Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iOS 4.3 Personal Hotspot Wi-Fi Sharing Limited to Three Devices in Many Countries?
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Verizon has the same restrictions as AT&T....it's an Apple limitation.
Oh, I stand corrected,,,,Verizon will drop all 5 connections when a call is placed or received.
Hey, don't drag Australia into it please... We do have unlocked iPhones available directly from Apple stores and all our carriers offer personal hotspots at no extra charge - that includes Telstra, Voda, 3G, Vergin, Optus, etc;
Just because US is a backwards country, doesn't mean that the rest of the world is
Just because US is a backwards country, doesn't mean that the rest of the world is
Uhh, this whole 3G thing is a pain. I wish 3G would just become a basic service that isn't limited by all the stupid things carriers want. It's as if my ISP limited how many computers I can connect to my router, that would be pretty upsetting.
In the future, there will be free WiFi beamed from satellites, accessible everywhere. Well, at least, I wish.
In the future, there will be free WiFi beamed from satellites, accessible everywhere. Well, at least, I wish.
I still say big deal. You want 3 machines (or more) to split an internet connection that may possibly give you 1Mbit down and 50KB up? On a sunny day with the wind blowing just right?
Maybe if you're in a hugely desperate situation but I think sharing the cruddy connection with 2 machines for 5 minutes will bring you back into reality. Oh, and there's your "cap" you have every month with ATT or Verizon unless you are lucky enough to be locked into unlimited.
You're far better off (unless you live in the woods of Maine with no cable ISP or phone ISP or satellite ISP) to invest in a wireless system at your house...or ask your neighbor for WIFI access...or drive to the tens of thousands of free WIFI spots.
A few years from now when the connection speeds are much faster, sure, the whole sharing concept may be a bit more attractive. But right now I would rather use dial-up with my computer than ATT 3G service.
Maybe if you're in a hugely desperate situation but I think sharing the cruddy connection with 2 machines for 5 minutes will bring you back into reality. Oh, and there's your "cap" you have every month with ATT or Verizon unless you are lucky enough to be locked into unlimited.
You're far better off (unless you live in the woods of Maine with no cable ISP or phone ISP or satellite ISP) to invest in a wireless system at your house...or ask your neighbor for WIFI access...or drive to the tens of thousands of free WIFI spots.
A few years from now when the connection speeds are much faster, sure, the whole sharing concept may be a bit more attractive. But right now I would rather use dial-up with my computer than ATT 3G service.
Of course, if you like one of the three devices could be a NAT router. Apple or your service provider would have no way of knowing. The router could have 100 computers connected.
But who'd even want to do that? There is not enough bandwidth for more then the few they allow. So the limit is no big deal
But who'd even want to do that? There is not enough bandwidth for more then the few they allow. So the limit is no big deal
Why limit to 5 for that matter, seems equally arbitrary. Not that I could see using more than 1 or 2 at a time myself, but still.
Umm, source?
I'm talking specifically about BLUETOOTH tethering, not Wifi. Wifi tethering is a known quantity.
iPad as a client, iPhone providing the internet connection.
I've done it. You still need the tethering plan but yes, iPad to iPhone Bluetooth tethering works.
my question is WHY would you need to connect 5 devices up for wifi at once??? what would be the 5 devices I guess I can see if the kids all have wifi devices and your in the car or something . Just my thought
If this is true, then I'm going to <3 Apple for it.
Maybe they didn't allow it before because they wanted to sell more 3G iPads, but now that they're adding wifi tethering to the iPhone they figure they might as well enable bluetooth tethering too since people will do it anyway.
Win!
How automatic is it? Does it take a while to connect, or is it pretty much ready to go within seconds of unlocking the iPad?
Do you have to manually connect every time?
iOS 4.3 isn't supported on Verizon's phone
they will stagnate iOS release's and Verizon will get the next one first which will be 5.0
It's no different than a computer tethering. They don't care anymore. They don't need to protect a carrier.
Why should they care how many devices? Its not an unlimited data plan, it is up to 4GB/mo and you pay when you go over, so you'd think they would want you to go over more easily.
3G is about as fast as dial-up anyways. Wouldn't want more than a couple computers sharing such slow speed.
I think some of you forget just how slow dial-up was.
3G is orders of magnitude faster than dial-up.
Dialup = 56kbps, and that was on a good day.
3G = around 256kbps on the worst days, usually around 1000kbps, and in best cases around 3000kbps.
Maybe it FEELS like dialup in areas with little to no coverage. But get some perspective.
the last 2 iOS release's have been carrier exclusive
4.2.6 Verizon
4.3 AT&T
Apple will continue the trend
3 is plenty, I'd be happy with 1 or 2 to be honest. I'm just happy I'll be able to tether Internet to my iPad from my iPhone. I haven't tried yet - I'm assuming this will work?