Question: will AirDrop work over 3G and 4G? It seems like an incredibly useful feature. But I can't think of too many situations where I'd want to use AirDrop, and that me and my friends are on the same Wi-Fi network. In most situations I'd be in a place where I'm using cell service. As for Bluetooth, I never use it for anything else, and it would be annoying to have it on just for this feature. Anyone here with any info?
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AirDrop over 3G/4G?
- Thread starter sportsfrk214
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You don't have to be on the same network. It sets up a connection directly between your phones using an ad-hoc wifi.
At first I thought you needed a wifi access point! But now you dont using peer to peer wifi, damn, this just kicked NFC sharing in the sack.
No, it's adhoc wifi between two devices with a modern enough wifi chip
That's why it's only recent Macs (prior to iOS) and iOS devices
That's why it's only recent Macs (prior to iOS) and iOS devices
Oh well that's a shame :/ During normal use outside of my home, which is where I'd be using the AirDrop feature the most, I'm rarely on Wi-Fi. It's just hard to find and maintain a Wi-Fi signal on the move, I'm almost always on data. I guess I can use Bluetooth, but that means a friend would need to use Bluetooth is well. Might just be easier to text a picture.
So then I guess my next question is: how much does it effect battery life leaving Bluetooth on all the time?
So then I guess my next question is: how much does it effect battery life leaving Bluetooth on all the time?
I think you are misunderstanding. You do not need to be connected to a wifi network, you just need to be near someone and your iphone will connect via wifi directly to theirs, no access point needed.
has anyone managed to get this to work? today i was standing right next to another person with an ios 7 iphone 5 and we weren't popping up on each other's airdrop share panel... we're in each other's contacts and both had said airdrop functionality to everyone rather than contacts only.
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you don't show up in each other's wifi...when you select a picture/file/location to be shared and if you're near someone with AirDrop enabled, it will show that person in the "share" panel.
Yeah, NFC just got ran over by a freight train. Kinda funny actually.
Also, Airdrop uses Wi-Fi P2P type standard which is a Wi-Fi protocol that enables devices to connect without requiring a wireless access point.
Is this the reason why it's only going to work on literally the latest devices? I don't understand why the previous generation -- iPhone 4S, iPad 3 -- won't work. I know my iPad 3 uses a 5GHz radio, so it's not that.
I believe it is down to the newer Broadcom wifi chip being in the iPhone 5, iPad 4 and iPad Mini.
I may be wrong...
I may be wrong...
Exact same thing happening to me and a friend when trying. Neither of us see anyone show up in the sharing panel where AirDrop is.
No no, see, basically AirDrop uses technology called Wi-Fi Direct. When two Wi-Fi direct devices connect, they create a special Wi-Fi network between those 2 devices only. No internet connection is required. It does also use a mix of Bluetooth 4.0, so if you have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned off, it automatically connects, then when you turn it off, it turns them off.
typo. we're not showing up in each other's airdrop share panel. tried it again today, no luck.
Madscotsman
macrumors regular
Seeing the same issue on several devices....not one has been able to see anyone in the airdrop panel
In the control panel, did you guys set the setting to "Everyone", "Contacts only" or "Off"?
Make sure you set it to "Everyone" if they're not you're contact. I have used it a few times already with a co-worker.
Oh wow very interesting. Ok so then this feature just became insanely useful and I agree much much better than NFC! Not even close.
I suppose the last question then is....does Wi-Fi need to be on for this to work?
I suppose the last question then is....does Wi-Fi need to be on for this to work?
I don't think NFC is going anywhere. AirDrop and WiFi Direct are good for communicating between smart devices (and there I agree it sounds much more promising than NFC), but NFC is much better suited to communicating with dumb devices. POS terminals, smart tags, etc. I don't see paying for gas via AirDrop any time soon, but I've been surprised at the number of pumps near me that work with Google Wallet.
yup, as per my first post we both have it set to everyone.
looks like others have the same problem.
if we can find a workaround, great! if not, I hope Apple fixes in beta 2. Assured it'll be taken care of before fall but hoping to test the feature out sooner.