Documentation

Contents

Disclaimer

Getting Started

• Quick Start
• Step-by-Step Guide
• Usage Tips

About Klink

• What is Klink?
• What do you need?

Frequently Asked Questions

Disclaimer

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR ``AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

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Getting Started

Quick Start

See the Step-by-Step Guide for more details and images.

First time users:

• Go here for instructions on installing Klink software on your computer.
• A handful of users may also wish to enable "Stay awake," which is on the same settings screen as "USB debugging" that is accessible from the home screen by pressing the Menu Key, then choosing "Settings", "Applications", and "Development". This is generally needed only when using the Wifi radio on the phone for data instead of the cell connection, as it keeps the phone from going to sleep and disabling the radio. Most people should NOT enable this, since leaving the screen on draws more power.

Steps:

1. Connect your phone to your computer with a USB cable.
2. Run Klink on your phone, and press the "Start" button.
3. Run Klink on your computer, and click the "Start" button.
4. Within a few seconds, your computer will negotiate a network address and will be online.
5. Please see Usage Tips below.

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Step-by-Step Guide

1. Run Klink on your phone. [images]

   [hide]

2. First-time Klink users:

   • Configure your Computer by installing Klink's companion software.
   • Enable "USB debugging" on your phone by enabling the option in the settings list that is accessible through the corresponding hint text above Klink's "Start" button. Follow any on-screen directions to navigate toward the option. [details]

     Current Android phones will take you directly to a "Development" settings page in which you can enable "USB debugging."

     Older devices will take you to an "Application settings" page in which you must first choose "Development" before seeing the "USB debugging" option.

     After enabling "USB debugging", use the phone's back button to return to Klink. Alternatively, restart the application.

     [hide]

3. Connect your phone to your computer with the USB cable. [details]

   • Find a USB cable that fits your phone and can connect to your computer.

     Your phone should come with the appropriate cable. If you cannot find it or need another, you can readily find one at an electronics store or online for around $5:

     • AmazonBasics USB 2.0 A-Male to Mini-B Cable (6 Feet / 1.8 Meters)
     • AmazonBasics USB Cable - 2.0 A Male to Micro B (6 Feet / 1.8 Meters)

     Be sure to purchase a cable with the appropriate connector, since Android phones may have either a Mini or Micro USB connector.

   • The USB connector on your phone is typically the charging port and is identified with the USB symbol:

     
     
     

     The other end of the cable should connect to any free USB port on your computer.

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4. Press Klink's "Start" button. You will see an indicator in the notification bar when Klink is active. [images]

   Pull-down notification message:

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5. Run Klink on your computer, which should detect your phone and present a "Start" button that you can click to begin tethering. [details]

   Windows (XP/Vista/7) [details]

   1. Start Klink via the Windows Start button and the "All Programs" menu.

   2. If your phone is not connected to your PC, Klink will display the following. Notice the crossed-out graphic referenced by the red arrow.

      See the FAQ if Windows cannot detect your device; you may need to install device-specific drivers if that was not done during Klink's initial configuration.

   3. Klink should detect your phone soon after it is connected via USB. Notice the white status graphic that is displayed when everything is ready. To begin tethering, press the "Start" button.

   4. After starting, the status graphic will become colored, and Windows should begin establishing a network connection.

      The negotiation process should take a few seconds, during which you will see an animation in the system tray where the Windows clock is located.

      TIP:If desired, you may click Klink's "Hide Window" button to minimize everything to the system tray. Right-clicking the icon will bring up a menu with common actions.

      
      

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   Mac OS X (10.5 and later) [details]

   1. Start Klink via your Application menu.

   2. If your phone is not connected to your Mac, Klink will display the following. Notice the crossed-out graphic referenced by the red arrow.

   3. Klink should detect your phone soon after it is connected via USB. Notice the white status graphic that is displayed when everything is ready. To begin tethering, press the "Start" button.

   4. After starting, the status graphic will become colored, and OS X should begin establishing a network connection. After a few seconds, you should be online and free to use the Internet application of your choice.

      TIP:Klink places an icon in the notification bar where the clock is located. Its color will change to reflect Klink's current status, and clicking on it will reveal a menu with common actions like Start and Stop.

