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iPad iPhone to Ipad Bluetooth Internet Tethering

WiiDSmoker

WiiDSmoker

Suspended
Original poster
Sep 15, 2009
1,891
7,433
Dallas, TX
Probably has been asked before, but this if I can do this, I'll be getting an iPad.

My 3GS has Internet Tethering on it, so I am wondering is it possible for the iPad to connect to my iPhone via bluetooth for Internet access?
 
WiiDSmoker said:
Probably has been asked before, but this if I can do this, I'll be getting an iPad.

My 3GS has Internet Tethering on it, so I am wondering is it possible for the iPad to connect to my iPhone via bluetooth for Internet access?
Click to expand...

unlikely, but you can use the iphone wi-fi as a hotspot. If we are talking jailbroken phones
 
If you jailbreak your phone you can get software to make it act as an WiFi hotspot. Otherwise you're SOL.
 
Just be aware that MyWi has some bugs, it can eat your battery life pretty fast and often require a reboot to turn off the hotspot. Don't abuse it either, AT&T will figure out what you're doing from the massive bandwidth jump.
 
WiiDSmoker said:
I have mine jailbroken, what is the name of the app to make it a wifi hot spot?
Click to expand...

As posted above, MyWi will turn your iPhone into a Wifi "hotspot" the iPad should connect just as it would to a wifi router. The bluetooth part won't work as the iPad currently (at least they haven't shown it) doesn't have a way to setup an adhoc network for the BT tethering to work. Who knows what hacks may bring though. Mywi does eat your battery so plan accordingly.:)
 
MikhailT said:
Don't abuse it either, AT&T will figure out what you're doing from the massive bandwidth jump.
Click to expand...

You're saying that AT&T would have no objections if you downloaded the entire internet to your iPhone, but if you share the connection with another device they'll cut you off?
 
MikhailT said:
Just be aware that MyWi has some bugs, it can eat your battery life pretty fast and often require a reboot to turn off the hotspot. Don't abuse it either, AT&T will figure out what you're doing from the massive bandwidth jump.
Click to expand...

Do you have any proof AT&T will care? Not trying to call you out or anything but I use to tether my iPhone to my laptop to download torrents since my dorms last year blocked it. I downloaded at least 50 gigs and never heard anything from AT&T. Also if you're worried about battery life I'm thinking the camera connection kit will also charge the attached iPhone but I have no way of knowing for sure.
 
GadgetX said:
Do you have any proof AT&T will care? Not trying to call you out or anything but I use to tether my iPhone to my laptop to download torrents since my dorms last year blocked it. I downloaded at least 50 gigs and never heard anything from AT&T. Also if you're worried about battery life I'm thinking the camera connection kit will also charge the attached iPhone but I have no way of knowing for sure.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't run my mouth too quick a letter might be in the mail keep it up.
 
Well I downloaded MyWi, and created a Rock login name, but everytime I try to enable Internet Wifi Hot Spot it fails.

I am using iPhone 3GS 3.1.2
 
GadgetX said:
Do you have any proof AT&T will care? Not trying to call you out or anything but I use to tether my iPhone to my laptop to download torrents since my dorms last year blocked it. I downloaded at least 50 gigs and never heard anything from AT&T. Also if you're worried about battery life I'm thinking the camera connection kit will also charge the attached iPhone but I have no way of knowing for sure.
Click to expand...

I have a friend who got called by ATT and they asked them if he was tethering his iphone. He responded with "what is tethering". I would advise against it, though if you don't use it much you should be fine. I use over a gig on my iphone each month, but its not jail broken.
 
WiiDSmoker said:
Well I downloaded MyWi, and created a Rock login name, but everytime I try to enable Internet Wifi Hot Spot it fails.

I am using iPhone 3GS 3.1.2
Click to expand...

Hmmmm. I just did a jailbreak on my phone last night and installed MyWi this morning and it worked great.
 
Just pay the extra 130 beans and get the 3G version. That way you can save your iPhone from getting the battery sapped. To me the3G version was always the more attractive buy considering it's $30/unlimited.
 
str1f3 said:
Just pay the extra 130 beans and get the 3G version. That way you can save your iPhone from getting the battery sapped. To me the3G version was always the more attractive buy considering it's $30/unlimited.
Click to expand...

$130 + $30 a month. That's $360 a year just for the data. Not horribly expensive but I think I'll stick to tethering for $0 a year.
 
