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Fix Slow MacBook Internet on Android Hotspot (Bypass Carrier Throttling: TTL & APN Settings)

#networking #mac #android #tips

Fix Slow MacBook Internet on Android Hotspot

Have you ever experienced your MacBook barely loading Google while your Android phone's internet works perfectly fine on the same hotspot?

It's not a device issue. There's a 99% chance it's due to your carrier's 'tethering data speed throttling (QoS)'. Even with unlimited data plans, carriers often throttle tethering speeds to 200-400Kbps after you've used your tethering data allowance - making your MacBook practically unusable.

Today, I'll share 2 tips to bypass carrier detection and use hotspot at full phone speed by tweaking some settings on your Mac and Android. (It's safe, don't worry!)

Method 1: Change TTL Value on Mac (Most Effective)

Carriers detect whether data is coming from your phone directly or from a connected laptop by checking the TTL (Time To Live) value. Let's disguise your Mac's traffic to look like phone traffic.

1. Open Terminal

Press Command + Space to open Spotlight and search for Terminal.

2. Check Current TTL Value (Optional)

Run this command:

sysctl net.inet.ip.ttl
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If the result is 64, your carrier can easily detect tethering.

3. Change TTL Value (Key Step)

Copy and run this command:

sudo sysctl -w net.inet.ip.ttl=65
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When prompted for Password:, enter your Mac login password (nothing will appear on screen while typing - this is normal).

How it works: Mac sends packets with TTL 65 → Phone decreases it by 1 → Carrier receives TTL 64 (normal phone data).

Note: This setting resets after reboot. Run the command again whenever you use hotspot or notice slow speeds.

Method 2: Add 'dun' to Android APN Settings

This method routes your data through the regular 'fast lane' instead of the carrier's designated 'slow tethering lane'.

How to Set Up

  1. Go to Settings > Connections > Mobile Networks > Access Point Names (APN) on your Android phone.

  2. Tap on your current carrier's APN (the one with the blue indicator).

  3. Scroll down to find APN Type.

  4. Add ,dun to the end of existing text (no spaces, just comma).

    • Example: default,supl → default,supl,dun

  5. Tap the three dots in the upper right corner and select Save.

Tip: If your data stops working completely after saving, your carrier has blocked this method. Simply remove the dun you added.

After Applying Settings (Important!)

Refresh the network connection on each device for changes to take effect:

  • Android: Turn on Airplane Mode, wait 10 seconds, then turn it off. (Rebooting also works)
  • Mac: Don't reboot (TTL will reset). Just turn Wi-Fi off and on, then reconnect to the hotspot.

Now try a Google search. You should notice the frustrating loading times are gone!

Summary

Method Command/Setting Notes
Mac TTL Change sudo sysctl -w net.inet.ip.ttl=65 Highly recommended
Android APN Add ,dun to APN Type May be blocked by some carriers
After Setup Phone: Airplane Mode ON/OFF, Mac: Reconnect Wi-Fi Don't reboot Mac

Give this a try if you're traveling abroad or if your tethering suddenly got slow after changing data plans!

Originally published at https://dss99911.github.io

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