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I think most/all networks have something like this. T-Mobile’s can be turned off at: https://www.t-mobile.com/account/profile/line-selector/advertising https:/

I think most/all networks have something like this. T-Mobile’s can be turned off at: https://www.t-mobile.com/account/profile/line-selector/advertising https://www.t-mobile.com/account/profile/line-selector/adver... But you have to turn each line off one-by-one, there’s no master switch.

kelnos 5y ago
I checked on my account, and it looks like there are only two things total to disable? Not a big deal that there's no master switch, unless there are more things for some people for some reason?
- LeoPanthera 5y ago
  Just two. T-Mobile is still the least obnoxious network.
- clusterfish 5y ago
  Usually the point of not having a master switch is to retain the ability to retire old "features" and create new almost identical "features" that you need to opt out of again (if you even notice the change). Don't know if T-Mobile specifically is doing that or will be doing that or not, but the smell is there.
sneak 5y ago
I consume mobile broadband only via a portable, battery operated wifi VPN router that speaks only Wireguard back out over the LTE. I have a Google Fi (t-mobile network) SIM in one of these: https://www.gl-inet.com/products/gl-e750/ https://www.gl-inet.com/products/gl-e750/ Fuck carrier surveillance.
- systemvoltage 5y ago
  > I have a Google Fi > Fuck carrier surveillance. How about Google surveillance? Google is one of those companies that I find insidiously evil. They have excellent PR and never get hammered on HN, but they own you, your soul and know more about you than you do. Google is completely inside you. Completely outside you. Far more scarier than Verizon. Although, fuck Verizon too.
  - judge2020 5y ago
    Google doesn’t surveil app usage or network traffic via their network services (eg. Fi and Fiber).
    - sixothree 5y ago
      Doesn't mean they don't pay for that same data.
    - systemvoltage 5y ago
      It's a switch away. I'd rather not share the same ISP as my family photos storage provider or health records (Verily) vendor. I am actively trying to do de-Google my life. It's surprisingly difficult.
      - sneak 5y ago
        You can't actually browse a functional web without loading js from Google. Trying to de-Google your life means giving up web browsing very nearly in full.
        Speenah 5y ago
        Not true, google isn't the only CDN. And you can even just have your own local one https://decentraleyes.org/ https://decentraleyes.org/
    - t-3 5y ago
      How are you sure of that? Is there actually a way to be sure of that?
    - sneak 5y ago
      T-Mobile does, and they run the physical network the Fi traffic runs over, which makes this whole "Google is/isn't as bad as T-Mobile on privacy" debate a red herring.
  - modeless 5y ago
    > They have excellent PR and never get hammered on HN You must be reading a different HN than I am.
- mkskm 5y ago
  What's the advantage of this over running WireGuard directly on your phone?
  - sneak 5y ago
