Internet Passthrough With HTC Desire C

My first HTC phone was the Wildfire S, There is one thing I was so curious about it, it's internet passthrough function, and it has it's shortcomings, it doesn't normally take a screen capture without fiddling and being connected to a computer. This time I need something that has internet passthrough function and the ability to take screen shot without breaking the bank. And I found a reduced price for a pay as you go HTC Desire C for £89. The package already includes £10 worth of calls. The normal price ranges from £129  to £159 plus an additional £10 of credit.

Why HTC Desire C?  I have chosen this phone for two main reasons. The beats audio built in, and the internet passthrough function. The built in Dr Dre audio has improved the audio quality of the device without the need of a high end headphone.  I also noticed that this is the only brand that offers a native application like internet passthrough among other top of the range mobile phones like Samsung or Apple. 

Buy HTC Desire C for £79 plus £10 credit here!

Buy HTC USB cable here!

Search for HTC Desire C auctions here!

What is internet passthrough?

Internet passthrough is the reverse of internet tethering. Rather than the portable device powering up a computer or a laptop to connect to the internet, it is the laptop or the desktop that is giving the mobile device a connection to the internet.

 But do anyone really need this type of connection? Maybe not everyone needs this, but I think it is useful in some ways and situations. 

I work in a hospital and we usually use desktop computers to make and read laboratory requests, book annual leaves,  read company emails and so on. And we all do this using our company intranet by logging on to individual accounts. This means when a user leaves the computer, he needs to log out, else the computer would be locked out from inactivity and only the previous user can  unlock it. This usually delays things and sometimes we need to queue up to use it. Personal internet devices will not be able to access the "source" of data as it is not connected to the company's network. And sometimes even our personal internet devices can not access the internet because of lack of mobile signal. 

But with internet passthrough, a mobile device can be internet powered even the mobile network has no signal, and you can browse your company's "source" site without queuing with other users!

How can I perform internet passthrough? 

Please see my post http://prakticality.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/how-to-perform-internet-passthrough.html for detailed steps. Summary of the things you need to do this below.

• A computer that is connected to the internet
• Installed HTC sync software
• HTC phone (android version, I am not sure about the new HTC windows operating system, I just could not find HTC internet passthrough from there)
• A HTC USB cable

Limitation of internet usage whilst reverse tethered

Once connected to the company network, your internet connectivity and access is dependent to the permitted sites  the company allows. You can browse to the company's secured "source" page, read your company email, but you can not really go stray to the blocked sites. I wasn't able to try the web based applications of the company though and I am not sure if it will allow me to!

And with the Wifi hotspot turned on, you can also share the internet access to other mobile devices with the reverse tethered phone!

How To Take Screenshot on HTC Wildfire S

Mobile phones are becoming more sophisticated. It seems like the development of these devices are faster than we once thought. It is also one of the electrical devices that survived the evolution of gadgets. In fact, the features included in the phone made the demise of other devices. Since I had a mobile, I did no longer wear any watch, no longer interested with mp3 players, and did not bother  bringing in cameras at parties and  calculators at groceries as useful gadgets are squeezed inside these tiny devices which include digital camera, movie camera, compass, navigator and others on a long list, I am not able to mention.  I am sure there will be many more in the future.

But one significant function I noticed that is missing in a full of features smartphone is something I did not expect!

For a smart phone that can take videos, photos, has wi-fi, bluetooth, tethering, reverse tethering, android OS, and so on.  The HTC Wildfire S can not take screenshots!   Or is it? Here's how to get round the missing function.

The Boat Browser

 I have been searching the web on how to do this and solutions like using Boat Browser  seems a good start and the easiest. Just download it from the apps market and off you go.  The only problem with this method is it is only enabled when you are browsing the net using the specific browser. That means it does not function if you just want to show what's going on on your phone while not browsing.

Other applications that promise this functionality needed your phone to be modified, and some others charge you. Below is a screen shot with the boat browser.

Using Computer and Development Kit Software

Another solution is to download the development kit from android and java, two separate programs, that can make your phone capable of making screen shots on what it is shown in it's screen. It is a rather complicated thing and a long procedure for ordinary user like me, as there are many files to download, but you will get there I am sure.

1. Download the Java Development Kit SE first as this piece of software is needed before it would let you download the next software. You can choose the SDK for Windows or the version which is applicable for your computer if you are not running windows.

http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/java-se-jdk-7-download-432154.html

2. Download the Android Development Kit, choose the zip version over the recommended version because when I've chosen the later,  I could not find the  specific DDMS.BAT file . Or maybe I do not know where it was!

http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html

• Make desktop your target destination  for easier archiving later, and I recommend personally to create a new folder for the downloaded file.

3. Extract the zip file into the same new folder . Below are the files, the bottom bit is the zip file and the high lighted one is the extracted file.

