Can I use Apple TV solely by mobile data with a router?

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Level 1

5 points

Can I use Apple TV solely by mobile data with a router?

I have an unlimited data plan with NO hot spot. I haven't bought an Apple TV yet but I was wondering if it is possible to use Apple Tv and AirPlay on my iPhone 6 soley by an LTE/4G connection. I travel often for work and often do not have wifi internet available but do have a TV. So I'd like to be able to use my iphone's data connection to stream Netflix, YouTube, etc. I would not do this often so I doubt AT&T would have any more of problem than me watching Netflix directly from my phone. I could easily also bring and use a small router for my phone and Apple TV to communicate even though it wouldn't be connected to the Internet.

Also, after watching a useful YouTube video, I have found that it is possible to connect to a router without internet but still use the phone's LTE connection by forcing a static ip and subnet address. I have a chrome cast and tried streaming with it, but the chromecast wouldn't work without Internet to the router. If you know that it's possible or could test this for me, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks so much.

AppleTV 2

Posted on Sep 13, 2015 7:49 PM

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Answer 1

RootX

Level 1

0 points

Nov 7, 2015 3:08 PM in response to Brandonros

If you have the correct version Apple TV, you can connect to it peer to peer from your iPhone, so you don't need a wifi connection. Then you can stream to you phone using LTE/4G and then use AirPlay to send to the Apple TV. In theory, this should work. I use Neflix on my iPhone and Airplay it to the Apple TV. Unfortunately, it is not reliable. Sometime is works perfectly and other times it just wont connect properly. Some say it is bandwidth issue, but I believe it Netflix app issue.

To make a long story short, you can connect your iphone to Apple TV peer to peer and then use AirPlay to get your video to the TV. From there it depends on the specific App you are using and how it interacts with Airplay.

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Answer 2

vazandrew

Level 8

40,840 points

Sep 13, 2015 8:44 PM in response to Brandonros

If your plan doesn't offer a hotspot you would be unable to connect with Apple TV. Even then you wouldn't be able to connect to your phone's network and use airplay at the same time and it would need to be verified what the terms of your plan state in terms of this type of streaming.

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Answer 3

Brandonros Author

Level 1

5 points

Sep 13, 2015 9:12 PM in response to vazandrew

Thank you for the reply. I don't see that the bandwidth usage would be any different from watching Netflix over my LTE connection on my iPhone's screen compared to streaming SD quality video through AirPlay (as I have my Netflix account set to stream SD instead of HD). But in any case, are you saying that it is not possible to use AirPlay and my phone's data connection even if the phone is also connected to a router?

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Answer 4

Brandonros Author

Level 1

5 points

Sep 13, 2015 11:05 PM in response to vazandrew

If the terms of my plan supported it, would this be possible with Apple TV and AirPlay mirroring? Watching this video, it appears to be possible, but I wanted to make sure: http://youtu.be/Bn4uizdVTfA

if you still don't believe it's possible, I'll just buy a Lightning to AV adapter and mirror that way. Thanks again.

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Answer 5

vazandrew

Level 8

40,840 points

Sep 14, 2015 5:25 AM in response to Brandonros

Brandonros wrote:

If the terms of my plan supported it, would this be possible with Apple TV and AirPlay mirroring?

No, I was only referring to the terms supporting hotspot and streaming Netflix for home use. But you still wouldn't be able to use a hotspot and AirPlay at the same time.

The process involved in the video is not going to work

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Answer 6

vazandrew

Level 8

40,840 points

Sep 13, 2015 9:40 PM in response to Brandonros

It's not about the bandwidth, but rather the terms of your plan and you would need a hotspot connection in order to connect to Apple TV. This would not allow airplay to occur at the same time.

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Answer 7

LiZzy23!

Level 1

4 points

Jan 29, 2017 4:38 PM in response to RootX

Thank you so much!!!

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Answer 8

vazandrew

Level 8

40,840 points

Jan 29, 2017 4:57 PM in response to LiZzy23!

Please note that if you are attempting to use your phone in place of wifi for long-term use then that would not be permitted as fair use per the agreement terms of most phone provider contracts

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