POSTED IN ANY QUESTION THREAD - CAN DELETE THIS AND PLEASE REPLY TO MY Q THERE THANKS - SAME Q JUST FIGURED EASIER TO POST IT THERE
Have a stock non-unlocked (no unlock) at&t phone with 4.2 android.
Could I use the 4.3 "no-knox" modem.bin I see in these forums that's for t-mobile and just ODIN it over top of the at&t 4.2 modem (mdl modem for at&t that came on the phone when it was purchased) and then use CWM to install a t-mobile rom and have the phone work under t-mobile?
drtechnology said:
POSTED IN ANY QUESTION THREAD - CAN DELETE THIS AND PLEASE REPLY TO MY Q THERE THANKS - SAME Q JUST FIGURED EASIER TO POST IT THERE
Have a stock non-unlocked (no unlock) at&t phone with 4.2 android.
Could I use the 4.3 "no-knox" modem.bin I see in these forums that's for t-mobile and just ODIN it over top of the at&t 4.2 modem (mdl modem for at&t that came on the phone when it was purchased) and then use CWM to install a t-mobile rom and have the phone work under t-mobile?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just because someone else is going to find this thread and start getting ideas...
NO!!!!
No one should EVER do this. Never flash a modem that was not SPECIFICALLY made for your SPECIFIC device.
Skipjacks said:
Just because someone else is going to find this thread and start getting ideas...
NO!!!!
No one should EVER do this. Never flash a modem that was not SPECIFICALLY made for your SPECIFIC device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok so tell me please what you mean? Do you mean specific device hardware or ???
Because the only difference I see in the 2 phones, At&t S4 and T-Mobile S4 is all in the software for modem and rom. They are 100% identicle in hardware, even being factory set for bands both carriers use. I would never attempt this on Verizon or Sprint S$'s lol - but I am cinfused other than a different modem bin file and different rom, and different model number since its 2 diff companies, what is the difference?
I am confused.
If I cannot do what I noted, then how does one use an at&t phone on a t-mobile network? I am great at flashing modems, roms, recoveries - but my 1st time switching carriers on an exact same model phone. The phone itself is same model far as samsung makes it - only changes to different model when its branded at&t ot t-mobile and uses that companies rom and mode,m files. But isnt the hardware the exact same both places and couldn't the rom and modem files be swapped to allow it to work on the other one's system?
Please help what I need to do - if I cannot do what I asked about then what?
re: tmobile-att
drtechnology said:
Ok so tell me please what you mean? Do you mean specific device hardware or ???
Because the only difference I see in the 2 phones, At&t S4 and T-Mobile S4 is all in the software for modem and rom. They are 100% identicle in hardware, even being factory set for bands both carriers use. I would never attempt this on Verizon or Sprint S$'s lol - but I am cinfused other than a different modem bin file and different rom, and different model number since its 2 diff companies, what is the difference?
I am confused.
If I cannot do what I noted, then how does one use an at&t phone on a t-mobile network? I am great at flashing modems, roms, recoveries - but my 1st time switching carriers on an exact same model phone. The phone itself is same model far as samsung makes it - only changes to different model when its branded at&t ot t-mobile and uses that companies rom and mode,m files. But isnt the hardware the exact same both places and couldn't the rom and modem files be swapped to allow it to work on the other one's system?
Please help what I need to do - if I cannot do what I asked about then what?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If the two phones ATT i337 and Tmobile M919 were as identical as you say they are and even use the same bands then
why is the gsm baseband (modem.bin) and the lte modem (non-hlos.bin) different enough not to be interchangeable?
Not even the STOCK 4.3 firmware or any of the zipfile custom roms here in xda are not identical enough
so we would not need to have two different and separate forums for these two phones.
First thing you need to do is to get your phone on the Tmobile network is to unlock it or have it unlocked.
Then you need to get a tmobile sim card and root the phone if it's not already rooted.
You will also need to flash cf-autoroot to root the phone and then flash a custom recovery like cwm or twrp.
Then last but not least you will need to flash a Tmobile custom rom from the Tmobile M919 forum.
None of the custom roms found here in xda contain modem.bin or hlos-bin images.
Those you already have in your phone will work fine even though they are NOT identical.
The two .bin images are setup so the two networks can establish GSM and LTE communications
between your phone and their towers using different bands and different frequencies.
Good luck.
Misterjunky said:
If the two phones ATT i337 and Tmobile M919 were as identical as you say they are and even use the same bands then
why is the gsm baseband (modem.bin) and the lte modem (non-hlos.bin) different enough not to be interchangeable?
