If ever you find yourself in an area without WiFi, you can establish a network connection using the cellular network of your mobile device by creating what is called a personal hotspot. Once a hotspot is created, you can access the internet by either wirelessly connecting your phone to your computer or tablet or by physically connecting them with a USB cable. This article will teach you how to use your iPhone's personal hotspot as a modem for your other electronic devices.
Before beginning, please note that tethering options are available to iPhones running iOS 4.3 or higher. Make sure that your data plan allows internet sharing. Some mobile operators do not support tethering options, and those who do may charge data tethering as an added "extra" on your monthly data plan.
To create your mobile hotspot, you must also be in an area with good cellular coverage (3G or 4G).
How To Enable Data Tethering
Depending on the model of your iPhone, several sharing options are available to you. Here is a quick rundown:
WiFi
Bluetooth
USB
iPhone 3G
Yes
Yes
iPhone 3GS
Yes
Yes
iPhone 4
Yes
Yes
Yes
iPhone 4S
Yes
Yes
Yes
iPhone 5
Yes
Yes
Yes
iPhone 5S
Yes
Yes
Yes
iPhone 6
Yes
Yes
Yes
To enable tethering, tap on Settings > General > Network.
Scroll to Connection Sharing, and then follow the onscreen instructions to enable your mobile hotspot.
Use iPhone as USB Modem
Connect your iPhone to your PC via USB cable. The iPhone will be recognized as a standard network connection and will automatically establish the connection on Windows computers.
Use iPhone as Bluetooth Modem
To use your iPhone as a Bluetooth modem, simply activate the Bluetooth option on your computer and on your iPhone. You can do this by going to Settings > General > Bluetooth and toggling the Bluetooth option ON.
You can then pair your iPhone with your computer.
Use iPhone as a WiFi Modem
Enable the WiFi option on your phone. The network configuration tool will allow you to enter the password of your choice.
On the computer, head to your wireless network options, and select your iPhone from the list of available networks. Enter the password to establish the connection.
This document, titled « How To Use Your iPhone as a Modem », is available under the Creative Commons license. Any copy, reuse, or modification of the content should be sufficiently credited to CCM (ccm.net).
