Using USB to ethernet adaptor to provide internet

[Tim+]

A rather prolonged internet outage today got me thinking about ways to use
my mobile phone to provide internet access for the whole home. We have many
Wi-Fi connected devices and it’s not practical to switch them to my phone’s
hot spot so a way of using my 4G mobile connection with my existing router
(a standard Zen one) or mesh system would tick a lot of boxes.

My Pixel 6 phone has a setting for Ethernet tethering so I think it should
work with a usb c to Ethernet adaptors plugged into my router.

Example here.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ethernet-Adapter-WALNEW-Converter-Thunderbolt/dp/B08YCYW623/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=2XIOWFAGUG6DZ&keywords=usb+c+ethernet+adapter&qid=1699813624&sprefix=usb+c+ethernet+adapter%2Caps%2C543&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

Anyone used one of these? Any pitfalls to be aware of?

Tim


--
Please don't feed the trolls

[tim+]

Tim+ <tim.d...@gmail.com> Wrote in message:r
> A rather prolonged internet outage today got me thinking about ways to usemy mobile phone to provide internet access for the whole home. We have manyWi-Fi connected devices and it?s not practical to switch them to my phone?shot spot so a way of using my 4G mobile connection with my existing router(a standard Zen one) or mesh system would tick a lot of boxes.My Pixel 6 phone has a setting for Ethernet tethering so I think it shouldwork with a usb c to Ethernet adaptors plugged into my router. Example here. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ethernet-Adapter-WALNEW-Converter-Thunderbolt/dp/B08YCYW623/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=2XIOWFAGUG6DZ&keywords=usb+c+ethernet+adapter&qid=1699813624&sprefix=usb+c+ethernet+adapter%2Caps%2C543&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1Anyone used one of these? Any pitfalls to be aware of?Tim-- Please don't feed the trolls

I should have added that I need an adapter that is truely
bi-directional. Maybe they all are? Not my field of
knowledge.
--

[Andy Burns]

tim+ wrote:

> I should have added that I need an adapter that is truely
> bi-directional. Maybe they all are?

Err yes, a transmit-only or receive-only ethernet adapter would hardly
be any use ...

[David Wade]

If you have a standerd Zen router its likely a Fritz!Box 7530 or 7530 AX
If it is and has the latest firmware you can just plug the phone's USB
charger cable into the Fritz!Box and you can use it as your internet
connection.

https://en.avm.de/service/knowledge-base/dok/FRITZ-Box-7530/1205_Configuring-FRITZ-Box-for-internet-access-via-an-Android-smartphone-USB-tethering/

or

https://tinyurl.com/2hns2sfk

other Fritz!Box routers have the same facilities...

Dave

[Tim+]

David Wade <g4...@dave.invalid> wrote:
> On 12/11/2023 18:28, Tim+ wrote:
>> A rather prolonged internet outage today got me thinking about ways to use
>> my mobile phone to provide internet access for the whole home. We have many
>> Wi-Fi connected devices and it’s not practical to switch them to my phone’s
>> hot spot so a way of using my 4G mobile connection with my existing router
>> (a standard Zen one) or mesh system would tick a lot of boxes.
>>
>> My Pixel 6 phone has a setting for Ethernet tethering so I think it should
>> work with a usb c to Ethernet adaptors plugged into my router.
>>
>> Example here.
>>
>> https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ethernet-Adapter-WALNEW-Converter-Thunderbolt/dp/B08YCYW623/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=2XIOWFAGUG6DZ&keywords=usb+c+ethernet+adapter&qid=1699813624&sprefix=usb+c+ethernet+adapter%2Caps%2C543&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1
>>
>> Anyone used one of these? Any pitfalls to be aware of?
>>
>> Tim
>>
>>
> If you have a standerd Zen router its likely a Fritz!Box 7530 or 7530 AX
> If it is and has the latest firmware you can just plug the phone's USB
> charger cable into the Fritz!Box and you can use it as your internet
> connection.

Ah, had to download the specs to find the USB socket! Not in an obvious
place. ;-)

>
> https://en.avm.de/service/knowledge-base/dok/FRITZ-Box-7530/1205_Configuring-FRITZ-Box-for-internet-access-via-an-Android-smartphone-USB-tethering/
>
> or
>
> https://tinyurl.com/2hns2sfk
>
> other Fritz!Box routers have the same facilities...
>
> Dave
>

Thanks for that info. Got my hopes up but USB tethering and Ethernet
tethering options on my phone remain greyed out, even when plugged into the
router. :-(

[David Wade]

Thats a bit of a pain. My Samsung S10+ offers me options to use the
connection for charging or internet when I plug it into the router....

>
> Tim
>
>

Dave

[Malcolm Loades]

On 12/11/2023 20:52, Tim+ wrote:

I've just plugged my Pixel 6 into my FritzBox! and it works!

