One of the cool things about an iPhone or a Cellular iPad is that it can also double up as a router, so you can use it’s cellular data connection to connect your other devices to the internet.
There are three ways to share your iPhone or iPad’s cellular data connection using the Personal Hotspot feature.
You can connect the device to your iPhone using USB, or Bluetooth or over Wi-Fi. We take a look at the pros and cons of using each of these options, so you can take a more informed decision:
Using USB Tethering
Pros:
- USB tethering is the fastest method to tether your computer to your iPhone. You get the fastest download and upload speeds.
- It is the most power efficient option. You don’t have to worry about your iPhone’s battery life, as your iPhone will be charging when it is being used as a wireless modem. But note that it will drain your Mac or PC’s battery.
- It is also the most reliable and stable method.
Cons:
- You can use USB tethering with your computer. So unlike the wireless options, you won’t be able to tether your iPad to your iPhone etc, which seems to be a popular use case.
- You can only tether one device at a time.
Using Wi-Fi Tethering
Pros:
- Wi-Fi tethering is not as fast as USB tethering but it is almost 10 times faster than Bluetooth tethering.
- Unlike USB tethering, you can connect more than one device using Wi-Fi tethering. The maximum number of supported connections may vary depending on your carrier.
- Wi-Fi tethering also offers the best range.
Cons:
- Wi-Fi tethering consumes the most battery.
- Wi-Fi hotspot turns off when no devices are connected. It also seems to be most unstable option, and tends to disconnect. This means that you need to connect to your iPhone every time your device gets disconnected.
- To minimize power consumption, you get approximately 90 seconds to connect your device to your iPhone using Wi-Fi Personal hotspot feature. So you will have to disable and reenable Personal Hotspot toggle to connect if you don’t connect your device in time.
Using Bluetooth Tethering
Pros:
- Once you connect using the Bluetooth hotspot feature, you won’t get disconnected unless you go out of range. There is no time limit.
- Bluetooth remains dormant and ready to connect when your device wakes up or is in the range, so you don’t have to take out your iPhone from the pocket to connect like you may need to do with Wi-Fi tethering.
Cons:
- You can only connect to one device at a time with Bluetooth tethering.
- The biggest drawback of the Bluetooth option is its limited throughput. It is almost 10 times slower than the Wi-Fi tethering.
Conclusion
So the best option depends on your needs and personal preference. If you’re looking for the fastest and most power efficient tethering option, then USB is the best option. However, if you’re looking for a wireless option with the best range and you want to connect multiple devices, then Wi-Fi is the fastest and the best option. If you’re looking for the most reliable, and power efficient wireless option then Bluetooth is the best option.
Do you use tethering often? If so, which tethering method do you use and why.
You can follow our guide if you need help to use the Personal Hotspot feature:
