Using Little Snitch To Stop Data Plan Overages While Tethering

It’s happened to me once or twice before, I tether my phone to my computer and the next thing I know I’m paying $50.00 in overage charges on my next bill.

Checking some emails while on the road shouldn’t cost me a small fortune. But, when a bunch of apps and services begin falling over one another to reach the web and begin downloading and updating files, I know I’m in trouble.

It usually happens quicker than I realize, and every single time it eats into my data plan.

David Sparks just posted a link to a tutorial that solves the problem using Little Snitch. The app helps keep your overage costs down while tethering your phone on an LTE network by blocking access to certain services when you tether.

Long story, short: set up a couple network locations and narrow in on what services you want to block while in those particular situations.

It’s pretty genius. I’ve used Little Snitch in the past, but never to the extent demonstrated in the tutorials. It’s worth reading, and then reinstalling Little Snitch.

“…let us begin and create in idea a State; and yet the true creator is necessity, who is the mother of our invention.” — Plato.

Read Using Little Snitch to lower your LTE bill over on Practically Efficient.

Joshua is the Content Marketing Manager at BuySellAds. He’s also the founder of Macgasm.net. And since all that doesn’t quite give him enough content to wrangle, he’s also a technology journalist in his spare time, with bylines at PCWorld, Macworld and TechHive.