All iPads How easy is it to tether an ipad?

Its quite easy, you turn on the hotspot of your phone and select the iphone as one of the available wifi access points.

subwire said:

I plan on picking up an ipad 4 but im tore between getting the Lte or not, how easy and reliable is tethering to an iphone? I have unlimited data so im not worried about that. Thanks

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Tethering is great and easy if you have unlimited + jailbroken iPhone. However, I find that I hated doing it. Most times I would just use my iPhone instead of dealing with it. And if I'm sitting down then I would be near a wifi hotspot. I end up with an LTE one anyways, no need to mess with tethering.

It's very simple. The only problem I have with it is that if you set your iPad down for a few minutes (meaning you aren't actively using the connection) it will disconnect. I know it's to save the battery power on your phone when the network isn't needed, but I wish it could stay open when not in use so I can get my iMessages and stuff on it all the time. But the tethering process itself is very easy, as maflynn said.

Are there unlimited plans that offer tethering? I thought it was only available on tiered or shared plans...

sweetbrat said:

It's very simple. The only problem I have with it is that if you set your iPad down for a few minutes (meaning you aren't actively using the connection) it will disconnect. I know it's to save the battery power on your phone when the network isn't needed, but I wish it could stay open when not in use so I can get my iMessages and stuff on it all the time. But the tethering process itself is very easy, as maflynn said.

Are there unlimited plans that offer tethering? I thought it was only available on tiered or shared plans...

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There isn't but with a jailbreak it's pretty easy. If you have a 4S/5 then you need to wait for the jailbreak since it's not available yet. But I've done it before except it was from my jailbroken LTE iPad to computer.

Bluetooth is much easier as you don't have to go into the settings of the host phone, as long as the iPad and iPhone are paired, when you go to access the internet on your iPad, your iPhone will automatically show up as a Bluetooth hotspot.

dona83 said:

Bluetooth is much easier as you don't have to go into the settings of the host phone, as long as the iPad and iPhone are paired, when you go to access the internet on your iPad, your iPhone will automatically show up as a Bluetooth hotspot.

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wow this is interesting. thanks, i will try that. im one of those who hate tinkering with the settings to enable tethering on my iPhone.

aleni said:

wow this is interesting. thanks, i will try that. im one of those who hate tinkering with the settings to enable tethering on my iPhone.

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Yes I have recently 'discovered' bluetooth tethering. It is very convenient not having to bring up the hotspot screen on your phone. It can be asleep in your pocket, as long as Bluetooth is on and you've previously paired, you can connect your iPad from the Bluetooth screen on the iPad.

The biggest drawback is bandwidth - I believe BT 4.0 is supposed to allow up to 25Mb/second, but I have tethered my iPad 4 to my iPhone 4S (both BT 4.0) and have seen a maximum of 2Mb/s, even when the phone itself is getting 5Mb/s or more over cellular.

I'm assuming the other drawback of Bluetooth is only one device tethering at a time?