What is Tethering, and How Does It Work?
What do you think, every time the internet is available to you? No, right, while travelling you might not have an internet the place you are travelling to. Your remote work gets disturbed when there’s a poor Wi-Fi connection, especially when you need to fulfill a deadline. Here, tethering becomes a hero in saving you from unstable connections or when there’s no Wi-Fi connection. Methods of tethering on Android and iOS are mainly similar. In this blog, you will get to know all about tethering and how you can enable it on your devices. Also, tethering’s advantages and disadvantages, which you should know before starting to tether.
What is Tethering?
Tethering is an approach used to share internet to other devices via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or USB Mobile hotspot, personal hotspot, and Wi-Fi hotspot are the other words used for tethering because your phone is the device sharing the internet acts as the main internet provider device, just like a router; Since your phone is small as compared to a router, so it is also known as portable hotspot.
What are the Types of Tethering?
Now, till here, you are familiar with tethering. Let’s check the types of tethering. There are three main methods of tethering, each one has its importance.
- Wi-Fi Tethering
- Bluetooth Tethering
- USB Tethering
Wi-Fi Tethering
Wi-Fi tethering or a mobile hotspot works without ethernet cables by creating a WLAN. In Wi-Fi tethering, your phone becomes an internet-sharing device, also called a portable Wi-Fi hotspot. Your phone’s “Mobile data “is used to provide internet access to other connected devices.
How does Wi-Fi Tethering (Mobile Hotspot) Work?
Here are the following steps you can follow to enable Wi-Fi tethering:
- On the settings of your device, go to Network & Internet.
- Go to Hotspot & Tethering.
- Under this option, there is a Wi-Fi tethering option.
- Turn on Wi-Fi tethering.
- On your laptop, go to Wi-Fi settings.
- Search for the portable hotspot option.
- Connect to a mobile hotspot on your laptop.
- Now, the internet is connected on your laptop via your mobile data.
Bluetooth Tethering
Wireless Personal Area Network is used to connect devices that are in smaller ranges; Bluetooth creates a WPAN. Bluetooth tethering allows you to connect to the internet with other devices with a Bluetooth connection.
How Does Bluetooth Tethering Work?
Here are the following steps you can follow to enable Bluetooth tethering:
- First, go to the settings of your phone.
- From Network & Internet, click on Hotspot & Tethering.
- Turn on the Bluetooth tethering option.
- Now, go on your laptop and click on the Bluetooth icon.
- From the Bluetooth icon, join the “personal area network”.
- A menu will be opened; click on the “Connect using” dropdown.
- Select “Access point”.
- Finally, the internet will be connected to your laptop by Bluetooth tethering.
USB Tethering
USB tethering is another way of connecting to the internet on your laptop. It is done by connecting your mobile device to your laptop via a USB cable. This way, your phone device can share the internet with a laptop. Your phone will act as a modem.
How Does USB Tethering Work?
Here are the following steps you can follow to enable USBtethering:
- Connect your mobile phone to your other device using a USB cable.
- USB tethering option will be visible when you connect the USB cable.
- Turn on the toggle, and a notification will appear saying “USB tethering turned on”.
- Your PC will detect a new connection as “Local Area Connection”.
- Now, connect it with the Local Area Connection.
- Your laptop will get the internet from your phone via USB.
Advantages of Tethering
Tethering is the most convenient way of sharing an internet connection with your other device when there are no means of the internet. Here are some of its notable advantages.
Beneficial for Teamwork
When you are working in a team, from a place where there is no Wi-Fi, moreover not even a public Wi-Fi connection. The tethering method is useful in providing the internet to all the teammates equally.
Tethering is faster
Tethering is fast and provides you with faster internet connectivity with your device. This is due to mobile phones using the technology of 4G and 5G that provides better internet signals. So, when you tether using your phone, your mobile data will provide a better internet connection to your computer.
Cost less
Due to tethering being included in your mobile data, it will not cost extra to share internet with your computer or other devices. It depends on your phone carrier; as long as they allow tethering without additional charges, you can connect freely.
Multiple device connectivity
Tethering allows you to connect multiple devices to the internet. If your phone has enough mobile data, then the internet will work efficiently on the device you have connected.
Disadvantages of Tethering
As discussed, the benefits of tethering have their downsides, which you should know before tethering your smartphone:
Consumes More Data
Since tethering is sharing the internet with your computer, it means your phone and the devices connected to it are using the same mobile data. This results in using more data than usual, and you will run out of data quicker. To reduce the usage, avoid streaming and gaming or the tasks that require more data.
Battery Drainage
Keeping tethering on for a long time can drain your battery faster. The nonstop ongoing transfer of data between devices drains the battery, and you will be required to connect your phone to the charger. It can cause your phone device to heat up.
Shorter Range Connectivity
Portable hotspots have limited range connectivity, unlike your main router. It is important to keep the devices near to your phone, which is sharing the internet.
