Using iPhone as a hotspot

[C_Dave45]

Seems simple enough. Turn your hotspot "on" in settings, plug into computer via USB, choose "iPhone" from among available networks.

But of course, for me, can't seem to get this to work. I plug the phone in via USB, it appears in my windows explorer, but doesn't show up among available networks.
Anything I'm missing?

[A790]

Who's your carrier?

[C_Dave45]

Bell

[rage2]

Make sure you've updated your iTunes. Only the newer iTunes have the hotspot NIC driver.

There's no choosing networks from what I remember. I just plug it in, and it starts using it if I'm not connected to wifi.

I'll test it out later and let you know.

[C_Dave45]

Originally posted by rage2
Make sure you've updated your iTunes. Only the newer iTunes have the hotspot NIC driver.

There's no choosing networks from what I remember. I just plug it in, and it starts using it if I'm not connected to wifi.

I'll test it out later and let you know.

Does iTunes have to be installed in the computer? That may be my problem then. This is just the laptop, my iTunes is on the desktop

[A790]

Originally posted by C_Dave45


Does iTunes have to be installed in the computer? That may be my problem then. This is just the laptop, my iTunes is on the desktop

I think iTunes brings all the drivers it needs. Try installing iTunes and see if that helps.

[rage2]

Well there's the problem!

If you don't want to install iTunes, I believe you can download the iTunes installer, extract the files from it using winzip or winrar, and just install the drivers package. I remember doing that before.

edit - Yup, totally possible.

http://en.kioskea.net/faq/3741-how-t...without-itunes

[C_Dave45]

Originally posted by rage2
Well there's the problem!

If you don't want to install iTunes, I believe you can download the iTunes installer, extract the files from it using winzip or winrar, and just install the drivers package. I remember doing that before.

edit - Yup, totally possible.

http://en.kioskea.net/faq/3741-how-t...without-itunes

haha...that was it! Thank you!

It's funny that that basic requirement isn't mentioned anywhere within the iPhone's instructions, or on Apples site. Or at least I didn't see it.
So it is working now. But I cant seem to find any stats on data usage when connected through the phone. I have a "stick" that I can connect through and it gives you ongoing stats as to data usage, total history usage, etc. Can't seem to find the same through the iPhone.

I go into my computers Network settings and all I see is "currently connected to "Network 2"...no details at all.

[benyl]

You can also connect to your iphone wirelessly. Not need to use a tether cord.

[C_Dave45]

Originally posted by benyl
You can also connect to your iphone wirelessly. Not need to use a tether cord.

Isn't that just with iPhone 4 and up? Mine's 3Gs. Or am I mistaken. Is it OS specific?

[rage2]

Originally posted by C_Dave45
Isn't that just with iPhone 4 and up? Mine's 3Gs. Or am I mistaken. Is it OS specific?

That is correct. Just checked my bro's 3GS, it's only got BT and USB hotspot.

[topmade]

Make sure you have a good data plan. I do this all the time with iPad tethered to my iPhone for the kids to browse around when we are out and about and it's not hard to start racking up the data on it.

[C_Dave45]

This is cool!! Here I'm paying Bell $35 a month for a stupid data stick that only gives me 500 megs, when all along I can just tether with my iphone and use my 3 gigs in my plan. I don't even go over 1 gig with the phone currently.

I wonder if Bell will let me cancel and turn in my stick. I have a year left on it.

Oh and I figured out how to track my data usage when tethered. Settings-->General-->usage--> cel data-->tether data.

[C_Dave45]

Now here's a question; I'm tethered to the iphone, and the iphone is connected to my home wifi. Even though the phone settings show I'm using "tethered data", that wouldn't go against my plan, as I'm going through my home's network connection....is this correct?

[spikerS]

if they call it tethered data i would think it is using 3g.

question though, why would you want tethered data when you have wifi right there?

