Sharing Your Internet Connection Through Hotspots and Tethering

Thursday, July 16, 2015
While you may not have utilized this option before, nearly all smartphones have the ability to tether. Through tethering they can share the data connected with other devices. The most common ways of doing this is through Wi-Fi, a USB connection, or Bluetooth. Keep in mind that if you tether your carrier may charge you extra so it is best to check before utilizing this option.
Checking with your Carrier
While this may seem like a nuisance it is necessary so that you don't get charged unexpectedly. Whether or not you can tether will not only depend on the phone you own but it also relies on your carrier and the type of service you have with them. Unfortunately, even if you have a data plan that doesn't necessarily mean that you can tether. Once you look into tethering and your service you may find that you will need to pay an extra sum each month for the ability.
Tethering and Battery Life
This is an area that many don't consider when they begin to tether. Tethering will unfortunately drain your phone's battery. If you connect your phone to a power source as you tether you can help save the battery. If that isn't an option then you may opt for a portable battery pack that you can use to charge your phone when it becomes low. One of the key tips to remember if you are tethering is to disable the portable hotspot when you are no longer using it. It's a simple step to forget but will save tons of battery life.
Wi-Fi Tethering
Wi-Fi is the most common method for tethering. When used for tethering your phone will create a local Wi-Fi network that you can connect other devices to. As you connect these other devices your phone will provide the internet connection for them and will automatically transfer traffic between the two over the cell phones data network. To tether through Wi-Fi all you have to do is select your device from the Wi-Fi networks listed and enter the password.
USB Cable Tethering
USB cable tethering is one of the best methods since it will also keep your phone charged if you connect it to a laptop or desktop computer. This way you can either use your phone to connect to the internet or the laptop through the USB cable connection. If you choose to tether this way you won't even need to set up Wi-Fi.
Bluetooth Tethering
This is the least common but you can choose to share your smartphone's data connection with other devices through the Bluetooth. This creates a Bluetooth personal area network and you can use it to connect to other devices that have Bluetooth. Keep in mind that tethering through Bluetooth will be slower than Wi-Fi but does use less battery life which is a bonus.
How to Tether
Beginning the tether should be fairly straightforward. If using an iPhone simply go to your phones settings and select "personal hotspot". If you're using an Android phone it will be in the settings screen and titled "tethering & portable hotspot". Basically, no matter which smartphone you're using you'll be able to find the tethering option within the settings.
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