iPad Use the iPad Air 2 as a router, battery life

[nando87]

Hello. I currently have a 4g internet connection for both home and outdoors. I've been thinking that having both a router at home and a usb modem for outdoor, as I currently have, is too complicated and unnecessary, so I've been thinking about replacing both them with a new iPad 4g, which can be with me all the time. The thing is, how long does the battery last if I use it sharing the internet connection all day?

 

[Gav2k]

4-5 hours depending on if your just using the hotspot or the device plus hotspot

 

[rui no onna]

4-5 hours depending on if your just using the hotspot or the device plus hotspot

My old iPhone 4 can handle 3-4 hours as wifi hotspot and I know I've seen reports of newer models faring better. My iPad 3 has been able to handle over 24 hours as wifi hotspot with maybe 3-4 hours of web browsing and video playback. Heck, my iPad 4 handled 40 hours as hotspot and still had 20% charge remaining. I'm thinking the iPad Air 2 will likely do better than just 4-5 hours.

 

[Gav2k]

My old iPhone 4 can handle 3-4 hours as wifi hotspot and I know I've seen reports of newer models faring better. My iPad 3 has been able to handle over 24 hours as wifi hotspot with maybe 3-4 hours of web browsing and video playback. Heck, my iPad 4 handled 40 hours as hotspot and still had 20% charge remaining. I'm thinking the iPad Air 2 will likely do better than just 4-5 hours.

I'm working on the assumption of multipul connections. Yes 1 device connected will offer a decent battery life assuming the iPad is not in use at the same time. But as the connections go up the factored time falls.

 

[Abazigal]

I have heard some websites (such as Anandtech) claim that the iPad can support up to 24 hours of hotspot on a single charge. I am not sure if the internal circuitry is designed for such extended usage though.

 

[rui no onna]

I'm working on the assumption of multipul connections. Yes 1 device connected will offer a decent battery life assuming the iPad is not in use at the same time. But as the connections go up the factored time falls.

The times I posted were with multiple devices connected. Generally, it's 2-3 devices (usually 1 laptop and 2 iPads) at the same time but sometimes it even goes up to the maximum of 5. I've been using my iPad 4 primarily as wifi hotspot for 2 years now and it can handle one work week of 8-hour days working almost solely as hotspot without the need to recharge mid-week.

 

[KevinC867]

Is there a way to use an Airport Express together with an iPad to expand on the five device personal hotspot limit? This summer, we were constantly running into the limit with the family at the vacation house.

 

[rui no onna]

Is there a way to use an Airport Express together with an iPad to expand on the five device personal hotspot limit? This summer, we were constantly running into the limit with the family at the vacation house.

I don't have the Airport Express but the way I got around the 5 device limit is through the use of 2 routers. One set-up as WLAN client (TP-Link TL-WR702N Nano Router) wired via ethernet to another which acts as gateway/router (any normal router). You can also use one of those gaming wifi adapters as alternative to the TP-Link. I've found they usually run more expensive, though. Nice thing about this set-up, even if you take away the iPad you still have a working local area network.