    iPhones/iOS leak stuff past the VPN constantly. I am also keeping my location changes private from Apple, and the phone maintains a persistent connection to APNS at all times, leaking the client IP, and will do so even if the VPN on device goes down. There are also DNS leaks exposing the device's client IP. I also have root on the hotspot device and can block access to specific IPs or hostnames, and can run tcpdump to monitor traffic. It's pretty nice for seeing what spyware various mobile apps have embedded in them. You could also run the VPN on the phone itself, and just use the firewall on the hotspot to prevent traffic to any IP other than the VPN endpoint, closing the iOS VPN leaks, but I connect 3-4 devices to the hotspot and want VPN on all of them, so doing the VPN on the hotspot is slightly more convenient.
  - 1vuio0pswjnm7 5y ago
    One advantage is OpenWRT versus iOS/Android. User utltimately has no control over the later, whereas user can easily compile OpenWRT from source. For example, OpenWRT allows more control over DNS settings. There is no user access to /etc/hosts or /etc/resolv.conf on iOS/Android. User can easily run servers on the e750, e.g., DNS or proxies, and inspect the contents of traffic, including TLS. The e750 has fewer limitations when running servers on Android with something like Termux. Using Termux, it is difficult if not impossible to run essential programs like tcpdump. Moreover Termux is not available for iOS. iOS is intentionally "locked down" and Apple prevents users from compiling iOS from source. The e750 can accept CAT5/CAT6 Ethernet cables. Wired internet is an option. "Smartphones" are wireless-only. Corrections welcome.
    - Zak 5y ago
      > Corrections welcome. I'll point out that rooted Android is an option that grants you much more control. You can even build Android for many devices from source if you're so inclined (though perhaps not all of the drivers). Rooted Android increasingly tends to be an option best reserved for technically-sophisticated users, but compiling OpenWRT from source isn't exactly consumer-friendly.
- AareyBaba 5y ago
  Looks interesting. However, what gives you trust in this 'Mudi by GL.iNet' device and app ? Genuine question since I am in the market for a hotspot device and reviewing my options.
  - sneak 5y ago
    It runs OpenWRT.
    - deleted 5y ago
      [deleted]
    - Fnoord 5y ago
      Correct, but the hardware is from a Chinese company.
- orangepurple 5y ago
  UDP is throttled to about 100 kbps on T-Mobile. Wireguard won't work and TCP based VPNs don't work either because the carrier injects TCP RST packets to all VPN-like connections.
  - willis936 5y ago
    Sounds like it's time to get a new ISP. "We won't let you use our network unless you let us look at the traffic" is a pretty clear message to me.
  - myrandomcomment 5y ago
    On T-Mobile LTE. Just connect to VPN using NordLynx which is wireguard. Speed test show 16Mpbs down so...
    - orangepurple 5y ago
      I must clarify this because you're right. I checked with my buddy on T-Mobile that has a Wireguard VPN and it works fine. I think it has to be an MTU setting that needs to be changed. Or it could be a geographic block but I find this theory unlikely.
  - chenxiaolong 5y ago
    Is this a regional (or plan-related) thing? I have no problem hitting 200Mbps to my wireguard server at home, though I'm on one of the old Simple Choice plans (with the Binge-On throttling disabled if that matters).
  - sneak 5y ago
    It actually depends on the city. In certain parts of Chicago, what you say reflects my experience, but I haven't run into those issues in most places.