Not even the STOCK 4.3 firmware or any of the zipfile custom roms here in xda are not identical enough
so we would not need to have two different and separate forums for these two phones.
First thing you need to do is to get your phone on the Tmobile network is to unlock it or have it unlocked.
Then you need to get a tmobile sim card and root the phone if it's not already rooted.
You will also need to flash cf-autoroot to root the phone and then flash a custom recovery like cwm or twrp.
Then last but not least you will need to flash a Tmobile custom rom from the Tmobile M919 forum.
None of the custom roms found here in xda contain modem.bin or hlos-bin images.
Those you already have in your phone will work fine even though they are NOT identical.
The two .bin images are setup so the two networks can establish GSM and LTE communications
between your phone and their towers using different bands and different frequencies.
Good luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks Got her phone working ok. So the key was if unlocked, the at&t phone will work on t-mobile even with an at&t modem file on it I knew the 2 companies could be used on the other's network just did not know the modem file works both ways if unlocked. I assumed the hardware is the same on both phones so just flash a tmobile modem lol - I learned I was wrong thanks for ur help. Years of rooting and never had an issue with using one carrier on another carrier's network, was my 1st time
Thanks a lot for your help. Its working great now!
So I have am using already a T-Mobile S4 (m919) on At&t's network... I have already rooted it, flashed Hyperdrive, entered the correct APN, and it works basically well...
Here is what I am wondering, my signal strength seems to be not the best and it makes me wonder, is there a modem, baseband I can flash on the T-mobile version of the S4 that could possibly help it work better on the At&t network... and do so with out making my S4 a paper weight?
abovenbeyond said:
So I have am using already a T-Mobile S4 (m919) on At&t's network... I have already rooted it, flashed Hyperdrive, entered the correct APN, and it works basically well...
Here is what I am wondering, my signal strength seems to be not the best and it makes me wonder, is there a modem, baseband I can flash on the T-mobile version of the S4 that could possibly help it work better on the At&t network... and do so with out making my S4 a paper weight?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any M919 modem. MKL is the newest.
abovenbeyond said:
So I have am using already a T-Mobile S4 (m919) on At&t's network... I have already rooted it, flashed Hyperdrive, entered the correct APN, and it works basically well...
Here is what I am wondering, my signal strength seems to be not the best and it makes me wonder, is there a modem, baseband I can flash on the T-mobile version of the S4 that could possibly help it work better on the At&t network... and do so with out making my S4 a paper weight?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad someone asked that. I looked for a few hours last night and came up empty(been working an off shift so I might have missed it). I am on 4.2.2 MDL and signal is definitely much weaker than my Active on 4.3 . Has anyone compared modems to see which are better?
pahick said:
Glad someone asked that. I looked for a few hours last night and came up empty(been working an off shift so I might have missed it). I am on 4.2.2 MDL and signal is definitely much weaker than my Active on 4.3 . Has anyone compared modems to see which are better?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can provide anecdotal evidence but nothing real...
MK2 is better.
Also, as for which modem to flash; T-Mobile's MK2 would be the one to flash. I've read you can flash other carrier's modems as long as they are the same version, i.e. AT&T MK2 or T-Mobile MK2... but that just doesn't make sense to me and I wouldn't recommend it. The modem you flash is independent of who your carrier is; you go by what brand of phone you have. If you have the M919 then you flash T-Mobile firmwares/modems/etc regardless of which carrier your bill comes from.
abovenbeyond said:
Here is what I am wondering, my signal strength seems to be not the best and it makes me wonder, is there a modem, baseband I can flash on the T-mobile version of the S4 that could possibly help it work better on the At&t network... and do so with out making my S4 a paper weight?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've encountered the same thing with my M919. Switching between Android 4.3 and 4.4.2 modem.bin files made no difference.
I did notice that when I changed my network preference from 3G/2G to 2G-only, I gained about 10 dBa when the handset fell back to GSM-EDGE mode. It made a big difference. I verified that AT&T only uses band II (1900MHz) for GSM and UMTS in my county, so it wasn't because I switched to band V (850MHz) which seems to have better range. What I find annoying is that the handset isn't dropping down to 2G automatically when reception is poor. It'll stick with 3G even when the signal strength is as low as -107 dBa.
No LTE at the moment since my AT&T MNVO doesn't support it.
I'm thinking of buying an M919, carrier unlocked, to use on ATT, so that I can get a proper recovery and have full access to custom ROMs without the safestrap limitations.
