iPhone Tethering

Wi-Fi is a terminology used for wireless Internet connectivity. Wi-Fi Hotspots enable you to connect your devices to the Internet. You can set up a Wi-Fi Hotspot anywhere based on the connectivity and other parameters such as interference and range.

With more and more mobile devices making use of Internet connection for browsing and video calling, there is a need for sufficient connectivity options. Wi-Fi Hotspots have been put up in many shopping centers and cities to enable users to connect to the Internet with ease.

Although the penetration of Wi-Fi Hotspots has been on the increase over the years, the number of Hotspots available in rural and remote areas is very less. If you are an iPhone user, you can use tethering to make use of your iPhone as a Wi-Fi Hotspot. In order to make use of your iPhone as a Hotspot, you have to enable this feature and sign up for a data plan that supports tethering.

iPhone Wi-Fi Tethering

You can enable Wi-Fi tethering on your iPhone by following these step by step instructions:

1. Tap on the Settings option
2. Select General option
3. Select Network option
4. Tap Personal Hotspot option
5. Tap on the Wi-Fi Password Option on the screen. Enable this to prevent illicit usage of your Internet bandwidth.
6. Type a password and tap Done
7. Slide the Personal Hotspot option to ON from OFF

You have successfully enabled tethering on your iPhone. You can now search for Wi-Fi Hotspots from you’re your other devices. Your iPhone’s name will be the name of your Wi-Fi Hotspot. Select that Hotspot to connect your device to Internet.

You have to ensure that you have a data plan that supports tethering. Contact your service provider to know if they support tethering. There are many providers who do not allow users to use this option on some data plans.

These days, most people are found to be always online on the internet and they use it almost all the time. If a situation arises, wherein the user cannot access internet due to the non availability of Ethernet cable connections or WiFi, they tend to become more exhausted. Tethering to a cell phone will help them to stay connected on the internet anytime. If they use iPhone, here is the method to tether iPhone to a laptop.

Procedure to tether iPhone to Laptop

Turn on Tethering option

• Select “Settings” from the iPhone’s home screen.
• Then tap “General>Network>Internet Tethering.
• Turn on the tethering option by touching the “Internet Tethering” option.
• Go back to home screen by pressing the “Home” button.

Tethering to a Laptop

• Connect the iPhone to your laptop using bluetooth option or a USB cable.
• If you get a prompt to restart the laptop, do as said, if not continue the process.
• Wait for sometime till your laptop communicates with the iPhone. The network icon present in the lower right side of your laptop screen should now show an indication that a network connection is being established.
• Once the connection is established, you will see “Internet Tethering” option at the top of your iPhone screen. This means your iPhone has been tethered to your Laptop.

Tethering to a MAC Laptop

• Connect the iPhone to the Mac Laptop using a USB cable or bluetooth option.
• If prompted, restart your computer, and if not, continue the process.
• “New Interface Detected” window will open up. Click on the “OK” button.
• Then click on “Apply” option present on the network window that displays automatically.
• “Internet Tethering” option seen at the top of the iPhone screen goes to prove that the connection is established and your Mac laptop is tethered to the iPhone.

If you are not using “Internet Tethering”, it should be turned off to avoid data being used by accident or to avoid exceeding the limitation of the data usage.

Apple’s iPhone is pretty famous among a vast range of people. This Smartphone has a 5.0 megapixel camera and also has 16GB or 32GB memory storage according to the claim of the company. It also allows you to connect it to a Windows PC in-order to enable the usage of Internet with a built in system called  “Tethering”. Tethering process is quite simple and once you have tethered your iPhone with your Windows PC, you will be able to connect to the internet and browse with ease. If you are  internet savvy, and if your default internet connection doesn’t work regularly and thus bothers you a lot then all you need is to activate “Internet Tethering” option on your Apple iPhone. The only method which was used previously was to jailbreak the iPhone to tether it. But now, there is no need for it, since iOS 4 has an option to tether iPhone.

Procedure for iPhone Tethering on Windows

• First, press the “Home” button on your iPhone. Go to “Settings” option on the home screen. Then tap on “General” option and reach “Network” menu.
• Tap on “Internet Tethering” option present there and select “On” to start this feature. Return back to the home screen by pressing the “Home” button.
• Insert the USB cable to your iPhone and connect the other end to any one of the USB ports on your Windows PC. Open the iTunes software on your computer.
• A blue bar will appear with the saying “Internet Tethering” on the top of your iPhone’s home screen. It shows that your iPhone has been tethered to your Windows PC. The entire process of tethering is over.

All you have to do now is open your favorite web browser on your Windows PC and type your favorite website URL and start surfing using the internet connection that was established a while ago.

Now enjoy using your iPhone as a network router by Internet tethering on your iPhone and connecting Windows PC with it.

iPhone is said to a great mobile device that can be turned into a mobile hotspot easily to go online. However, this may not be a great substitute for the regular internet connection, but still it helps you to stay connected to the internet at places wherein you cannot afford to get access to the internet. iPhone tethering apps can help you perform this task easily.