4,  Open the extracted file and double click the SDK manager and run, 

5. You will be presented a window where the items to be installed are listed. Tick "select all" and begin downloading and installing. This is the longest part of the procedure, it took more than 2 hours for me to complete this. My internet connection is rather slow at 2MBPS.

6. After installing the files,  close the application window and prepare the HTC.

• At your HTC phone, click home button, settings, applications, development, and tick USB debugging..

• Then go to settings again, select connect to PC, and choose charge only. Then plug in your phone into the PC's USB.

7. In your PC, go to the folder you have extracted the downloaded files, not the zip file, click tools then look for  DDMS BATCH file.

8. Run it and a command console (cmd.exe) will pop out followed by another  window (delvik debug monitor) after several seconds. The name of your device should appear on the left side of the device window and you need to highlight your device. 

9. Click the device menu located at the top of the window, and click screen capture. The picture should appear in your PC's screen and you can choose to save it on any destination you like! And that's it.

• The only downside to this method is, you need your PC to do a screen shot! I am wishing for an app that do not require modifying the device, can make screen shot with the phone itself by just pressing key combinations like the iPhone and do not need to be connected to the internet or use a browser to do a screen shot, most of all, something FREE!

HTC Wildfire and Accessories

How to Perform Internet Passthrough Function

Those who have internet pass through function mobile phones might be wondering what is it. This is the reverse of internet tethering. While internet tethering means a mobile phone acting as a modem for internet for other devices, internet passthrough function is where a computer acting as a modem for internet connection to a mobile phone. Or we can just call it "reverse tethering". This function is available on HTC models and at the moment, only supports windows computer.

When do you need it? 

This function becomes important when your mobile's network signal is low or none at all specially when you are inside a building, and therefore can not use the internet, and where wi-fi is not available or you do not know the wi-fi password or key. You can just use the computer which is connected into the internet to give your mobile phone the data it needs to get online.

It is also applicable when you are abroad and do not want to spend anything on internet using your data roaming plan, which is expensive. Or your phone is locked into your network and  foreign sim card do not work. Or you do not know the wi-fi's password and can't be bothered to ask. 

How is it done? 

Before you can use the service, your need to download and install HTC SYC to your computer or laptop (WINDOWS only). You can download it from this link

http://www.htc.com/uk/SupportDownload.aspx?p_id=392&cat=3&dl_id=1073

After installation on your PC or laptop, turn on your HTC phone, connect to a USB port  and go to 

 SETTINGS, WIRELESS AND NETWORKS, then select INTERNET PASSTHROUGH, 

Your computer will begin installing the USB driver services needed for the connection particularly the HTC Remote NDIS based Device..

The driver needed for the service is boxed above and should be added at the device manager under Network Adapters.

Your phone should then be enabled to go to the  internet. The animated arrows below showing the exchange of incoming and outgoing data traffic confirms your connection, and you have just done reverse tethering!

What is Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot Function ?

The idea of creating a hotspot using a data allowance from a simcard has been around since mi-fi devices were born. Before, it was limited to devices dedicated to routing internet connection from a data sim card to devices with wi-fi connectivity. Mi-fi's were priced at least £60 to £70 with bundled pay as you go data calls.

Now, wi-fi hotspot capability is built-in on smart phones. Iphone has internet tethering which is in my opinion, different and inferior than that of wi-fi hotspot capability on HTC's, Samsung's and other smartphones.  Iphone's capability of being a source of internet connection to a device is limited as it uses bluetooth and USB cable! We know the fact that a bluetooth function is limited to one on one connectivity and that is also true to USB connectivity. So iPhone can only power up one device at a given time. And the annoying bit is, it can not even power iPAD wi-fi only models with it's tethering service, as the bluetooth service for receiving internet tethering on IPAD is missing ! Wi-fi hotspot connectivity can power up to 5 devices at the same time! The only limit is the amount of data calls you have with your network, or if your network allows you to.

But even if your network does not allow you, you can use internet passthrough, click here see previous post, to get internet connection and broadcast the signal you receive with the connection by enabling wifi hotspot and you can be a source of internet traffic.


Why do you need it? 

1. If you are away from your home router and want to power up more than one device to go to  the internet, say while on holiday or at the airport.
2. If you have an ample amount of data bundle you want to share among your mobile devices,  instead of buying data bundles on every device, you can only pay one and just share it with the other.
3. If you are considering buying a tablet computer, you can have the option of buying the cheaper Wi-Fi only device and just use your smart phone to internet power your device, iPAD included.

How to activate it?

On HTC handset
1. go to SETTINGS
2. PORTABLE WI-FI HOTSPOT SETTINGS
3. OK
4. Type a name for your connection. Type a password to secure it.
5. You can limit the number of devices to connect by going to the MANAGE USERS tab. Then enable your connection at the top menu or
6. go to WIRELESS AND NETWORKS
7. PORTABLE WI-FI HOTSPOT, touch to turn on

On SAMSUNG, the WI-FI HOTSPOT function is on INTERNET TETHERING menu.