4G after rooting???

[mwwwilson]

Hello forum,
I have been thinking about rooting my Samsung Galaxy S2 (Epic 4G) SPH-D710

After looking around for ROMs I read this about one ROM "great daily driver that also comes with 4G Sprint hotspot hacked and working." - This got me wondering something. Do you loose 4G capabilities when you root a phone?
I have a full unlimited data plan with SPR!NT but will rooting affect this? What exactly is that statement saying? Can I plug it into a computer and have internet access through the phone???? I just don't want to mess up my 4G capabilities that I have as of now.

My reasoning behind wanting to root my phone is:
1. I want to speed it up and sort of make it like I have a NEW phone by running a upgraded ROM and kernel.
2. I also would love to unlock some freebie access (like a 4G hotspot) so that I can have internet anywhere - if that is at all feasible.

I rooted a phone in the past and it made it soo much faster and just all around cooler that the person that gave it to me wanted it back. LOL
I know about the warnings with warranties and such. This Galaxy S2 has no warranty or insurance on it anyhow. So that really doesn't concern me.

Can somebody please help me? What are the pros and cons of rooting and should I mess with this? It is sooooo tempting!
Thanks,
Mark

 

[carnageX]

Hello forum,
I have been thinking about rooting my Samsung Galaxy S2 (Epic 4G) SPH-D710

After looking around for ROMs I read this about one ROM "great daily driver that also comes with 4G Sprint hotspot hacked and working." - This got me wondering something. Do you loose 4G capabilities when you root a phone?
I have a full unlimited data plan with SPR!NT but will rooting affect this? What exactly is that statement saying? Can I plug it into a computer and have internet access through the phone???? I just don't want to mess up my 4G capabilities that I have as of now.

My reasoning behind wanting to root my phone is:
1. I want to speed it up and sort of make it like I have a NEW phone by running a upgraded ROM and kernel.
2. I also would love to unlock some freebie access (like a 4G hotspot) so that I can have internet anywhere - if that is at all feasible.

I rooted a phone in the past and it made it soo much faster and just all around cooler that the person that gave it to me wanted it back. LOL
I know about the warnings with warranties and such. This Galaxy S2 has no warranty or insurance on it anyhow. So that really doesn't concern me.

Can somebody please help me? What are the pros and cons of rooting and should I mess with this? It is sooooo tempting!
Thanks,
Mark

No, you don't lose 4G when you root a phone.

Rooting a phone is just installing the superuser binaries of linux onto an android phone. That and installing a custom recovery to flash ROMs and such.

The 4G hotspot thing means that you can tether your data and have your phone basically become a router that broadcasts a wireless network. Be careful though, this could be in breach of your contract and if Sprint doesn't like it they can shut your service down. I do it on my VZW phone (rooted Galaxy S3 with custom ROM) occasionally, and I haven't had an issue.

As for pros and cons.. well its up to you. If you don't read the guides carefully and make sure you're working with the right files (i.e. make sure you're flashing the correct files), you could brick your phone. Just make sure you read read read read before doing anything with the phone itself so that you know exactly what you're doing and don't run the risk of damaging anything. Otherwise, after rooting and/or flashing a custom ROM... you pretty much have complete control over everything your phone can do, down to the system level of things.

 

[mwwwilson]

So 4G hot-spotting could allow my phone to become a router and I could create a network? If so, this would mean that I could get internet on my laptop if I connected to this network that is provided by my phone on 4G? Sorry I'm such a noob when it comes to 4G and the hotspot thing.

 

[carnageX]

Yes, that is basically what wifi tethering is. You use the data on your phone, enable the Wireless Hotspot (you can also usually setup security settings so that not anybody can hook up to the broadcasting hotspot), and then any device that can connect to wifi can connect to your phone.

Be advised though, usually your phone will get hot and the battery will drain faster when you tether, especially over 4G.

 

[mwwwilson]

Huge THANKS!! This helped me out a lot man.

 

[carnageX]

No problem.