Initially, both USB tethering and Ethernet tethering were greyed out.
Once the charger cable was plugged into both the 'phone and FritzBox!
USB tethering was no longer greyed out and could be switched on,
Ethernet tethering remained greyed but that doesn't matter.

Googling Fritzbox and ethernet tethering didn't return much in English,
only one German language link. This seemed to suggest that it needed a
special cable but that's academic since USB tethering works.

Malcolm

[Tim+]

With only a single USB C socket on the phone, how did you plug in the phone
charger or did you just mean that you just used your standard charging
cable to connect your phone and router?

I wonder if there are any router settings that need to be enabled?

[Andy Burns]

Tim+ wrote:

> Malcolm Loades wrote:
>
>> I've just plugged my Pixel 6 into my FritzBox! and it works!
>>
>> Initially, both USB tethering and Ethernet tethering were greyed out.
>> Once the charger cable was plugged into both the 'phone and FritzBox!
>> USB tethering was no longer greyed out and could be switched on,
>> Ethernet tethering remained greyed but that doesn't matter.
>

> With only a single USB C socket on the phone, how did you plug in the phone
> charger or did you just mean that you just used your standard charging
> cable to connect your phone and router?
>
> I wonder if there are any router settings that need to be enabled?

If you use a type-C USB dock (more typical for a laptop) they provide
power in and power out as well as various peripherals such as ethernet
(and VGA/HDMI/SDHC)

e.g
<https://uk.ugreen.com/collections/dock-hub/products/ugreen-7-in-1-4k-hdmi-usb-c-hub>

[Tim+]

Malcolm Loades <dev...@loades.net> wrote:

>
> I've just plugged my Pixel 6 into my FritzBox! and it works!
>
> Initially, both USB tethering and Ethernet tethering were greyed out.
> Once the charger cable was plugged into both the 'phone and FritzBox!
> USB tethering was no longer greyed out and could be switched on,
> Ethernet tethering remained greyed but that doesn't matter.

Tried another cable and it worked! Well at least I could turn USB tethering
on. Sadly no internet access via the router though. :-(

[Malcolm Loades]

Have you changed the FritzBox! settings to use mobile internet?

Malcolm

[Tim+]

Malcolm Loades <dev...@loades.net> wrote:

> I've just plugged my Pixel 6 into my FritzBox! and it works!
>
> Initially, both USB tethering and Ethernet tethering were greyed out.
> Once the charger cable was plugged into both the 'phone and FritzBox!
> USB tethering was no longer greyed out and could be switched on,
> Ethernet tethering remained greyed but that doesn't matter.
>
> Googling Fritzbox and ethernet tethering didn't return much in English,
> only one German language link. This seemed to suggest that it needed a
> special cable but that's academic since USB tethering works.
>
> Malcolm
>

Got there in the end. Woohoo!


First issue was that I was using a cheap charger cable rather than a full
USB C cable. After that I had to go into the router settings to allow it
to use mobile USB data as a fallback. Then I had to make sure that Wi-Fi
was turned off in my phone.

Having done all that it’s all working. Meanwhile OpenReach man has just
arrived to change a card in my local street cabinet so I’ll probably have
proper internet access back within the hour.

Good to know how to use a phone as a backup though.

Thanks to all those for the pointers regarding router settings etc.

[Tim+]

I have now! Thank you.

[Marco Moock]

Am 12.11.2023 um 18:28:57 Uhr schrieb Tim+:

> My Pixel 6 phone has a setting for Ethernet tethering so I think it
> should work with a usb c to Ethernet adaptors plugged into my
> router.

Tethering means your phone is the NIC and is connected via USB to your
computer.

You can't connect that adapter to it.

You can't also just bridge it because your router still announces
routes to your wired ISP and your computers will then have multiple
routes.

[Tim+]

Marco Moock <mm+use...@dorfdsl.de> wrote:
> Am 12.11.2023 um 18:28:57 Uhr schrieb Tim+:
>
>> My Pixel 6 phone has a setting for Ethernet tethering so I think it
>> should work with a usb c to Ethernet adaptors plugged into my
>> router.
>
> Tethering means your phone is the NIC and is connected via USB to your
> computer.
>
> You can't connect that adapter to it.

Well I’ll tell you when he adaptor arrives later today.

Don’t have any need for it now having discovered that my router allows me
to use my phone as a USB tethered modem.

[Peter Johnson]

Just tried this with my Asus router/Samsung Galaxy phone.
The router recognised the phone so I pulled the plug on the fibre
connection and it said it was connected to the internet but I couldn't
connect to anything in the browser or download email.
I suspect that a reboot is called for. I'll try it again another time.
I had to reboot the router before normal service was resumed.