   [hide]

   Ubuntu (10.04 and later) [details]

   NOTE: At the moment, Klink for Ubuntu requires a minimal amount of terminal use.

   NOTE: Additional documentation is located in: /usr/share/doc/klink/README.gz

   NOTE: The binary only depends on libc6, so it will likely work on recent Linux variants.

   1. Open a terminal and run klink:

      $ klink

   2. Klink should detect your phone soon after it is connected via USB, and it will instruct you to bring up the tap interface:

      INFO: Detecting devices
      INFO: Detected device: M9002*****4e
      INFO: Status: Ready for connection
      INFO: Status: Starting connection
      INFO: ******************************************************
      INFO: *** TAP device "tap0" is enabled.                  ***
      INFO: *** Please run "sudo dhclient tap0" to get online. ***
      INFO: ******************************************************
      INFO: Status: Connection active
      

   3. Your computer should be online once the tap device is configured.

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6. Your phone will negotiate with your computer and will display a notification once tethering has begun. [images]

   Pull-down notification message:

   [hide]

   In a few seconds, your computer will acquire a network address and should be online as long as your phone has a data connection. Feel free to use your phone while tethering or to shut off the screen to conserve power. Klink will safely run in the background when active and connected.

7. When finished, close Klink on your computer. Then, press the "Stop" button within Klink on your phone to disable the background service. The notification indicator will disappear to indicate completion.

8. Please see Usage Tips below.

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Usage Tips

• Be sure to hit the "Stop" button in the phone app after using Klink. This will turn off Klink's notification icon on your phone and stop Klink from running in the background.
• A handful of phones are temperamental when detecting USB connections and may require a restart before being detected by your computer.
• Don't forget to exempt Klink from any task killers so that it can run without unexpected interruptions.
• Certain carriers do not support the simultaneous use of data and voice, and you may lose data connectivity upon receiving or initiating a phone call. (You are generally safe if your phone uses a SIM card.)
• Many users will want to enable "Override User Agent" in the phone app's settings page to use the mobile or tablet version of websites, as carriers are beginning to restrict non-phone browsers. Note that mobile websites are not always compatible with Internet Explorer 6.x (that comes with XP), so use of Firefox or Google Chrome is encouraged.
• Windows users should also disable automatic Windows Updates (set to manual update) via the Windows "Control Panel" ("Systems" section under Vista/7). To minimize extraneous traffic going over the network.
• Internet Connection Sharing users must turn off "Emulate Internet Check" in the Windows Compatibility setting page of the Klink phone app if client machines run a Microsoft Operating System (e.g., XBox or Windows).

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About Klink

What is Klink?

Klink allows you to share your Android device's Internet connection with a PC. With it, a computer can access the Internet anywhere that an Android phone can, using an existing data plan. It does not require additional tethering options or fees to function. Unlike some approaches, Klink also does not require "rooting" or hacking of the device. Because of this, it does not void any phone warranties and can be uninstalled like any other app.

Most PC Internet applications will work with Klink. Web browsers, most chat programs, many games, data transfer utilities, and more will function transparently. For the techie-minded, Klink supports TCP/IP and UDP, which covers most all popular applications; note that some VPN protocols will not work. (See the FAQ for more info.)

Klink is also very efficient. Its networking code is written in C for performance. It can send and receive data at 4G speeds and can handle hundreds of ongoing connections to tackle the most demanding applications. If you have 3G or 4G service, you can experience broadband speeds on your computer wirelessly!

Since Klink does not require rooting of your phone, it only supports connections via USB cable and requires the use of a small companion application on your computer to facilitate communication. Unfortunately, Wifi tethering is not currently possible on any unmodified Android platform. However, you will find superior battery life and comparable or better speeds when using USB.

NOTE: Data and plan limitations still apply, so please check the terms your plan before using Klink. For example, some types of applications can generate large amounts of traffic that can quickly exceed monthly quotas. It would then be wise to be judicious with use and monitor the regularly updated data usage information provided online by the carrier. Faveset LLC is not responsible for the use of Klink.

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What do you need?

• Android phone with Klink
• USB cable for connecting your phone to your computer
• Computer running Windows XP/Vista/7, Mac OS X 10.5 (and later), or Ubuntu 10.04 (and later).

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