[C_Dave45]

Originally posted by spikers
if they call it tethered data i would think it is using 3g.

question though, why would you want tethered data when you have wifi right there?

But my phone shows I'm connected to wifi...not 3g. When I turn off wifi, THEN I should be using 3g and the data would go against my plan...correct? I dunno...

But yes, at home (or within any wifi range) there's no need to tether. I just happen to be at home and trying it out/setting it up.

But I realized that I'm paying $35 a month for a data stick, when I don't need it at all. First time I've ever tethered before. Didn't even realize I had that capability with my phone.

[J-hop]

Originally posted by C_Dave45
This is cool!! Here I'm paying Bell $35 a month for a stupid data stick that only gives me 500 megs, when all along I can just tether with my iphone and use my 3 gigs in my plan. I don't even go over 1 gig with the phone currently.

I wonder if Bell will let me cancel and turn in my stick. I have a year left on it.

Oh and I figured out how to track my data usage when tethered. Settings-->General-->usage--> cel data-->tether data.

Something of note, I am not sure what bell is like but when I asked telus about tethering usin my iPhone, your tether data is not included in your general data plan. So if you have a 1 gig data plan your tethered data won't be included as part of this one gig, you end up paying for it separately and your 1 gig only counts towards data used by the phone.


Edit: yea I just browsed through a few telus plans and many of them in the fine print at the bottom say "tethering not included", some do include tethering so make sure yours does... That is why they track tethered data separately

[C_Dave45]

Originally posted by J-hop


Something of note, I am not sure what bell is like but when I asked telus about tethering usin my iPhone, your tether data is not included in your general data plan. So if you have a 1 gig data plan your tethered data won't be included as part of this one gig, you end up paying for it separately and your 1 gig only counts towards data used by the phone.


Edit: yea I just browsed through a few telus plans and many of them in the fine print at the bottom say "tethering not included", some do include tethering so make sure yours does... That is why they track tethered data separately

Hmm...I'll have to look into that. I just spent half hour with a bell CSR canceling my data stick after explaining "why pay for a stick when I can just use my iPhone?".

Edit: whew. Just checked and my plan does include tethering. But thanks for the heads up. Always gotta check the fine print.

From Bell's site:

All plans include:
Unlimited local nights (9 p.m. - 7 a.m.) and weekends (9 p.m. Fri - 7 a.m. Mon) Tethering (available on plans $50 and higher)6 Unlimited social networking7 (excluding BlackBerry and Palm) Call Waiting8 and Conference Calling8 Unlimited Wi-Fi at over 2,000 Bell hotspots, Canada’s largest Wi-Fi network . Find a location here.(available on plans $50 and higher)

[J-hop]

That's good, yea I was pretty pissed when I found out my plan didn't include tethering. I kept asking the rep what the difference between tethered and regular data was, and they kept explaining what tethering was and I kept asking so how is that data different haha. It was quite a frustrating convo

[C_Dave45]

So I should give credit where credit's due. Normally I'm quick to complain about the big monopolies (ISP's, Cel providers) but I was pretty impressed with what Bell offered me.

So for two years I was paying $35 a month for this stick that I couldn't use. The stick stopped working one month into the three year contract. Tech support spent over two hours with me and finally said "it must be your laptop that's screwed". So I just accepted that and put the stick in the closet.
Two years later, I get a new laptop, and what'd'ya know, stick STILL doesn't work!! That's when Bell informs me the SIM card was faulty all this time, and there was a recall on it.

So I ask them if I can cancel this stick's contract a year early. Especially since I can now connect using my iPhone and have a larger data plan than the stick.
"No, I'm sorry, you'll have to pay $240 for early cancellation.|"
*sigh* Great.
But then he comes back with a solution; he can drop the stick's plan to a minimum $10/month for the remaining 12 months, (zero data) AND, he'll drop my iPhone's plan by $10/month for the remainder of THAT contract (two years!!)
I was pretty happy with his solution.