GadgetX said:
$130 + $30 a month. That's $360 a year just for the data. Not horribly expensive but I think I'll stick to tethering for $0 a year.
Click to expand...

Plus the existing AT&T bill, which jumped hugely when I upgraded to a 3GS. This is why I went with the WiFI ipad.
 
That is not $130 + $30 a month = $360 a year, it is actually $130 + $30 a month ONLY for the months that you use it. If you Choose to use it for 12 months that is your choice. There is no contract. If you live in a town or city where WiFi is easy to get to then you only need the 3G when you go to the boonies. The $130 is only to ensure that you have the ability to use 3G when you want to.
 
I put MyWi on my old 3G, since I don't want to jailbreak my 3Gs, but I might need it for iPad. This way when I go on a trip and may need WiFi for my iPad, I can swap SIM cards, and use the old phone for that trip.

I can see how this won't work for some people, but I definitely don't need 3G and another plan on my iPad. I'll pay $10 and deal with the 'hassle' of swapping the SIM.
 
I've never been able to getna straight answer out of anyone regarding whether or not sharing the iPhone Internet connection actually violates the service agreement. The wording about usage is vague. My interpretation is they have the right to kick you off their service for whatever use they deem inappropriate, but there is no current case law where they have actually sued anyone.

I talked at length with the manager of my AT&T store about this. Her posititon was that jailbreaking voids the phone warranty but not the service agreement. Of course, that conversation does nothing to protect me from losing my service nor getting charged for overuse. I just thought it was interesting. She also said that someone higher up the food chain too her they would be offering a pay as you go tethering "plan" within the year. That dashes my hopes of AT&T just turning the feature "on".

All I can say is I have used tethering and downloaded copious amounts of data on AT&T with the iPhone and Sprint with the Treo, and I haven't seen anything unusual on either bill.

These are just observations for the sake of rhetoric and NOT legal advice.
 
zipa said:
You're saying that AT&T would have no objections if you downloaded the entire internet to your iPhone, but if you share the connection with another device they'll cut you off?
Click to expand...

Every ISP have a bandwidth limitation before they consider you as disruptive to their network (which is the word they use in their TOS). Downloading the entire internet over 3G for the whole month is fine as long you're not downloading them in one day on two or three different devices.


GadgetX said:
Do you have any proof AT&T will care? Not trying to call you out or anything but I use to tether my iPhone to my laptop to download torrents since my dorms last year blocked it. I downloaded at least 50 gigs and never heard anything from AT&T. Also if you're worried about battery life I'm thinking the camera connection kit will also charge the attached iPhone but I have no way of knowing for sure.
Click to expand...

I have known people who gotten calls from AT&T about this, and often get warnings from them before AT&T cut them off for "disrupting the service". It's not about how much stuff you download, but how much bandwidth you suck from other users on that cell network near you. Disruptive is the keyword here. People bitching about dropping calls and slow internet is much more an issue for AT&T than the tethering and jailbreaking. They rather cut you and lose customer than to lose several more.

CrazyCleave said:
I've never been able to getna straight answer out of anyone regarding whether or not sharing the iPhone Internet connection actually violates the service agreement. The wording about usage is vague. My interpretation is they have the right to kick you off their service for whatever use they deem inappropriate, but there is no current case law where they have actually sued anyone.

I talked at length with the manager of my AT&T store about this. Her posititon was that jailbreaking voids the phone warranty but not the service agreement. Of course, that conversation does nothing to protect me from losing my service nor getting charged for overuse. I just thought it was interesting. She also said that someone higher up the food chain too her they would be offering a pay as you go tethering "plan" within the year. That dashes my hopes of AT&T just turning the feature "on".

All I can say is I have used tethering and downloaded copious amounts of data on AT&T with the iPhone and Sprint with the Treo, and I haven't seen anything unusual on either bill.

These are just observations for the sake of rhetoric and NOT legal advice.
Click to expand...

Jailbreaking is not the issue here, it's the bandwidth. AT&T doesn't care about you jailbreaking your phone, that only applies to Apple.

The bandwidth you suck down daily does impact the bandwidth availability for other people on the same cell tower that you're connected to. Being disruptive to others is what AT&T doesn't want.

AT&T doesn't need to sue anybody, the disruptive is in their TOS. You agreed to that, therefore you have no legal grounds to sue AT&T for cutting you off.
 
iPhone to iPhone

If I am not interested in bluetooth internet tethering or WiFi internet tethering, can I exchange data between iPhones?
 
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