w00kie's ramblings

Activate tethering on Softbank iPhone

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by

w00kie
in ,

A friend of mine, @kuriburi, just sent me this to publish for him, so here you go:

So it was the news of the day: Someone managed to activate tethering on an AT&T iPhone 3G by means of a “carrier support file”, a.k.a. “ipcc”. Here in Japan, the story was a bit more tricky : Softbank declared that they would not support tethering on their network and had no plans to do so in the future either.

softbank-tethered

Nice! So, with those brand new Macbook Pro without any pc express card slot, how are we supposed to use Softbank’s data cards? This bothered me to no end thus I went on a search for a Softbank carrier support file that I could modify somehow. I stumbled onto this very interesting post on a Japanese blog that talked about the same thing, but with a beta version of the iPhone OS 3.0.

OK, well, doesn’t hurt to try with the official release, right?

Now I need to get my hands on that damn file. Turns out, it was right on my hard drive at work since August 2008. So I went to work and modified the file (which incidentally is just a bundle in a zip archive with a special extension) and tried to update my iPhone with it. The steps are simple :

  1. in the Terminal, execute defaults write com.apple.iTunes carrier-testing -bool TRUE
    on windows, execute C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunes.exe /setPrefInt carrier-testing 1 in a DOS window
  2. plug your iPhone to your computer via the USB cable
  3. in iTunes, display the summary page of your iPhone
  4. while pressing the “alt” (option) key, click on the “check for update” button
  5. you will be presented with a finder window. Locate the Softbank_jp.ipcc file, select it
  6. iTunes will now update your iPhone with the modified carrier settings
  7. Once finished, unplug the iPhone, go see into Settings>General>Network, and voilà! screenshot

Oh, before I forget, if Apple or Softbank issues an update through iTunes, wait a bit before updating… you never know…

Update: I updated the link with the latest file from @kuriburi that activates both tethering and MMS. よろしく！

Update: This IPCC file does not work with 3.1 update. If you value your tethering, do not upgrade yet.

Comments

377 responses to “Activate tethering on Softbank iPhone”

  1. RicardoGrafites Avatar
    RicardoGrafites

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D39zBxFISYo

    In my Iphone in Network ,i have :

    Enable 3G
    Data Roaming
    Internet Tethering
    VPN
    Wi-Fi

    But in this video ,this guy have:

    “”Cellular Data Network “” (look in 1:30 seconds)

  2. Duc Avatar
    Duc

    @Ricardo
    just curious. Was your 3G phone bought in softbank or out of Japan? The issue you are having appears to be phones that is other countries rather here.

  3. Stryker Avatar
    Stryker

    Hi All! I’ve followed the instructions above, but when I click on the tethering, I get the message (in Japanese) “In order to activate tethering on this account, please contact Softbank.” Any suggestions?

  4. Al Avatar
    Al

    OK…. now that tethering works…. next step. I want to use one of the “personal WiFi routers” that turns a USB Broadband connection into a WiFi Hotspot, for example to easily connect non-Bluetooth devices. There is a great one from http://www.cradlepoint.com, but I read a message somewhere that this one doesnt work with iPhone. Any ideas?

  5. RicardoGrafites Avatar
    RicardoGrafites

    Duc

    In your iphone appear this :

    “”Cellular Data Network “” ????

    My Iphone i bay in Japan ,Nagoya,i live here.

    Before my iphone 2.2.1 Jailbreak -> 3.0 Jailbreak “”NOW””.

  6. Bek Avatar
    Bek

    hello,
    1.I can’t to open softbank_jp.ipcc because it is not .ipcc but softbank_jp.bundle
    I installed beta version of itunes 8.2 (23)
    2. I have done many times step 1, but there is no reaction, smth like this,
    Last login: Sat Jul 4 20:34:02 on ttys000
    FL1-119-244-222-45:~ BekNur$ defaults write com.apple.iTunes carrier-testing -bool TRUE
    FL1-119-244-222-45:~ BekNur$
    Please help me!
    Thanks beforehand!

  7. Duc Avatar
    Duc

    @bek:
    You need to change the .zip file to .ipcc

  8. Duc Avatar
    Duc

    @maddy
    What did you do t o finally get intunes to pop up the .ipcc in the drop down menu?

  9. ali Avatar
    ali

    Was wondering how tethering compares on the new 3Gs??? and is anyone else confused by the need for an i.softbank address a softbank mms address and whatever else you use aswell he he he…

    @stryker just reset your phone…

    @RicardoYou can ignore my instructions and discussion about Cellular Data Network tab. To see this tab, you need to edit the carrier plist file and add AllowEDGEEditng. ”

    @Bec try using firefox instead of safari to DL the ipcc file!

  10. Duc Avatar
    Duc

    I don’t know what happen but the only thing I did was to update itunes from .10 .23 on 8.2. Now I can’t see the .ipcc file on the drop down menu.

