Tethering vs Internet sharing vs Wi-fi hotspots

Forums › Windows Phone and Windows Mobile › Tethering vs Internet sharing vs Wi-fi hotspots - using Windows Phone

BlueToothKiwi

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Topic # 102632 18-May-2012 13:45

My new Samsung Omnia W has Internet sharing and the reviews say it also allow you to set up Wi-fi hotspots. I read somewhere you can also set Windows phone up as a tethering phone - though I have not figured out how.

If I want to use the phone's mobile data connection from my iPad, which is a preferred way to go and why?

(a) Windows phone set as a tether phone
(b) Set up a Wi-Fi hotspot using the Windows phone
(c) Turn on Internet sharing on Windows phone

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BrentR

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Reply # 627352 18-May-2012 14:29

Wifi hotspot/tethering/internet sharing are all the same thing :)

All utilise wifi to your Windows Phone handset and it's internet connection :)

BlueToothKiwi

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Reply # 627371 18-May-2012 15:06

:)

I got confused after looking at these two posts:
Hotspots on Windows phone:
http://blog.brightpointuk.co.uk/setting-wifi-hotspot-windows-phone-75-mango

Tethering on Windows phone:
http://mobilitydigest.com/windows-phone-7-tethers-you-can-do-it-now-heres-how/

I just got it working - it is almost as fast as having a mobile data card!

kyhwana2

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Reply # 627391 18-May-2012 15:51

Note that Windows Mobile is waaay outdated and had no wifi spot capability built in..

Regs

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Reply # 627513 18-May-2012 20:28

I assume that your ipad has no 3g built in? the windows phone tethering/wifi hotspot rips through battery life (same for othe platforms I believe) so its OK for occasional use.

if you need to do a lot of this, the a better option might be to pick up a personal wifi device and use that with the iPad

if you're on 2degrees, you can even share the data on same plan for both the phone and the personal wifi device which is awesome!

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DrStrangelove

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Reply # 641088 15-Jun-2012 04:38

USB tethering is an option when only one device is being used. I've been doing this for years, even before smart phones and just after 3G came out, as it charges the phone at the same time.

My old Sony Ericsson K610i emulated 10Mb Ethernet over USB, pity it's 3G was only 384Kbps.

This message is sent via a tethered WiFi Android phone, while the Notebook it's tethered to, is charging it via USB.
Alienware M11xR1 Notebook with 8hrs battery life, so it's got a bit to spare.

Interestingly, I believe a WP can access the Internet when connected to a Zune host... it's like reverse USB tether.
Interesting feature if you have use for such a thing, maybe when no WiFi available for your phone.

I don't know if Windows Phone people use the Diagnostic Menu. I read there is a whole raft of options, one of them being tethering. I remember watching an old video with one of the Microsoft bods saying WiFi tethering was already available in the Windows phone but just had to be enabled.

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Reply # 641106 15-Jun-2012 07:36

kyhwana2: Note that Windows Mobile is waaay outdated and had no wifi spot capability built in..

I assume he's talking Windows Phone which is a different beast from Windows Mobile.

WiFi Hotspot works in most handsets, except Nokia Lumia at the moment. This will change sometime when a new update comes out (who knows when...)

The USB "tethering" the OP is talking is not really that, but it's basically using the handset as a USB modem - not really Internet sharing. That method requires you to define a DUN connection on your PC and enter the APN details.

WiFi Hotspot will work fine on the iPad, but the dial up option will not.

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