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Daily Tip: How to connect your iPad to iPhone personal hotspot

By , Tuesday, Mar 15, 2011 at 11:10 pm
41

Daily Tip: How to connect your iPad to iPhone personal hotspot

Curious how to connect your iPad, new iPad 2, or even an iPod touch to iPhone personal hotspot? Thanks to iOS 4.3 (or iOS 4.2.6 on the Verizon iPhone) if you have a tethering plan you can save $130 on an iPad 3G, get an iPad Wi-Fi, and jump on the internet pretty much anywhere you want. We'll show you how after the break!

iOS 4..2.6 and iOS 4.3 lets iPhone 4 act as a Wi-Fi personal hotspot. In other words, it turns it into a tiny internet access point and mobile router. You can connect up to 3 devices to an AT&T/GSM iPhone and 5 devices to a Verizon iPhone -- including the iPad. Here's how:

  1. Turn on Wi-Fi personal hotspot on your iPhone 4
  2. On your iPad or iPad 2, launch Settings
  3. Tap Wi-Fi in the sidebar
  4. Tap iPhone 4 under Choose a Network...
  5. Enter the Wi-Fi Password shown on your iPhone 4Wireless Hotspot feature in iOS 4.3
  6. That's it!

A small, distinctive interlink icon will show up instead of the usual Wi-Fi icon at the top left of the menu bar and you'll know you're connected. Just keep an eye on your iPhone 4 battery life and, if you have a data cap, your Tethered Data usage!

Bonus Tip: You can also connect one iPad or iPad 2 via Bluetooth. Just go to Settings: General: Bluetooth on your iPad and pair with your iPhone!

Bonus Tip 2: You can use this method for FaceTime over 3G because personal hotspot is treated as a Wi-Fi connection. (Yes, it makes no sense but it works.)

Tips of the day will range from beginner-level 101 to advanced-level ninjary. If you already know this tip, keep the link handy as a quick way to help a friend. If you have a tip of your own you'd like to suggest, add them to the comments or send them in to dailytips@tipb.com. (If it's especially awesome and previously unknown to us, we'll even give ya a reward...)

Georgia

Senior Editor at iMore, psychotherapist, 2x Canadian Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion, co-host of iPhone & iPad Live and ZEN and TECH.

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  1. Ryan Moser says:

    So you can hot spot over 3G and make FaceTime calls on the pulling device!? Crazy! I thought AT&T said 3G wasn't fast enough!? This is why I went for wifi iPad2!! What's the hotspot fee? Can it be added and dropped like 3G service can on an iPad?

  2. H3llbre says:

    Unfortunately if your iPhone goes to sleep it disconnects the tethered device after 90 seconds. So it's either keep your iPhone screen on all the time while tethering or a connect/disconnect/reconnect cycle.

    Hope that gets fixed in iOS 4.4 or 5.0

    • Rene Ritchie says:

      I haven't been disconnected when using my Mac on Personal Hotspot with my iPhone screen off, even after an hour or more.

      • H3llbre says:

        It kept happening to me yesterday. I did a google search and came across this apple support article;

        http://support.apple.com/kb/ts2756

        Under wifi troubleshooting it says this;

        "Note: If you leave the Personal Hotspot screen or put iPhone to sleep, iPhone only broadcasts the Wi-Fi network for an additional 90 seconds. If no devices join the Wi-Fi network during that time, iPhone 4 stops broadcasting your Wi-Fi network. You can start broadcasting your Wi-Fi network again by tapping Settings > Personal Hotspot."

  3. Rob says:

    So are you saying I can tether my internet to an iPad from my iPhone via Bluetooth also?? That's the first I'd heard of that! Do I need to have a tethering plan for this to work over bluetooth or can I do it without one?

    • MrC says:

      I'm pretty sure Bluetooth tethering requires a plan just like WiFi to the iPhone, but this is also the first I have heard of the iPad being able to use Bluetooth for tethering. If true I might just enable tethering as my wife can then use her new iPad 2 with her 3GS until she gets the iPhone 5.

      Can someone confirm then that iPads can tether using Bluetooth now? I thought Jobs said this was not happening with iPad 1?

  4. Darren says:

    Hi I have the options on the 3GS after upgrading to 4.3 but it takes me to my providers website to sign up for a tethering service. Is it free on iPhone4 and not work on 3GS without paying ? Darren, Uk

    • FLskydiver says:

      I'm sure I'll be corrected if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure it's not free on iPhone 4 either (at least in the USA, or unless you're jailbroken).

      • FLskydiver says:

        I see now you are most definitely not in the USA, and I have no clue about the deals in the UK, so please forgive my intrusion to this conversation. Sorry.

  5. dave says:

    I would suggest using bluetooth to tether the iPad to the iPhone.

    The primary advantage is that you can leave the iPhone in your pocket and just initiate the connection on your iPad [once you've paired the iPhone and iPad]. With WiFi, you may need to dig out the iPhone to re-enable the Wifi hotspot, then sleep/wake the iPad or otherwise get it to connect to the hotspot [or wait for it to auto-connect].

    However, to disconnect, the most straightforward way I have found is to turn off Bluetooth on the iPad [then turn it back on again if you want].

    And I'm not sure about the relative speeds of the two methods [doesn't matter if both connections are faster than the 3G connection].