Is it safe to say that:
1. If I buy a T-Mobile S4, and it comes carrier unlocked, it will work fine on the ATT network, including 4G / LTE? Lots of data points suggest this but I haven't heard it explicitly stated...
2. Though I could use the phone as identified as an M919, I really want Play Store to see it as an I337 (ATT version), so I can install some ATT specific apps. Is there any problem flashing a build.prop (available in the ATT threads) with the ATT identifiers & APN info, to enable this?
3. Are there any gotchas I should be aware of? Basically, I just want a phone with unlocked bootloader / kernel so I can play. Not too worried about Knox/warranty.
Any insights would be appreciated!
Marc
Frankenscript said:
I'm thinking of buying an M919, carrier unlocked, to use on ATT, so that I can get a proper recovery and have full access to custom ROMs without the safestrap limitations.
Is it safe to say that:
1. If I buy a T-Mobile S4, and it comes carrier unlocked, it will work fine on the ATT network, including 4G / LTE? Lots of data points suggest this but I haven't heard it explicitly stated...
2. Though I could use the phone as identified as an M919, I really want Play Store to see it as an I337 (ATT version), so I can install some ATT specific apps. Is there any problem flashing a build.prop (available in the ATT threads) with the ATT identifiers & APN info, to enable this?
3. Are there any gotchas I should be aware of? Basically, I just want a phone with unlocked bootloader / kernel so I can play. Not too worried about Knox/warranty.
Any insights would be appreciated!
Marc
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Will the T-Mobile S4 work on the AT&T network; yes it will work if it's carrier unlocked. I purchased my M919 full price out of contract while I was still on AT&T service. Once I carrier-unlocked I was able to pick up AT&T's 4G/LTE and was even able to make use of the AT&T 3G Microcell device which transmits a 3G cell signal and runs over your WiFi. I now have Net10 Wireless with an AT&T SIM card and I still get 4G/LTE when it's around.
Your second question: I do believe that's all that would be required. I'm not 100% sure if just modifying the build.prop would allow you to use the AT&T-specific apps in the Play Store. I never used them to begin with so I never explored whether or not I could make them work on the T-Mobile firmware. Now, I know this involves more than just a build.prop edit, but a 100% sure way to get AT&T Apps working would be to flash a custom ROM based on AT&T firmware. Being that you have a T-Mobile device and are using it on another carrier's network, always remember; when it comes to Odin especially, flash things meant for the T-Mobile M919 ONLY. It doesn't matter that you use AT&T service, your device needs T-Mobile Modems/stock firmwares/etc.
As far as gotchas... not that I can think of. The M919 has an unlocked bootloader and even with KNOX is very easy to root and use custom ROMS on. If you're not concerned with KNOX then you really don't have to take into consideration any special rooting method, no safestrap junk, etc. Without root, just flash a recovery in Odin and flash away.
I know this thread is a bit old, but the situation is very relevant to me. I just won a S4 M919 on eBay which will be delivered tomorrow. T-mobile has agreed to send me an unlock code. My motivation is to install TWRP recovery which I can't do on the i337. I intend to activate it on Cricket (AT&T network). Is it still true that I should stick with firmware, ROMs, and modems designed for the M919? I don't care about AT&T or T-mobile apps so that's not an issue. Basically, I want the best data rates available. Any gotchas that I need to be aware of?
flroots said:
I know this thread is a bit old, but the situation is very relevant to me. I just won a S4 M919 on eBay which will be delivered tomorrow. T-mobile has agreed to send me an unlock code. My motivation is to install TWRP recovery which I can't do on the i337. I intend to activate it on Cricket (AT&T network). Is it still true that I should stick with firmware, ROMs, and modems designed for the M919? I don't care about AT&T or T-mobile apps so that's not an issue. Basically, I want the best data rates available. Any gotchas that I need to be aware of?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@flroots
Basically, you're best off bringing the phone to current M919 stock through ODIN. Is that NK2 or has there been a more recent version? I've lost track. But do the entire phone, and in fact as you will see from some threads it is often necessary to flash it twice in succession to get everything to stick. This will bring you to the latest modem. Remember, the modem is two parts: the modem.bin (also known as the gsm modem, which isn't specifically dependent on the bootloader version you have) and the LTE modem (non-hlos.bin, which is dependent on the firmware version, and bad things happen if you mismatch).
Since your phone is out of warranty, there's no downside to going to the latest, even if the phone arrives with 4.2.2 firmware (pre-knox). Tripping the knox bit is only a problem if you would be sending the phone in for warranty service.
I've got the M919 and am using it on ATT, with no problems. I've got the pre-knox firmware (MDL), and will be updating to the latest next time I flash.
