Backup to iCloud on cellular data?

Question

Level 1

13 points

Backup to iCloud on cellular data?

Here is my problem with iPad Air 2:

- I have nearly 100 Mbit speed on LTE on the sim card inserted in iPad and it has real unlimited data without cata cap.

- at work I have no wlan to use with iPad, I use cellular all the time. I use cellular data even for my work on Mac.

- at home I have slow wlan that is about 5Mbit/s and 2Mbit/s on a bad day. That is roughly 2-5% speed of the LTE. Reason is bad cable on ISP side, and ISP is unable to offer higher fixed network speed, instead they are selling the LTE/4G sim cards as a fix and I have this fix.

- Now certain functions on iOS refuse to work with cellular data such as iCloud backup and they stupidly require wifi that I never want to use.

Can I somehow disable the WIFI-requirement, I need to backup my iPad.

iPad Air 2 WiFi, Cellular, 64 GB

Posted on Mar 3, 2016 11:20 PM

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Answer 1

Sep 21, 2017 2:13 AM in response to Karoliina

Exactly, as they said you, you can put other device on wifi hotspot: either mac, iphone, a wifi network you created to which your iphone can connect to as if a wifi network and upload icloud photo library, which is the only thing that doesn't work over only mobile data (calendar, contacts, email icloud sync work over cellular data)

Other option is to share every photo you take to a shared album of your won on icloud photos, I think mobile data upload this changes.

I have the same issue, I don't know why apple doesn't allow us to sync over mobile data network. After all is us who pay the bills isn't it? Of 4G internet, it's really useful

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Answer 2

Feb 19, 2017 8:56 AM in response to Karoliina

If you have another device, like an iPhone, you can turn on the hotspot and have your iPad connect to that. The iPad believes it's on wifi, and will backup

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Answer 3

Mar 4, 2016 4:19 AM in response to Karoliina

Unfortunately not.

If you have any suggestions that you think might enhance iCloud you can send Apple your feedback here.

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Answer 4

javaliga

Level 10

120,179 points

Mar 4, 2016 12:11 PM in response to Karoliina

I agree with Winston that you MUST backup to iCloud over WIFI. If you desperately need to backup your iPad, there are several places that offer free WIFI for the price of a cup of coffee or happy meal.

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Answer 5

Mar 30, 2016 8:03 AM in response to javaliga

No happy meals around here. Not even if I drive to the nearest small mountain village. No wifi. Just unused but already payed for cellular data. Anyway who wants to stand around in public waiting for your device to do its business, staring at a small screen.

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Answer 6

Mdac

Level 1

9 points

Oct 5, 2016 1:00 PM in response to Karoliina

Try this:

Go to Settings > iCloud > "iCloud Drive" and then enable "Use Cellular Data" at the bottom of the screen.

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Answer 7

Nov 29, 2016 1:44 PM in response to Mdac

I have the same problem and tried your resolution but the iCloud backup still requires a wifi connection. Seems to just apply for the documents and photos that can be uploaded separately to the iCloud Drive.

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Answer 8

Jan 1, 2017 10:28 AM in response to javaliga

Lol and slow as ****.

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Answer 9

jpzla

Level 1

4 points

Feb 22, 2017 5:32 PM in response to Mdac

This is only for content. You still have to be on wifi to back up the device for a restore or to transfer to a new device.

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