Shizuku in NetMonster: Data Straight from the Modem

NetMonster 5.1.0 adds support for Shizuku. Once you start it, NetMonster reads data straight from the modem, including all aggregated carriers, their bandwidths and 5G NSA carriers that Android often hides, and lets you adjust the network configuration of each SIM.

Android doesn't tell regular apps everything about the mobile network. Secondary cells of carrier aggregation, their bandwidths or 5G carriers in NSA mode are often missing, even though the modem knows about them. Regular apps also can't change any network settings.

NetMonster 5.1.0 adds support for Shizuku. Once you start it, NetMonster can read data straight from the modem and lets you adjust the network configuration of each SIM.

What is Shizuku

Shizuku is a free, open-source app that runs a small helper with the same rights a computer gets over USB debugging. Apps you allow can then use features that Android normally keeps for the system. On Android 11 and newer you start it right in the phone using Wireless debugging, no computer needed. On rooted phones it starts with a single tap.

Without root, Shizuku has to be started again after every reboot. You decide which apps may use it and you can take the access back at any time in the Shizuku app.

Cell data straight from the modem

With Use modem data turned on, NetMonster combines what Android reports with what the modem itself knows. On Android 11 and newer you get:

• All aggregated carriers - secondary cells of LTE carrier aggregation show up even when Android leaves them out, so you see the full combination, e.g. LTE 800 + 1800 + 2100.

• Bandwidth of every carrier - the bandwidth of the primary cell and of each secondary cell, together with the total.

• 5G NSA carriers - NR carriers used together with LTE, including several NR bands at once.

Network configuration

Under Tools → Network configuration you can adjust each SIM separately:

• Allowed networks - choose which of 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G the SIM may use

• 5G configuration - Off, NR NSA or NR NSA + SA

  • This setting is useful pro Google Pixel devices - NR SA is turned off by default countries where Google did not certify SA mode.

  • On most other devices SA is turned on by default.

• VoLTE - Calls over LTE in HD quality

• Wi-Fi calling - calls and SMS over Wi-Fi including Wi-Fi calling in roaming

• Restore carrier settings - undoes the changes made to the SIM and the carrier's own settings apply again.

Changes apply right away. Changes of 5G, VoLTE and Wi-Fi calling last until the phone restarts. A feature works only when your carrier supports it, NetMonster can't add anything the network doesn't offer.

Every modem behaves a little differently. On some phones, turning off 5G in the allowed networks also turns off 5G NSA, on others NSA keeps working as long as 4G is allowed. The same settings can lead to different results on different devices, so always try what works best on yours.