Here is an old, but still relevant, thread about my experiences with M919 on ATT.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4-tmobile/help/using-t-mobile-m919-att-network-t2880349
You will have to configure your APN to match your Cricket service. Sorry, can't help you with those settings but I'm sure they are on XDA somewhere!
Marc
Frankenscript said:
@flroots
Basically, you're best off bringing the phone to current M919 stock through ODIN. Is that NK2 or has there been a more recent version? I've lost track. But do the entire phone, and in fact as you will see from some threads it is often necessary to flash it twice in succession to get everything to stick. This will bring you to the latest modem. Remember, the modem is two parts: the modem.bin (also known as the gsm modem, which isn't specifically dependent on the bootloader version you have) and the LTE modem (non-hlos.bin, which is dependent on the firmware version, and bad things happen if you mismatch).
Since your phone is out of warranty, there's no downside to going to the latest, even if the phone arrives with 4.2.2 firmware (pre-knox). Tripping the knox bit is only a problem if you would be sending the phone in for warranty service.
I've got the M919 and am using it on ATT, with no problems. I've got the pre-knox firmware (MDL), and will be updating to the latest next time I flash.
Here is an old, but still relevant, thread about my experiences with M919 on ATT.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4-tmobile/help/using-t-mobile-m919-att-network-t2880349
You will have to configure your APN to match your Cricket service. Sorry, can't help you with those settings but I'm sure they are on XDA somewhere!
Marc
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks a lot for that update. As I understand it, the current firmware is NB4 according to this site:
http://galaxys4root.com/galaxy-s4-stock-firmware/
Not sure what your reference to NK2 is? That doesn't seem to correspond to either 4.2.2 nor 4.4.2? I'm currently on Cricket with a S4 I337 and hope to move the SIM over as soon as my M919 arrives tomorrow.
I believe after NB4 there was NH7 then NK2. Check the firmware thread in the general section for details / links.
Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk
@flroots
How did this work out for you? I want to do the same thing you said you where going to do.
flroots said:
I know this thread is a bit old, but the situation is very relevant to me. I just won a S4 M919 on eBay which will be delivered tomorrow. T-mobile has agreed to send me an unlock code. My motivation is to install TWRP recovery which I can't do on the i337. I intend to activate it on Cricket (AT&T network). Is it still true that I should stick with firmware, ROMs, and modems designed for the M919? I don't care about AT&T or T-mobile apps so that's not an issue. Basically, I want the best data rates available. Any gotchas that I need to be aware of?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Robert417919 said:
@flroots
How did this work out for you? I want to do the same thing you said you where going to do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Robert417919,
I use my SGH-M919 on an AT&T network also. I use the OK3 modem firmware and it seems to work great here. Although I am in Alaska, so top speeds of LTE are only about 6 Mbps where I live. Usually I can only get about 3 Mbps due to the lack of coverage around here.
You can either update to the latest OH3 firmware on your phone, or if you have an old model, with the MDL bootloader, you could also use this guide by lordodin912:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4-tmobile/general/foh3-modem-bin-mdl-bootloader-t3191094
Also, if you are looking for good roms, you can always check out SlimLP:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4-tmobile/development/rom-slimlp-jfltetmo-t3377731
Or Resurrection Remix:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/gal...ent/rom-resurrection-lollipop-v5-4-5-t3115155
Hope that helps!
Thanks, this does help out, and another quick question. Are you able to use wifi calling?
AlaskaLinuxUser said:
Robert417919,
I use my SGH-M919 on an AT&T network also. I use the OK3 modem firmware and it seems to work great here. Although I am in Alaska, so top speeds of LTE are only about 6 Mbps where I live. Usually I can only get about 3 Mbps due to the lack of coverage around here.
You can either update to the latest OH3 firmware on your phone, or if you have an old model, with the MDL bootloader, you could also use this guide by lordodin912:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4-tmobile/general/foh3-modem-bin-mdl-bootloader-t3191094
Also, if you are looking for good roms, you can always check out SlimLP:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4-tmobile/development/rom-slimlp-jfltetmo-t3377731
Or Resurrection Remix:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/gal...ent/rom-resurrection-lollipop-v5-4-5-t3115155
Hope that helps!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Robert417919 said:
Thanks, this does help out, and another quick question. Are you able to use wifi calling?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad to help, and no, unfortunately not.
-AlaskaLinuxUser
https://thealaskalinuxuser.wordpress.com
I would like to install a T-Mobile Rom or at least the flash the modem files on a Verizon S4. I switched it to T-Mobile prepaid and I feel it would have better service if I did that. Is this possible? I tried flashing basebands and a rom (i don't remember which one) and it didn't work.
