Phone/Tablet speeds different with TTL settings the same

[Xyphon112]

Hi all. I'm in an area with zero ISP coverage and have worked super hard to figure out how to get internet service at my house. I had a setup that worked for a few years and just crapped out and now have to pivot. Here's the specs of what I'm running:

• I've changed the TTL on my Asus AC3100 w/ Merlin (latest firmware of Merlin) to 65
• Android phone Pixel 6
• Tablet Samsung Galaxy TAB A7 Lite

The issue is that when I'm tethered to the AC3100, my phone works great - I get speeds between 25-40 mb/s on both the phone itself and through the AC3100. The tablet is what I want to use as my primary modem. On the Samsung tablet I'm getting 20-30 mb/s, but tethered through the router I get 1-3 mb/s (it's not throttled to .6 mb/s). What gives? The tablet seems to be the issue here, but I can't figure out what's going on. Does anyone know why the tablet would operate at full speeds on the device but not when tethered to the router? The Pixel gets full speeds at the device and through the router. I'm getting pretty frustrated trying to figure this out and have thrown a lot of money at this problem. If anyone has ideas it I'd love to hear them.

Thank you for your help.

 

[drinkingbird]

Hi all. I'm in an area with zero ISP coverage and have worked super hard to figure out how to get internet service at my house. I had a setup that worked for a few years and just crapped out and now have to pivot. Here's the specs of what I'm running:

• I've changed the TTL on my Asus AC3100 w/ Merlin (latest firmware of Merlin) to 65
• Android phone Pixel 6
• Tablet Samsung Galaxy TAB A7 Lite

The issue is that when I'm tethered to the AC3100, my phone works great - I get speeds between 25-40 mb/s on both the phone itself and through the AC3100. The tablet is what I want to use as my primary modem. On the Samsung tablet I'm getting 20-30 mb/s, but tethered through the router I get 1-3 mb/s (it's not throttled to .6 mb/s). What gives? The tablet seems to be the issue here, but I can't figure out what's going on. Does anyone know why the tablet would operate at full speeds on the device but not when tethered to the router? The Pixel gets full speeds at the device and through the router. I'm getting pretty frustrated trying to figure this out and have thrown a lot of money at this problem. If anyone has ideas it I'd love to hear them.

Thank you for your help.

You may have to set the TTL on the device not the router, however most cellular providers have eliminated that trick for bypassing hotspot cap anyway. More likely the Samsung is honoring their hidden APN and carrier restrictions that get installed when you put the SIM in, and the pixel isn't for whatever reason. Or the Samsung was purchased via that provider and they've got the restriction built right into it. To get around it you may have to use a router app on the tablet that makes it look like you're using it for normal use and not hotspot/tether.

You'll need to Google for info on bypassing the hotspot limit for your carrier and see what the current trick is. But beware that carriers can still detect abuse and may cap your entire speed for the month as a warning, visible is known for that.

 

[Xyphon112]

The TTL is definitely changed on the router. I used putty to SSH in to the firewall and changed it. But yeah, I think you're right that Samsung has something up with their APN and or there's a restriction built into the device. The strange thing is that my data from Verizon does not say it's being counted as hotspot - only mobile data which is unlimited. Any ideas for ways to get around the APN restriction?