    I tried manually running with this prompt in windows but I get an error.
    ‘C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunes.exe /setPrefInt carrier-testing 1’

    I can run itunes with this, however.
    ‘C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunes.exe’

    Is there something I did wrong?

  11. bek Avatar
    bek

    ali
    Hey brother thanks a lot, I’ve done by using firefox
    do you know anything about billing by softbank?
    One more thank you.

  12. ali Avatar
    ali

    @bek
    Thems are the breaks!

    There seems to have been quite a lot of panic and hysteria about potential high bills at the end of the month! But using MySoftbank users can monitor their billing statement online…

    The tethering and it’s potential impact on cost is still rather unknown, as the upgrade to 3.0 and this hack ipcc only came into effect in June… It is of course dependent on your “packet data plan”

    I use a lot of “data” and pay a fixed fee of 4000 yen even though my actual bill often exceeds 100, 000 yen … I would advise caution and limited use until we know for sure the cost implication, I would however say that for me there seems to have been no noticeable change, I have however been erring on the side of caution!

    happy iPhoning

  13. bek Avatar
    bek

    @ali
    Thanks a lot.
    God bless you.

  14. kurisu Avatar
    kurisu

    @Ricardo : I made this ipcc file for non-jailbroken iPhone 3G.
    If you jailbreak your phone and my file doesn’t work, then you’re on your own. Sorry.
    I’m not going to start checking every single possible scenario out there just to be nice.
    You want to use the hack on this page, then follow the instructions and it will work on a stock iPhone 3G with 3.0 software.

    @Bek : After you type the command line in Terminal, you will not have any message, you will simply be returned to the prompt. If you have no error message that means the command line worked.

  15. Maddy Avatar
    Maddy

    @Duc

    At first if I remember correctly I couldnt get it to work.. I think it has to do with the string “C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunes.exe /setPrefInt carrier-testing 1”

    More specifically the setPrefInt bit. I was always putting in setPrefLnt and not Int. I had left the command window open and just repeated the command randomly.. eventually it worked..

  16. RicardoGrafites Avatar
    RicardoGrafites

    kurisu

    Ok ,I try restore the OFICIAL FIRMWARE 3.0 Again .(no Jailbreak)

    Thank you to help me.

  17. Ignacio Avatar
    Ignacio

    I just want to thank you very much!.
    感激！　感動しすぎて涙が出そうだった！　（笑）。
    ありがとう！

  18. dinky Avatar
    dinky

    Go to My Softbank and check this month’s bill for the good news.

  19. Fabri Avatar
    Fabri

    Well, so far no extra charges in my June bill.. :)

  20. Duc Avatar
    Duc

    @dinky

    what is the good news for all the non Japanese who can’t read Japanese? :P

  21. dinky Avatar
    dinky

    @Duc: as stated by Fabri.

  22. AJ Avatar
    AJ

    Wanted to say a quick thank you! I applied this the first day it was available and it’s been working great! I wonder why some have been having problems with MMS and others haven’t…?

    I do have a question though, from yesterday (7/12) the emoji keyboard is causing my i.softbank.jp and MMS mail to quit back to the home screen. I can’t seem to access emoji at all and have had to turn off the keyboard so I can type mails using these accounts. Anyone else having issues with this? I can’t imagine this issue could be tied to this tethering hack, but wanted to check. If others could pls let me know. Thanks!

  23. Duc Avatar
    Duc

    @aj
    I had similar issues with iemoji & twitterrific but seems fine with the other apps. I didn’t tested fully though. There are different versions of iemoji & all seems to lag & hang when typing only on twitterrific app. My phone is JB/ unlock but don’t think it matters much.

  24. AJ Avatar
    AJ

    Figured out the keyboard thing. Thanks Duc!

    I had another question about tethering though. Does anyone use the free wifi offered to iPhone customers at McDonalds? It only works with the mobile safari browser on the iPhone. But I was able to connect to it, turn tethering on and I could access the Internet on my laptop!! This is a pretty safe way to use te tethering feature, right? We’re not using softbank’s network.

    Sorry, I’m 100% newb when it comes to most of this.

  25. nihonjon Avatar
    nihonjon

    Windows users hold the shift key while clicking.

    Thanks for redoing the file! 39!

  26. JJK Avatar
    JJK

    I got the tethering option coming up on my iphone, just cant get my mac to use its connection. Any ideas? I go into System Prefrences, then Network, but I canot see my iphone there. Where exactly do I select it? Thanx

  27. surprised Avatar
    surprised

    Just a quick update for everyone.

