There are few tech issues more frustrating than being prevented from accessing the Internet on your laptop or tablet by a lack of available Wi-Fi networks. However, there’s no need to panic as long as you’ve got an iPhone—the incredibly handy Personal Hotspot feature means you’ll never need to be without Wi-Fi connectivity again as long as you have cellular data access. Read on for everything you need to know about using Personal Hotspot on your iPhone.
What is Personal Hotspot?
Personal Hotspot is an awesome iPhone feature that allows you to share your iPhone’s cellular data connection (3G or 4G) with nearby computers and mobile devices. When you enable Personal Hotspot, you essentially turn your iPhone into a wireless router that broadcasts an Internet connection to any connected devices; these devices are then able to send and receive data over the Internet by routing it through the iPhone. With Personal Hotspot, any of your devices can get online anywhere and anytime you have data service reception on your iPhone.
Is Personal Hotspot the same thing as tethering?
Yes. Tethering is the generic name for the process of transforming a smartphone into the hub of a short-range wireless network. Personal Hotspot is simply the proprietary name that Apple has given to tethering with the iPhone.
Which devices can connect to the Internet through Personal Hotspot?
For the most part, if your computing device is able to connect to the Internet through a standard Wi-Fi connection, it will be able to connect through Personal Hotspot. Desktops, laptops, iPads and other tablets, and iPod Touches are all Personal Hotspot-compatible devices.
How does Personal Hotspot connect to other devices?
While Wi-Fi is the most common method used to connect computing devices to Personal Hotspot, you also have the option to connect using Bluetooth or USB. If you choose Bluetooth, the process will be similar to what happens when you pair your device with a Bluetooth accessory (like an external speaker); if you choose USB, all you need to do to tether your device is to attach it to your iPhone with a standard cable.
Which iPhone models and iOS versions support Personal Hotspot?
Personal Hotspot has been a standard iPhone/iOS feature for some time now. Every iPhone model from the iPhone 3GS and on supports the feature, as does any iOS version from iOS 4 and on.
What is the typical range of a Personal Hotspot?
The method you used to connect your computing device to Personal Hotspot on your iPhone is what determines how far apart the two devices can be. If you’ve tethered your device using USB, then obviously your range will only be as long as the physical USB cable. Personal Hotspots that use Bluetooth, on the other hand, typically have a range of about 25 feet, and Wi-Fi connections have a range of about 30 feet.
Does Personal Hotspot cost anything?
The Personal Hotspot feature doesn’t cost anything in and of itself; however, what you have to remember is that, in order to provide Internet connectivity to your tethered device(s), your iPhone is drawing from your monthly mobile data limit. This means that you may exceed your limit and have to pay additional fees if you use Personal Hotspot for data-intensive activities like streaming movies. If you’re planning to use Personal Hotspot frequently or for extended periods of time, you may wish to check with your mobile service provider about increasing your monthly data limit.
Is there a way to find out how much data Personal Hotspot has used?
If you’ve finished a Personal Hotspot session and want to know how much data was used up, there’s an easy way to find out. Simply select the Mobile Data option from your Settings menu, then tap on System Services. This will bring up a list of all your iPhone’s features, including Personal Hotspot, alongside the amount of data each feature has used to date in the current billing cycle.
How do you know when devices are connected to your iPhone with Personal Hotspot?
When other devices that are tethered to your iPhone are connected to the Internet, a blue bar will be displayed at the top of your iPhone screen. This bar, labeled “Personal Hotspot,” will show you how many devices are currently connected.
Do other devices need a password to connect to Personal Hotspot?
Just like most other wireless networks, each iPhone Personal Hotspot is assigned a randomized, default password that must be entered every time another device wants to connect. This helps protect your iPhone and prevents unauthorized devices nearby from accessing your Personal Hotspot (and taking up your valuable mobile data!). If you prefer, you can change the default password to a different password of your choice.
What is the procedure for setting up Personal Hotspot on an iPhone?
Set up Personal Hotspot on your iPhone is a quick and simple process. Apple’s support page offers easy-to-follow instructions here.