInsider Friday morning, a representative for Nullriver said the company was still "trying to get a hold of Apple" and was unsure whether AT&T was involved in the matter due to data use concerns.



Nevertheless, Friday afternoon saw the application suddenly resurfaced on the App Store via this link. NetShare is a tethering application, or one that connects a non-mobile device such as a desktop or notebook computer to a mobile phone for the purpose of wireless Internet access.



For example, the application can provide a Mac or Windows-based notebook with a connection to the Internet anywhere an iPhone has an EDGE or 3G signal. This is particularly handy for users who don't have dedicated 3G data cards and service for their notebooks when traveling.



Update: AppleInsider has published an illustrated 10-step configuration guide.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 49
    stukdogstukdog Posts: 53member
    It works fine, though does take a little setup.



    If ever I'm in a situation where the iPhone can't handle the job on it's own, this will be nice to have.
  • Reply 2 of 49
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    So it's back. It doesn't seem to directly violate any SDK rules, except perhaps bandwidth hogging but that depends on its usage.



    If you have a jailbroken iPhone and don't want to spend the $10 you can do it for free.
  • Reply 3 of 49
    netdognetdog Posts: 244member
    It's available in the UK.
  • Reply 4 of 49
    bigmc6000bigmc6000 Posts: 767member
    Woo! I was soo bummed yesterday when I saw it was up and then gone. Now I'm happy again and downloaded it ASAP as I wouldn't at all be surprised if AT&T has something to say about this being available to US customers...
  • Reply 5 of 49
    I bought the program because I've been dying to tether but I am not very pc savey. I have a dell with vista how do I set it Up on a pc?? Inteuctions are only for mac
  • Reply 6 of 49
    I downloaded and it worked lie a charm. Only thing I had to do that I don't think was mentioned in instructions was to make sure that the tethered network (airport connection) is top of your network settings list in system prefs. It wouldn't connect until I did that.
  • Reply 7 of 49
    sapporobabysapporobaby Posts: 1,079member
    All of my phones had this feature to some extent. Even my Nokia 2110i had the ability to use HSCSD back in the day via a cable. Too bad someone else had to do Apples job for them.
  • Reply 8 of 49
    glossgloss Posts: 506member
    I don't understand the difficulty people had in finding it. Running searches for Netshare or Nullriver both came up with the app, no problem.
  • Reply 9 of 49
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Daniel0418 View Post


    I bought the program because I've been dying to tether but I am not very pc savey. I have a dell with vista how do I set it Up on a pc?? Inteuctions are only for mac



    That's coming soon, plus updates to the app. Have patience, they're working on it.
  • Reply 10 of 49
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by gloss View Post


    I don't understand the difficulty people had in finding it. Running searches for Netshare or Nullriver both came up with the app, no problem.



    Some apps disappear from the store for brief periods. Aurora Feint did that.
  • Reply 11 of 49
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by gloss View Post


    I don't understand the difficulty people had in finding it. Running searches for Netshare or Nullriver both came up with the app, no problem.



    You missed the part where it was taken off of the iTunes App Store and the developer removed any mention of it from their website for the past ~12 hours.
  • Reply 12 of 49
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post


    That's coming soon, plus updates to the app. Have patience, they're working on it.



    It doesn't make the iPhone into a WiFi gateway so that any Mac/PC with 802.11b/g can connect to?
  • Reply 13 of 49
    I think for many people, tethering this way is extra steps that is too much trouble most of the time. Occasionally, not because I a am cheap, I find myself needing to send a document and I have no other internet access. This is where an app like this is great. I hope ATT don't get it pulled. Even if they restricted tethered operation not based on bytes, but on connection time. Maybe 2 hours per billing cycle (month) That way it doesn't remove the need for those who have to pay for a full data modem, but meets the needs of the rest of us. When I used Treo with Verizon, this tethered feature cost an additional $5 per month I think - and it was so worth it

    hope the app stays!
  • Reply 14 of 49
    sapporobabysapporobaby Posts: 1,079member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Right_said_fred View Post


    I think for many people, tethering this way is extra steps that is too much trouble most of the time. Occasionally, not because I a am cheap, I find myself needing to send a document and I have no other internet access. This is where an app like this is great. I hope ATT don't get it pulled. Even if they restricted tethered operation not based on bytes, but on connection time. Maybe 2 hours per billing cycle (month) That way it doesn't remove the need for those who have to pay for a full data modem, but meets the needs of the rest of us. When I used Treo with Verizon, this tethered feature cost an additional $5 per month I think - and it was so worth it

    hope the app stays!