    My phone bill was 8300yen – which is nice to know. I only tried the tethering for a few minutes, but it doesn’t seem to have registered
    thnx to everyone for their help
    (no longer) Surprised

  28. AJ Avatar
    AJ

    Think this will affect us on softbank’s network as well?

    http://i.tuaw.com/2009/07/14/ipcc-tethering-trick-no-longer-works-in-iphone-os-3-1-beta-2/

  29. Al Avatar
    Al

    Well, everything I have read looks like the upgrade disables tethering enabled via the IPCC file. i will avoid upgrading as long as possible. The 3.0 is just fine with me.

  30. Fabri Avatar
    Fabri

    The 3.1 beta 2 version disabled softbank IPCC hack on my 3GS…

  31. Al Avatar
    Al

    Thank you. I had better buy my 3GS before they distribute 3.1 as the standard! Having tethering is more important than 3.1.

  32. Jiadong Avatar
    Jiadong

    Hi,surprised
    Thank you for sharing your experience.
    Could you tell me that finally how much you payed on packet?

  33. asai Avatar
    asai

    guys i some some quention i using pdanet and using my iphone like a o modem and i have stupid unlimited packet plan if i still downloading movies… using torrent or watching 24h youtube i have to pay for all this hell packets ?

  34. asai Avatar
    asai

    help me guys… if i have pay more than… stupid 4,200 yen plan packet … omg my mother will kill me –‘

  35. w00kie Avatar
    w00kie

    why would you ever want to download torrents on your tethered iPhone is beyond me
    no one that I know of has been charged yet, but no one is stupid enough to use their iPhone as they would their home fiber connection

  36. asai Avatar
    asai

    i know i stupid… but.. its to late.. soo … omg i will die

  37. tim Avatar
    tim

    Thanks a lot!!!

  38. Fabri Avatar
    Fabri

    UPDATE: I updated my 3G iPhone that was tethering ok with IPCC file and bum ! It still working on 3.1 beta 2 and today on beta 3 ! Now for my 3GS i can’t test it now since my friend drawn it into he’s pool !! I will get new one tomorrow that will come with 3.0 and will update IPCC and then update to 3.1 beta 3 to see if on 3GS it will still working like my 3G “old” one. so good news people !!

  39. kurisu Avatar
    kurisu

    Awesome, thanks Fabri.
    I also confirm that another trick works fine and dandy : restore from a 3.0 backup in which tethering has been activated with the ipcc file.
    Hopefully Apple won’t be too keen on closing that loophole by only accepting signed ipcc files.

  40. Jason Avatar
    Jason

    Can not get this to work on 16GB 3GS (3.0 OS) I bought yesterday (7/29). Tried *many* times.

    At first, by default, there is no “internet tethering” option in settings. After applying the .ipcc there is a “Set Up Internet Tethering”, but it just says to contact Softbank.

    Also, it appears that the .ipcc breaks cellular browsing in general, because after I apply it, I always get “Could not activate cellular data network.”

    Tried this several times, only to end up restoring each time.

    Eventually just gave up and have jailbroken the thing, will try it that way.

  41. Russell Avatar
    Russell

    Is the charge for receiving MMS mail NOT covered by the unlimited data package? I’m still not clear on this.

  42. Kensei Avatar
    Kensei

    Can anyone who’s been using this tethering hack for a while (well over a month) confirm that it did not impact their phone bill (i.e., no unexpected huge charge)?

  43. dinky Avatar
    dinky

    Did anyone try to tether with iPhoneOS 3.0.1, the update issued to fix SMS vulnerability?

  44. dinky Avatar
    dinky

    Answer to my own question:
    Yes, tethering does work with 3.0.1.

  45. AJ Avatar
    AJ

    Thanks for that dinky. Much appreciated!

  46. Fabri Avatar
    Fabri

    UPDATE 2: Got new iPhone 3GS with 3.0 and installed IPCC file. Works normally. But then i updated to 3.1 beta 3 ( i’m developer ) and it stops to work. The tethering option is no longer available. So, IPCC file will not work on 3.1 version even if you update from 3.0 with tethering working. my 3G iPhone also is not working on 3.1.. no joy :(

  47. Al Avatar
    Al

    No effect yet on my bill with the tethering. Regular bill. My usage is about 200,000 yen per month and has been as high as 400,000. I dont tether alot. Bill is the same.

  48. Al Avatar
    Al

    Just a confirmation that the 3.0.1 software update does not affect the ipcc hack for tethering. No problems at all.

  49. Donjohnni Avatar
    Donjohnni

    Doesn’t work for my iphone 3G with 3.0. When I try to tether it says … OMG IT JUST STARTED WORKING AFTER SAYING IT WASN’T SUPPORTED.

    Does using this give you a higher bill??

  50. nathan Avatar
    nathan

    Got a question for AL, you said you are paying 200,000 yen~ 400,000 yen? is that after the discounts or before discounts, what plan are you on? from what I read you should be paying max 12,000 yen, this is my first iphone I used about 3 hours of light tethering every week since I got it 2 weeks ago, just a bit curious, why so high?

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