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GarrettL1979

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 15, 2012
330
0
I was thinking about getting my dad an Apple TV for his birthday,but my parents don't have Internet yet (they just use their iPad/3G connection for now). Can you use airplay without an Internet connection? They plan to add Internet but move very slowly on these types of things...
 

Irishman

macrumors 68040
Nov 2, 2006
3,388
842
I was thinking about getting my dad an Apple TV for his birthday,but my parents don't have Internet yet (they just use their iPad/3G connection for now). Can you use airplay without an Internet connection? They plan to add Internet but move very slowly on these types of things...

The only experience I have with wireless routers is in conjunction with modems, so I wouldn't be able to help answer your question about using a router without a modem.

Hopefully, the brain trust here can help!
 

waw74

macrumors 601
May 27, 2008
4,664
938
airplay requires both devices to be on the same network, so wireless for the ipad, wired/wireless for the aTV.

you might be able to set up a router, with no internet, that would let you play files stored in memory on the ipad, but it would take some fiddeling to get it to work, so not ideal in your situation.
you would only be able to connect to either the 3G or the aTV, but not both at the same time.

if their TV has HDMI in, you can get a cable that will put the ipad screen on the TV. it's available with either a lightening or dock connector
and would be a better fit in this situation.

you can get a long HDMI cable if they still want to be able to use the ipad on the couch.
check monoprice.com for the cables, they have great prices, and good quality cables (25 foot cable is around $20, shorter are much cheaper).
 

Darth.Titan

macrumors 68030
Oct 31, 2007
2,905
753
Austin, TX
The AppleTV and iPad will have to be on the same wireless network, so at the least you'll need a wireless router to create said network.

The router doesn't need internet access to create a network. However the iPad will have to disconnect from the Wi-Fi to get on 3G for internet access, therefore you won't be able to AirPlay stream anything from online.

Without a PC to serve content to the AppleTV, or an internet connection, I don't really see the point.
 

Michael CM1

macrumors 603
Feb 4, 2008
5,681
276
If your dad doesn't have an Internet connection aside from an iPad, meaning I'm guessing he doesn't have a computer with a decent iTunes library, what's the point of an Apple TV? You pretty much use them for streaming services (Netflix, Hulu Plus, YouTube, etc.) or iTunes library content. Without either of those, it's a $99 plastic box.
 

Irishman

macrumors 68040
Nov 2, 2006
3,388
842
Without a PC to serve content to the AppleTV, or an internet connection, I don't really see the point.

The OP said that they use their iPad's 3G Cellular feature for internet access. They're hoping to Airplay to the ATV.
 

Darth.Titan

macrumors 68030
Oct 31, 2007
2,905
753
Austin, TX
The OP said that they use their iPad's 3G Cellular feature for internet access. They're hoping to Airplay to the ATV.

You didn't read my post. My point is, if the iPad is on the 3G network for internet, it can't share a WiFi connection with the AppleTV for Airplay at the same time.
 

GarrettL1979

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 15, 2012
330
0
Thanks all for your help. I went ahead and bought my dad one. Maybe it will be an incentive for them to get Internet!
 

Irishman

macrumors 68040
Nov 2, 2006
3,388
842
You didn't read my post. My point is, if the iPad is on the 3G network for internet, it can't share a WiFi connection with the AppleTV for Airplay at the same time.

I read your post, but you didn't make your point clear. You said you didn't see the point, but you didn't explain the limitation.
 

Menel

Suspended
Aug 4, 2011
6,351
1,356
You could always create a wifi hotspot with the ipad and have the apple tv join that network.

I came in here to say this.

When I first moved in to new home, no internet. Had Airport Express setup to connect to my phone's hotspot for music. Id get home, turn on hotspot, and wait to the count aOf 5 and the banner and airplay icon would appear.
 

dugbug

macrumors 68000
Aug 23, 2008
1,863
1,926
Somewhere in Florida
Without internet connection but with a home wifi, they can do home sharing if they have itunes on a mac/PC.

The apple TV may require an internet connection to establish/authorize your device, and it may require authentication when playing a DRM song/video I don't know. Been a long time since I ran like this.

More advanced is a plex server (pc/mac software), and the companion apple-TV plexconnect software (which resides with the server). Then entering the apple tv "trailers" channel will open all of your plex content, any offline videos or music stored with plex.

Note that with a home wifi, airplay works. Airplay does not require internet connection at all. Your ipad will be confused about how to get to the internet however with the 3g connection pushed aside in favor of the wifi. If your content is offline such as photos, it will not matter.
 
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