    Based on this comment, I truly have to ask are network operators this screwed up in the US?. I currently live in Finland I can not recall within the last few years when I have not had "all I can eat" mobile data. I had it when GPRS hit, then 3G, now 3G HSDPA, will have it when 4G rolls out, etc.... I just can not fathom someone limiting your data. Are the networks that crappy that they can not handle the capacity? They are supposed to be IN. Able to prevision, self heal, etc.....
  • Reply 15 of 49
    dcj001dcj001 Posts: 301member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Daniel0418 View Post


    I bought the program because I've been dying to tether but I am not very pc savey. I have a dell with vista how do I set it Up on a pc?? Inteuctions are only for mac







    http://www.nullriver.com/products/netshare



    I'm not with NullRiver. I just copied the info from the App Store.
  • Reply 16 of 49
    "We've heard elsewhere about both AT&T and Verizon throttling connections to 200 kbps/sec if you go over 5GB. But what about that new "DataConnect 5GB Overage Plan?" You can't find it anywhere on AT&T's Web site. But if you call in, you'll find it's $350/month for 5GB, plus $0.50 per megabyte (really, $.0005 per kb, but my megabyte formula is more readable.) Since you're probably a heavy downloader, let's think of that as $500 per gigabyte. " From: http://www.gearlog.com/2008/03/att_m..._data_cost.php
  • Reply 17 of 49
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    So it's back. It doesn't seem to directly violate any SDK rules, except perhaps bandwidth hogging but that depends on its usage.



    If you have a jailbroken iPhone and don't want to spend the $10 you can do it for free.



    well it's not without limits. It doesn't load java or applets.
  • Reply 18 of 49
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    A new iPhone application available for download on the App Store will let your Mac or PC share the internet connection provided by your iPhone or iPhone 3G.



    The $9.99 NetShare application from Nullriver, Inc. was released to much excitement on Thursday evening but inexplicably pulled from the App Store by Apple moments later.



    "We're not quite sure why Apple took down the NetShare application yet, we've received no communication from Apple thus far," the company said in posting to its website. "NetShare did not violate any of the Developer or AppStore agreements. We're hoping we'll get some feedback from Apple today."



    In an email to AppleInsider Friday morning, a representative for Nullriver said the company was still "trying to get a hold of Apple" and was unsure whether AT&T was involved in the matter due to data use concerns.



    Nevertheless, Friday afternoon saw the application suddenly resurfaced on the App Store via this link. NetShare is a tethering application, or one that connects a non-mobile device such as a desktop or notebook computer to a mobile phone for the purpose of wireless Internet access.



    For example, the application can provide a Mac or Windows-based notebook with a connection to the Internet anywhere an iPhone has an EDGE or 3G signal. This is particularly handy for users who don't have dedicated 3G data cards and service for their notebooks when traveling.





    well it's not without limits. It doesn't load java or applets.
  • Reply 19 of 49
    hutchohutcho Posts: 132member
    You really have to wonder why this wasn't included as default with the iPhone.. Apple being its usual restrictive self again.. as someone new to Apple, I think I actually hate them more than Microsoft. Their practices are totally anti consumer, and they really just rip you of for whatever they can get (cue: Apple fanboys defending Apple). The only thing that redeems them is they make such a good product, where Microsoft rarely does.
  • Reply 20 of 49
    aplnubaplnub Posts: 2,605member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sapporobaby View Post


    Based on this comment, I truly have to ask are network operators this screwed up in the US?. I currently live in Finland I can not recall within the last few years when I have not had "all I can eat" mobile data. I had it when GPRS hit, then 3G, now 3G HSDPA, will have it when 4G rolls out, etc.... I just can not fathom someone limiting your data. Are the networks that crappy that they can not handle the capacity? They are supposed to be IN. Able to prevision, self heal, etc.....



    Since the US is somewhat larger than Finland, infrastructure upgrades are more costly. Unlike most of Europe where the area is a little smaller than in the US. Money is the reason why for the most part.
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