Pocket Wi-Fi

Question

Level 1

36 points

Pocket Wi-Fi

My ISP suggests me to buy a pocket Wi-Fi and all my portable devices can connect to internet using the pocket Wi-Fi. One charge for all portable devices is cheaper than I pay the internet connection each and I use internet connection on one device each time. It sounds a good suggestion. However, if my iPhone 4 can share the internet connection with other portable devices, why I need to carry one more device. Can you tell me if iPhone 4 is equipped with a modem like some other mobile phone to share the internet connection with other devices. And also your user's experience in the way of sharing. Thanks!

MacBook Air, iMac 27", iPhone 4, Mac OS X (10.6.4), iOS 4.1

Posted on Sep 12, 2010 1:27 AM

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Answer 1

Sep 12, 2010 2:50 AM in response to Ray Li1

1.Yes the iPhone and iOS can share its internet connection (Subject to your Mobile Network restrictions)
but it uses a differing method of tethering over bluetooth than most other phones.Your create a Personal Area Network over Bluetooth and therefore don't need to employ modem scripts as used via other phones.
2. This requires you to pair the iPhone with each computer and other laptop individually and subject to the bandwidth limitations inherent with bluetooth you switch on tethering on the iphone Click on connect to iphone under the bluetooth menu icon and away you go.
As i write this i have a MacPro and a 12" Powerbook both connected to the internet via the same Iphone 3GS no problem.
3. iOS devices however can not do this as Apple have restricted the bluetooth protocols available to the iphone/ipad devices to prevent file transfer and tethering of these devices.
4. The iOS devices can not relay/share a WiFi signal unmodified. Again an Apple restriction.
The Wifi chip fitted can send and receive but you need to look to the jailbreak community for details on how to enable this at this time.

Summary the device HAS the Hardware capability on a MiFi built right in however Apple have not enabled them. You can however connect several full Operating System computers via bluetooth tethering to one iphone simultaneously subject to bandwidth limitations.

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Answer 2

Ray Li1 Author

Level 1

36 points

Sep 12, 2010 5:50 AM in response to Keith Doherty3

Keith, thanks for your helpful info.

1. I believe you are referring to the service plan with tethering capability. The price with tethering is about 30% higher.

2. I have not tried to connect the internet via Bluetooth network. It sounds to me I can share the internet connection without tethering capability using Bluetooth networking, isn't it?

3 & 4. I have learnt from iPhone users that iphone can act as modem for internet sharing. Probably they are referring to 3GS or previous models. I am a new comer of iPhone 4 and cannot find this feature in iPhone 4. Hope Apple will remove the restriction later on and I do not want to jailbreak my phone.

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Answer 3

Mr.C UK

Level 2

410 points

Sep 12, 2010 7:16 AM in response to Ray Li1

Apple doesn't put such restrictions on their phones. It's the cellular networks that do this. Different networks in different countries have different policies regards tethering. The only way iPhones can share their connection is through tethering. If the phone is jail broken this may be different but jail breaking cannot be discussed here unfortunately.

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