Slower Internet Speed
When your phone is providing internet to many devices, internet signals get slower and do not work as fast as compared to regular Wi-Fi connection. Which can result in executing your important tasks.
Tethering vs Mobile Hotspot
Tethering and Mobile hotspot both provide internet to devices. Tethering helps you enable internet sharing from your mobile phone’s data to your computer and other devices in the absence of Wi-Fi. Some people get confused with both the terms and use them synonymously. However, there are some main differences between both that you don’t want to ignore. You may check the following table:
| Tethering | Mobile hotspot | |
| Connectivity | Tethering can be done through the three methods of Wi-Fi, ISB, and Bluetooth. | Mobile Hotspot allows you to connect multiple devices to the internet. |
| Battery Consumption | USB tethering keeps your phone charged, as your phone is connected to a PC with a USB cable. However, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi tethering drains the battery, but slowly. | Mobile data drains your phone’s battery fast due to the continuous transfer of internet signals. |
| Speed | USB tethering is the fastest, and Bluetooth tethering is the slowest. | The speed of a Mobile hotspot depends on the Wi-Fi and the number of users using the same network. |
| Security | Tethering is more secure, as it requires one device at a time. | Mobile hotspots aren’t secured, and multiple device connections can be a risk of online attacks. iProVPN can make your connection secure. |
Steps to Enable Tethering on iPhone
The following are the steps to enable tethering on an iPhone:
- Go to your iPhone’s settings.
- Tap on the “personal hotspot”. If this option isn’t visible, then go to “Cellular” and turn it on.
- On “Personal hotspot,” enable the option “Allow others to join.” Other devices on the same iCloud account will connect instantly.
- Create a strong password, or you can even use a default password.
- Go to the Wi-Fi menu and select your hotspot, enter the password, and your device will connect to your mobile hotspot.
Steps to Enable Tethering on Android One
First, check if your Wi-Fi tethering is turned on before starting tethering if you want to tether via Wi-Fi connection.
- Go to “Hotspot & Tethering” in your Android phone’s settings.
- Click on Hotspot & Tethering and select your tethering preference from Wi-Fi tethering and USB tethering.
- On selecting Wi-Fi tethering, a new screen will open. There, you can see your hotspot name and password. You can keep the predefined settings or change them.
If your USB Tethering is Disabled. To Enable It, Follow These Steps:
- Go to developer’s settings
- Then go to About device then on the version.
- Tap several times on “Build version” until your password screen appears.
- Enter your password and tap on the “Developer options”.
- From the “Developer options,” you can reset default settings or enable tethering for USB or Ethernet.
Concluding What is Tethering?
Ever wonder what you will do in a situation when there is no Wi-Fi, especially when you have an important task to complete? Here’s where tethering saves you, but what is tethering? It’s a process of enabling the internet on your device from your phone’s internet. It is used when there’s no Wi-Fi connection around. Three ways of tethering are Wi-Fi tethering, USB tethering, and Bluetooth tethering. Every type is distinct from another one and has its benefits and drawbacks. The fastest tethering method is the USB tethering because USB is directly connected to your laptop or computer to get the internet from your phone. The Bluetooth tethering is the slowest among the three, and it works in small ranges. To improve the security while tethering, you should always use strong passwords and use a VPN like iProVPN, which will protect your internet traffic over the internet.
FAQs
- What is tethering?
When there is no internet connection at your end, then it is tough to complete your online tasks. However, if you have internet on your phone, then you can use that internet on your other devices like a laptop. This is done using a tethering method in which you can share your phone’s mobile data with another device easily.
- How are phone’s hotspot and tethering different from each other?
Sharing a mobile phone’s data with the other device is referred to as tethering, while on the contrary, a hotspot uses Wi-Fi and connects multiple devices to the internet, which is much slower than tethering as multiple devices are using the internet connection at the same time.
- Which VPN service is better to use while tethering?
You can connect to iProVPN when tethering; it will give you multiple benefits and secure your connection. Data transmission from your phone to another device over a wireless connection can be harmful, it brings a lot of security risks. Using iProVPN will encrypt your online connection.
- Will my battery drain fast while tethering?
Yes! You can have this issue of battery drainage when you are tethering from your phone to your laptop or any other device. If you don’t want your phone to drain the battery quickly, then tether while connected to a charger.
- Which tethering technique is the secure one?
USB tethering is the most secure tethering technique, it protects you from risks that are present online. because it is connected right away with your mobile phone and your other device with a USB cable.
- Are there any apps for tethering?
Yes, there are some applications and software for tethering, but always make sure not to use any party apps. These apps aren’t safe and take your information to misuse it. The tethering feature is a predefined variable in Android and iOS devices, which are more secure to use.
- Which is the fastest and the slowest tethering method?
USB tethering is the fastest, providing a more stable connection and connecting directly with the device. However, Wi-Fi tethering is a bit slower due to multiple devices’ connectivity simultaneously. And the Bluetooth tethering is the slowest and is not recommended for streaming and gaming.