  6. eddie says:

    I got my iphone jailbroken with the mywi enabled and it works the same exact way if not better.. at least apple is opening things up to allow users to share their Iphone 4 3g connectivity. thats pretty good but no need for me to restore my phone to use ios 4.3 maybe with ios 5 when it does come out they have more feautures.. also with my3g i can use facetime with no significant problems. But i like this idea with apple the only part i dont like only for iphone 4 which kinda tells people if you want to share your network then upgrade.. nice little sales pitch to get users to upgrade their iphones.

  7. JPSAL says:

    The Bluetooth option also works with the iPhone 3GS and the iPhone 3G (on 4.2.1 of course)

  8. Gene says:

    Can you use hotspot and talk on your iphone4 at the same time?

  9. Fred Norris says:

    Not getting this whole hotspot thing, so I need some help.....

    Have iPhone 4 with unlimited data plan for $99.00 per month with AT&T.

    Have iPad 2 with unlimited data plan for $25.00 per month with AT&T ( grandfathered my plan).

    Question. Should I eliminate data plan with iPad 2 and if so, will the hotspot fee be less than my monthly data plan on AT&T?

    Very confused and would appreciate the solid.

    • Brian says:

      If you want hotspot with AT&T you MUST be on the $25/month 2GB data plan. You also MUST pay an additional $20 for an extra 2GB to use for tethering/hotspot. If the extra cost on your iPhone bill is even a few dollars less than the iPad plan I personally would ditch the 3G iPad all together and get a WiFi only version like many users have been doing for several months now with their original iPad.

    • Brian says:

      Sorry I saw you were on unlimited data. If you want the tethering it will basically cost you $15/month more for the iPhone. However you will no longer have unlimited data on the iPhone. If this isn't a big deal I'd suggest what I mentioned in my first post about going the WiFi only route with the iPad.

      • Fred Norris says:

        Appreciate the help. I use lots of data due to constantly streaming content on Sirius XM app, so to have unlimited data on both devices may be the way to go for me.

        Thanks again @Brian.

        • Brian says:

          No problem glad I could help out! If you Jailbreak you can keep the unlimited plan and tether/wifi hotspot for free. ;-)

  10. Diane says:

    I hope it isn't unkosher here to mention that a jailbreak app will enable tethering on your iPhone. I know people here use MiWi but I just used TeatherMe. It cost me 1.99 three weeks ago and all it does is open up your native iphone teathering. Simple and cheap. I have been using it on my Verizon iPhone 4 to connect with my new iPad 2 (yeah!) and it works beautifully. I believe up to five people can connect at once. It enables both Wifi and Bluetooth teathering.

    It's my data so imho I should be able to use it where I want. And no, your carrier can not tell that you are teathering as long as you don't go completely gonzo in using your data which will raise some eyebrows. BTW I can teather my laptop to it as well (via wifi or BT)

  11. Iphone5 says:

    That is basic step to get these thing which is you telling

  12. chinoEspangol says:

    Hi, i'm using my iPhone 3gS already as a hotspot for my Mac. And it do it over bluetooth. No problems with connection at all, even if iPhone goes on sleep. Thing is, i can't seem to use it as a hotspot for my iPad and my ITouch 4th Gen. Software on my iPad is still 4.2, could this be the reason? Tried pairing it with my iPhone 3gS and it can't find my iPhone over bluetooth. Please help. Gracias

  13. Anthony Parran says:

    For those that didn't. I live in Canada and unlike the plans in the US, regardless of your supplier, you get all, and I mean all options available.

    I have been with FIDO, a sub-carrier of Rogers telecommunications and I have 6GB of Data each month, yet have rarely gone over 600MB.

    I point this out because I Thether my iPad to my iPhone 4. My iPad has WiFi. It DOES NOT HAVE A SIM CARD. So I only pay for one data plan yet can use my iPhone as a personal hotelier for my friends with iPods or iPads with WiFi only.

    If they go to porno sites, I punch their lights out.

    Regardless it sure helps when I am using the aviation moving map software and my iPhone acts as a GPS for my iPad.

  14. Philipsantos says:

    What about with the iPhone 3Gs ?

  15. future ipad owner says:

    thinking of getting an ipad.... good hint. was not sure if I should get wi fi or 3gs or both. thanks.

  16. Wingchunscott says:

    I connect iPad2 using the iphone4 as a personal hotspot but the connection keeps getting cut off (when the ipad2 powers off). I noticed this problem does not occur if I connect the ipad4 using another wifi. Any tips to prevent the disconnection with the iphone4? Cheers.

  17. Hoopt4500 says:

    this will cost you, unless you have the 4GB plan! Ridiculous considering i own both devices and want to use THE DATA I ALREADY PAY FOR on my ipad! ATT has us by the ball$.

  18. A3wallace says:

    how do you stop other people from using your personal hot spot?

  19. Mcurrie1 says:

    How long can one tether without losing connection? Is there unlimited tethering? If not...what would be the cost, say for 2 hours per day?

  20. Mcurrie1 says:

    I intend to get the 4G plan for the iPhone 4s

  21. Jeff says:

    This doesn't work for me and I tried everything (I have AT&T tethering).

  22. Jeff says:

    This doesn't work for me and I tried everything (I have AT&T tethering).

  23. emelyn says:

    when i go to settings on my iphone4 phone, i dont see personal hotspot, do i have to download it? pls help me how to connect my iphone internet to ipad2. thank you

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