Can I use a smartphone as a wifi hotspot and tether my ipad2 to it?

[akkib89]

My questions to folks is that if I buy a smartphone like xperia s or samsung g sII will my ipad connect to it via wifi and access the 3g networks they offer so that i can browse over internet freely. Actually my company covers my phone bill expenses and before buying a costly smartphone I want to assure that I could use its 3g internet speed for my ipad 2 as well.

 

[bnjp]

I do this all the time. My phone becomes a wifi hotspot. Anything that can connect to wifi can connect to it. If I'm pulling a 4G signal on my phone, it's very fast.

 

[akkib89]

I do this all the time. My phone becomes a wifi hotspot. Anything that can connect to wifi can connect to it. If I'm pulling a 4G signal on my phone, it's very fast.

Thats very cool. So that means that you use internet on your iPad via iPhone. One doubt though - does the iPad download all big apps and games and updates like of 200 mb and more, through the internet generated via your iPhone (whenever I use my 3g network to install big apps , the iTunes app says that "you must install it via wifi" and since this connection of yours is a wifi connection so the downloads must be possible!)?

 

[rlapoint]

My carrier (ATT) offers a tethering package for a fee and allows me to connect my iPad via bluetooth connection. Getting access to 4G.

 

[Mickey330]

Thats very cool. So that means that you use internet on your iPad via iPhone. One doubt though - does the iPad download all big apps and games and updates like of 200 mb and more, through the internet generated via your iPhone (whenever I use my 3g network to install big apps , the iTunes app says that "you must install it via wifi" and since this connection of yours is a wifi connection so the downloads must be possible!)?

As far as I know, if your iPad is tethered to your phone (that is connected via 3G), then, to the iPad, it's got a WiFi signal and so that should prevent the "must install via WiFi" message.

I could be wrong, but I am pretty sure. Of course, you're paying for that download via 3G, because it'll be a large file. But, it should work.

Marilyn

 

[akkib89]

As far as I know, if your iPad is tethered to your phone (that is connected via 3G), then, to the iPad, it's got a WiFi signal and so that should prevent the "must install via WiFi" message.

I could be wrong, but I am pretty sure. Of course, you're paying for that download via 3G, because it'll be a large file. But, it should work.

Marilyn

Yeah, i too hope the same, and thanks for the advices.

 

[EvilMonkey]

Pretty sure that is the case. I use my Android phone as a hotspot a lot and never got that wifi message. I think it should be fine. All the iPad knows is that it's connected to a wireless network....it has no idea what kind of connection that network is using.

 

[cmistaya]

I have used my IPhone as a hotspot several times since my IPad is only wifi for things like Internet down or in places where there is no wifi and have had ni issues with it. Now I never tried to download anything big but I can't see it matters.

 

[City]

I am not very experienced with these phones, but it should connect to your wifi, as long as its a somewhat strong signal where you are. 3G lets you browse the Internet, but 4G is usually the best and fastest at browsing. I know in big cities, some of them have free 4G, or for 1 cent.

 

[USBill]

How well that works depends on the phone, not the iPad. I've never heard of a cell phone hotspot that the iPad couldn't use...

You might want to consider a 4G phone, which will be much faster than 3G. That speed would carry over to your browsing speeds on the iPad.

You'll probably still want to use WiFi at home and work... unless you can get "unlimited" data on the phone. Even still it will probably be faster than a cell phone.

 

[Sissy526]

Thats very cool. So that means that you use internet on your iPad via iPhone. One doubt though - does the iPad download all big apps and games and updates like of 200 mb and more, through the internet generated via your iPhone (whenever I use my 3g network to install big apps , the iTunes app says that "you must install it via wifi" and since this connection of yours is a wifi connection so the downloads must be possible!)?

I tether on a regular basis. It works very well most of the time. However, a caution on downloading large files: make sure you are in an area with a strong signal. Otherwise, the download will be really slow and probably time out. I was trying to download a 1G file while on a road trip and it would go very well as long as we were near fairly large towns or cities but out in the tullies (boondocks, etc) signal was not good enough to keep the download going. I restarted several times but since we were on the move, I never did get it downloaded until I got to a really solid wifi connection.

 

[sl8er1]

Can somebody give a guide as to how to do this? Does the use of the iPad through this way, go towards the set Internet minutes you have with your phone network provider for downloads or web minutes?

 

[Andyvalver]

I have the iPhone 4s with the option to tether on it. I use it on the odd occasion and it seems to work fine. Although if I'm out and about it's generally easier to just use my phone anyway.

Sent from my iPad 3

 

[dulciedarling]

I've used the mobile hotspot on my blackberry to connect my iPad 2, but scared though as i don't know if it's costing me

 

[Mickey330]

Can somebody give a guide as to how to do this? Does the use of the iPad through this way, go towards the set Internet minutes you have with your phone network provider for downloads or web minutes?

Oh, absolutely! You are using data and there's no getting around that. Your iPad may think its on WiFi, but your phone is definitely on 3G which is part of your data plan. No way around that.

Marilyn