[Tim+]

Well I can confirm that the USB C to Ethernet adaptor works just dandy
plugged into my mesh system to provide internet access from my mobile
phone. Haven’t tried it with my router yet as that might involve going
into router settings that I can’t be arsed doing now.

Using a standard USB C lead plugged into the router does seem to keep the
phone charged which the network adaptor doesn’t so to longer term use, I
think the USB lead direct to router has advantages.

Network connection did seem quicker though.

[Graham J]

Peter wrote:
>
> David Wade <g4...@dave.invalid> wrote:
>

>> If you have a standerd Zen router its likely a Fritz!Box 7530 or 7530 AX
>> If it is and has the latest firmware you can just plug the phone's USB
>> charger cable into the Fritz!Box and you can use it as your internet
>> connection.
>

> That's clever. I didn't know a modern phone emulates a 4G USB radio
> modem. The old Nokias did that (ATDT*99# and off it goes).
>
> I have for many years used Draytek routers (currently a 2960) which
> have a USB port and you just plug a standard 4G USB radio modem
> (Huawei do loads) into that. Only a specific list of USB modems will
> work with a given router - not just any.
>
> The advantage of using this is that you don't need power to it, and
> with a USB extension cable you can hang the USB modem up in a tree or
> some such if you have poor signal.

[snip]

The maximum length for a USB cable is sometimes claimed to be 25 metres,
but in reality is probably no more than 3 metres. It depends on the
cable quality.

The missing product is a 4G radio modem using Ethernet and PoE. If
combined with a router providing PoE on its Ethernet WAN port then the
modem could be placed up to 100 metres away, using Ethernet cable that
is specified for that distance, and outdoor use. If the device is in a
waterproof housing it would be suitable for outdoor use - at the top of
a tall pole, for example.

I'm aware that there are routers containing a 4G radio modem - sometimes
in waterproof housings - but that's not very useful if you need the
features of a fully fledged router (LAN-LAN VPN endpoint, monitoring,
management, etc.) such as a Draytek. Sadly this is only necessary
because 3G/4G/5G signals are only available in towns, not in properly
rural areas.

--
Graham J

[Andy Burns]

Graham J wrote:

> The missing product is a 4G radio modem using Ethernet and PoE.

They're few and far between but they do exist, e.g. Netgear LB11xx
devices feature PoE with bridge mode, not weatherproof by itself though.

[notya...@gmail.com]

On Wednesday, 15 November 2023 at 11:23:07 UTC, Graham J wrote:
> Peter wrote:
> >
> > David Wade <g4...@dave.invalid> wrote:
> >

SNIP

> > The advantage of using this is that you don't need power to it, and
> > with a USB extension cable you can hang the USB modem up in a tree or
> > some such if you have poor signal.

Outside a window in a plastic bag.

>
> [snip]
>
> The maximum length for a USB cable is sometimes claimed to be 25 metres,
> but in reality is probably no more than 3 metres. It depends on the
> cable quality.

for USB2 10m theoretically, 5m recommended. Topped out at about 7-8m from my net-book.

>
> The missing product is a 4G radio modem using Ethernet and PoE. If
> combined with a router providing PoE on its Ethernet WAN port then the
> modem could be placed up to 100 metres away, using Ethernet cable that
> is specified for that distance, and outdoor use. If the device is in a
> waterproof housing it would be suitable for outdoor use - at the top of
> a tall pole, for example.

Teltonika 4G modem has ethernet connection, not sure if it is PoE. We used this in a difficult location (railway arch) in 2018/19, with the modem near the entrance and an aerial just outside.

>
> I'm aware that there are routers containing a 4G radio modem - sometimes
> in waterproof housings - but that's not very useful if you need the
> features of a fully fledged router (LAN-LAN VPN endpoint, monitoring,
> management, etc.) such as a Draytek. Sadly this is only necessary
> because 3G/4G/5G signals are only available in towns, not in properly
> rural areas.

Many Draytek routers going back over a decade support having a 3/4/5G USB modem connection to the net - usually as a back-up.

>
> --
> Graham J

[Graham J]

notya...@gmail.com wrote:

[snip]

>
> Teltonika 4G modem has ethernet connection, not sure if it is PoE. We used this in a difficult location (railway arch) in 2018/19, with the modem near the entrance and an aerial just outside.

[snip]

Yes, I've used one. Problem is that the modem contains the SIM card,
and if this needs to be changed it's on a 10 metre pole atop a 30 metre
high barn roof, so needs a cherry picker and operator to gain access.


--
Graham J

[notya...@gmail.com]

Ah this one is / was high up so as to be near the outside aerial, but can be reached with step ladders.

Wot no pole dismount mechanism?

>
> --
> Graham J