kelnos 5y ago

I checked on my account, and it looks like there are only two things total to disable? Not a big deal that there's no master switch, unless there are more things for some people for some reason?

LeoPanthera 5y ago
Just two. T-Mobile is still the least obnoxious network.
clusterfish 5y ago
Usually the point of not having a master switch is to retain the ability to retire old "features" and create new almost identical "features" that you need to opt out of again (if you even notice the change). Don't know if T-Mobile specifically is doing that or will be doing that or not, but the smell is there.

sneak 5y ago

I consume mobile broadband only via a portable, battery operated wifi VPN router that speaks only Wireguard back out over the LTE. I have a Google Fi (t-mobile network) SIM in one of these: https://www.gl-inet.com/products/gl-e750/ https://www.gl-inet.com/products/gl-e750/ Fuck carrier surveillance.

systemvoltage 5y ago
> I have a Google Fi > Fuck carrier surveillance. How about Google surveillance? Google is one of those companies that I find insidiously evil. They have excellent PR and never get hammered on HN, but they own you, your soul and know more about you than you do. Google is completely inside you. Completely outside you. Far more scarier than Verizon. Although, fuck Verizon too.
- judge2020 5y ago
  Google doesn’t surveil app usage or network traffic via their network services (eg. Fi and Fiber).
  - sixothree 5y ago
    Doesn't mean they don't pay for that same data.
  - systemvoltage 5y ago
    It's a switch away. I'd rather not share the same ISP as my family photos storage provider or health records (Verily) vendor. I am actively trying to do de-Google my life. It's surprisingly difficult.
    - sneak 5y ago
      You can't actually browse a functional web without loading js from Google. Trying to de-Google your life means giving up web browsing very nearly in full.
      - Speenah 5y ago
        Not true, google isn't the only CDN. And you can even just have your own local one https://decentraleyes.org/ https://decentraleyes.org/
  - t-3 5y ago
    How are you sure of that? Is there actually a way to be sure of that?
  - sneak 5y ago
    T-Mobile does, and they run the physical network the Fi traffic runs over, which makes this whole "Google is/isn't as bad as T-Mobile on privacy" debate a red herring.
- modeless 5y ago
  > They have excellent PR and never get hammered on HN You must be reading a different HN than I am.
mkskm 5y ago
What's the advantage of this over running WireGuard directly on your phone?
- sneak 5y ago
  iPhones/iOS leak stuff past the VPN constantly. I am also keeping my location changes private from Apple, and the phone maintains a persistent connection to APNS at all times, leaking the client IP, and will do so even if the VPN on device goes down. There are also DNS leaks exposing the device's client IP. I also have root on the hotspot device and can block access to specific IPs or hostnames, and can run tcpdump to monitor traffic. It's pretty nice for seeing what spyware various mobile apps have embedded in them. You could also run the VPN on the phone itself, and just use the firewall on the hotspot to prevent traffic to any IP other than the VPN endpoint, closing the iOS VPN leaks, but I connect 3-4 devices to the hotspot and want VPN on all of them, so doing the VPN on the hotspot is slightly more convenient.
- 1vuio0pswjnm7 5y ago
  One advantage is OpenWRT versus iOS/Android. User utltimately has no control over the later, whereas user can easily compile OpenWRT from source. For example, OpenWRT allows more control over DNS settings. There is no user access to /etc/hosts or /etc/resolv.conf on iOS/Android. User can easily run servers on the e750, e.g., DNS or proxies, and inspect the contents of traffic, including TLS. The e750 has fewer limitations when running servers on Android with something like Termux. Using Termux, it is difficult if not impossible to run essential programs like tcpdump. Moreover Termux is not available for iOS. iOS is intentionally "locked down" and Apple prevents users from compiling iOS from source. The e750 can accept CAT5/CAT6 Ethernet cables. Wired internet is an option. "Smartphones" are wireless-only. Corrections welcome.
  - Zak 5y ago
    > Corrections welcome. I'll point out that rooted Android is an option that grants you much more control. You can even build Android for many devices from source if you're so inclined (though perhaps not all of the drivers). Rooted Android increasingly tends to be an option best reserved for technically-sophisticated users, but compiling OpenWRT from source isn't exactly consumer-friendly.
AareyBaba 5y ago
Looks interesting. However, what gives you trust in this 'Mudi by GL.iNet' device and app ? Genuine question since I am in the market for a hotspot device and reviewing my options.
- sneak 5y ago
  It runs OpenWRT.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
  - Fnoord 5y ago
    Correct, but the hardware is from a Chinese company.
orangepurple 5y ago
UDP is throttled to about 100 kbps on T-Mobile. Wireguard won't work and TCP based VPNs don't work either because the carrier injects TCP RST packets to all VPN-like connections.
- willis936 5y ago
  Sounds like it's time to get a new ISP. "We won't let you use our network unless you let us look at the traffic" is a pretty clear message to me.
- myrandomcomment 5y ago
  On T-Mobile LTE. Just connect to VPN using NordLynx which is wireguard. Speed test show 16Mpbs down so...
  - orangepurple 5y ago
    I must clarify this because you're right. I checked with my buddy on T-Mobile that has a Wireguard VPN and it works fine. I think it has to be an MTU setting that needs to be changed. Or it could be a geographic block but I find this theory unlikely.
- chenxiaolong 5y ago
  Is this a regional (or plan-related) thing? I have no problem hitting 200Mbps to my wireguard server at home, though I'm on one of the old Simple Choice plans (with the Binge-On throttling disabled if that matters).
- sneak 5y ago
  It actually depends on the city. In certain parts of Chicago, what you say reflects my experience, but I haven't run into those issues in most places.