You won't get better service. Only thing you can do is update modem for YOUR device, and make sure you have correct apn. Flashing rom is possible I believe but don't know the procedure, try searching the verizon forums
If flashing a T-Mobile rom won't help then I won't even bother. So updating the modem for my device may help reception for another carrier even though the baseband is for Verizon? Unless my understanding of modem/baseband is wrong. I thought that was what told the phone how to communicate with that particular carrier.
It may to some extent, but modems are not interchangeable with these devices
I've been seeing many other threads being created about this sort of topic and none of them really came to be useful in my sort of situation. I'm in a need of seeking help from anyone that could help me domestically (not internationally) perm. unlock my S4 without anything coming out of my pocket. The thing is, the S4 is locked towards MetroPCS and i'm unsure if T-Mobile will let me since both company's are considered to be one, but the phone is originally from Metro and not them, so I doubt they'll do it, I also doubt MetroPCS will let me either since I haven't had service directly with them for over a year, and this phone is extremely old. Any advice will be appreciated.
Which ROM is on the phone?
The only free method that may work would be to replace the phone's current modem to the 4.2.2 modem, root, run regionlockaway, flash back to the phone's current modem.
audit13 said:
Which ROM is on the phone?
The only free method that may work would be to replace the phone's current modem to the 4.2.2 modem, root, run regionlockaway, flash back to the phone's current modem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That seems useful actually, will try as soon as possible. Also i'm on the stock 4.4.4 ROM, so things should run more better. Thanks for the help
Edit: I haven't had any luck to grab the 4.2.2 modem and fw from any other providers. Do you know anywhere I could get the modem off of? Thanks
I always flash global image instead of Verizon due to bloat ware and stuff.. I did have a question would it be worth grabbing the Verizon radio images and flashing them as I'm on the Verizon network? Also do you flash them with adb or is there another method? So used to having TWRP.. Much appreciated.
I never flash the VZW image......but you can certainly try the radio as you suggest. Normally, I never see any difference, but curious if others see some....the radio is different in the current VZW image.
You would do "fastboot flash radio radio_imagefile_here"
stalls said:
I always flash global image instead of Verizon due to bloat ware and stuff.. I did have a question would it be worth grabbing the Verizon radio images and flashing them as I'm on the Verizon network? Also do you flash them with adb or is there another method? So used to having TWRP.. Much appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What bloatware (and stuff) are you referring to regarding the VZW image?
stalls said:
I always flash global image instead of Verizon due to bloat ware and stuff.. I did have a question would it be worth grabbing the Verizon radio images and flashing them as I'm on the Verizon network? Also do you flash them with adb or is there another method? So used to having TWRP.. Much appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Verizon firmware isn't a "Verizon owned" firmware, it's just a variant that Google has released because when Google sent out the "global" firmware for testing Verizon reported issues with it, and it was too late to incorporate the fixes and send out another firmware to all carriers for testing.
The variants in firmwares have nothing changed in them other than the radio/modem/network files and maybe app versions if the variant had to be built at a later date and picked up a new app version in the build process. The firmwares are exactly the same. They don't come with any additional bloatware, because Verizon's networking specific apps are actually already included in the base firmware and are enabled/disabled on the presence of a Verizon SIM. The bloatware you are delivered is when setting up the phone and the setup wizard will offer the carrier bloatware to be installed depending on the carrier of the SIM.
Run the firmware designated for your carrier. You might have service issues if you don't, but it will run almost the same.
I ran the Verizon variant on my phone with T-Mobile and I got service just fine, however it appears that Verizon wanted the scaling for network strength to be changed because it reported 0 bars even though I had service. It also wanted to try really hard to latch onto mmWave, so it appears that Verizon wanted that and potentially more changed.
Just run the online flash tool from Google to get updated, or follow the tutorial threads in the help section.
cmh714 said:
I never flash the VZW image......but you can certainly try the radio as you suggest. Normally, I never see any difference, but curious if others see some....the radio is different in the current VZW image.
You would do "fastboot flash radio radio_imagefile_here"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You'll have to flash more. There's also the modem inside the image and there are also APNs and other files for networks on the system image or vendor image too, so it's really just best to take the whole firmware.
Ok so I should just flash over the global and so as usual then right?
stalls said:
Ok so I should just flash over the global and so as usual then right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You mean flash the Verizon firmware over the global firmware you already have on your phone? Yes, it will be fine. You don't need to wipe the phone.