You need to check with your wireless provider for any issues they might be having for tethering your iPhone and using it as a modem.

PdaNet - iPhone Tethering App

There are more iPhone tethering apps present, however PdaNet is said to the be the oldest and fastest of them. It helps you to tether your iPhone easily.

PdaNet is considered to be one of the most famous iPhone tethering apps, which allows you to tether your iPhone and use it in conjunction with your laptop or computer to access the internet.

PdaNet full version costs around $30, depending on the operating system of your mobile device, however trial versions are also available which might even work after the expiration period with some limitations in effect.

How to Use PdaNet for iPhone Tethering

First download the software from June Fabrics website only if you are going to use USB tethering mode. If you consider using Wi-Fi tethering, skip this step. This software works perfectly on Windows and Mac operating systems.

You should first jailbreak your iPhone first to install PdaNet through Cydia web store, since Apple does not allow PdaNet to be installed. Once you are done with the jailbreaking process, install PdaNet from Cydia web store on your iPhone.

Once you are done with the installation process, you just have to make a click on the application present on your computer or on your iPhone, which then allows you to access the internet easily. However, you need to have a data plan for your iPhone to access the internet.

Download PdaNet

Download Link.

By tethering iPhone 3G, you will be able to connect to the internet, whenever your default internet connection troubles you or whenever you travel from one place to another. iPhone 3G will help in such situations by acting as an internet modem.

You can tether iPhone 3G in two different ways. These methods can only be used by non-US residents, since AT&T does not allow residents in the US to perform it.

Tethering using USB Cable

• To connect your iPhone 3G using USB cable, you have to perform the following steps:
• Go to “Home” on your iPhone and then select “Settings” icon.
• Choose “General” tab and then select “Network” option.
• Touch the “Internet Tethering” option to enable it.
• Now plug in the USB cable to the computer and also to your iPhone 3G to enable them to be connected together.
• A window will pop up wherein you have to click “Continue” and then click on “iPhone”. After this, you have to click on “OK”.

That’s it. The setup process is complete.

Tethering using Bluetooth

• To use Bluetooth to tether your iPhone 3G, first touch the “Home” button on your iPhone 3G and then select “Settings” option.
• Then select “General” option and choose “Bluetooth” option under it.
• Now, go to System Preferences in your Mac computer and click on “Bluetooth”. There will be two options shown, “On” and “Discoverable”, and these two options should be checked to enable Bluetooth.
• Now, click on the “+” button in the application window.
• The iPhone’s name will be detected, and when it gets detected, click it. Then, click on “Continue” and provide the password on your iPhone 3G which will be displayed on your computer too.
• Go to “Start” and then select “Network” to enable Bluetooth in the computer.
• Now click on “Hardware and Sound” and then click on “Bluetooth devices”.
• Choose “Add” and then check the field that shows “My device is set up and ready to be found”. Then, click on Next>iPhone>Next.
• Check the “Choose a passkey for me” and then select “Next”. Now your computer will display the passkey.
• Enter the same on your iPhone 3G and then click “Finish”.

That’s it. The tethering process is now complete.

Tethering is a process that enables you to use your iPhone as an access point. You can share your Internet with other devices around you by tethering your iPhone. Activating tethering on your iPhone 3G running on the Firmware version 3.1.2 is easy. Many users have already enabled tethering on your iPhone in the USA. Many service providers have started offering this service but there are still many who don’t.

You have to first Jailbreak your iPhone before you can start using tethering if your service provider does not give you an option to enable tethering on your iPhone. There are many ways to Jailbreak your iPhone, one of the ways is mentioned in this article. You have to keep in mind that enabling this feature and Jailbreaking your iPhone renders your contract with the service provider and Apple void. You are taking a risk by enabling this feature on your iPhone.

The previous versions of the iPhone Firmware were not so tethering friendly. Some of them do not support this feature even after a Jailbreak. Even the service providers are not so keen on enabling this feature on their contract iPhones.

The Firmware version 3.1.2 is very tethering friendly. Service providers outside the USA haven’t yet started to offer services like tethering to their customers. You can tether your iPhone by following these step by step instructions:

1. Download the blckra1n RC3 from the blackra website by clicking on this link
2. Reboot your iPhone
3. Find the blackra1n application installed on your iPhone
4. Select sn0w and install blacksn0w, this application gets installed when you tap the install button in the upper right of your screen
5. Open the Safari web browser and type this link http://m.peacefulinsanity.com/Tether.mobileconfig
6. Select install and update your carrier settings. Click OK
7. Reboot your iPhone
8. Select Settings
9. Select General
10. Select Network
11. Switch Internet Tethering ON

You have successfully enabled tethering on your iPhone Firmware version 3.1.