"Tethering" a Smartphone

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El Cid
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"Tethering" a Smartphone

Postby El Cid » Fri Mar 01, 2013 7:18 pm

I lost my phone connection yesterday morning in a thunderstorm and it is expected to be fixed tomorrow (it was a bank holiday yesterday which probably explains the delay)

Normally the loss of an ADSL connection would have me screaming down the phone to Movistar within a few minutes but everything has been tranquillo since I discovered my phone has the facility to create a local WiFi network. A couple of clicks and both our tablets are connected. The main PC also has a connection.

It has been working really well and the interesting thing is that, even with a poor 3G signal it is running three times faster than my normal 3mb ADSL connection.

It's nice to have a backup!

Sid

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gerryh
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Re: "Tethering" a Smartphone

Postby gerryh » Fri Mar 01, 2013 7:33 pm

Yes it is handy in an emergency.
BUT watch your data consumption, it might not have a fixed limit amend you will pay for what you use.
The boy friend of one of my neighbours accessed the internet this way.
She had a shock when the bill for over €1400 arrived.
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El Cid
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Re: "Tethering" a Smartphone

Postby El Cid » Fri Mar 01, 2013 7:49 pm

Yes streaming TV or downloading an operating system update could be painful but after a day of normal (fairly extensive browsing) we have clocked up 65mb usage.

My Movistar deal is for 1gb/mth so I would go over that if I had to use it all the time but there is no data limit but if you go over 1gb the speed drops. I am impressed with it as an emergency option with no apparent drawbacks.

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gerryh
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Re: "Tethering" a Smartphone

Postby gerryh » Fri Mar 01, 2013 7:56 pm

Sounds similar to my deal with Vodafone.
I posted my reply more as a warning for everybody to check the terms of their contract to make sure they don't have any nasty surprises before they start tethering.
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Re: "Tethering" a Smartphone

Postby markwilding » Fri Mar 01, 2013 11:23 pm

I use tethering from time to time. It was useful in Marbella last summer but my speeds aren't fast enough to do any more than check emails Skype, listen to the radio and post on A.com etc.I can't complain though, because I get free internet on my phone with my Internet provider
56 euros for line 20 mbs and two mobile phones with free calls up to 9 euros and unlimited internet.

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Re: "Tethering" a Smartphone

Postby Miro » Sat Mar 02, 2013 4:43 pm

Just tried it out - got 5.36/0.11 while tethered compared to 8.57/0.70 using the ADSL. Certainly an acceptable option if the ADSL ever crashes (although obviously won't be uploading loads of videos that way!) Haven't tried it yet, but see no reason why I can't also tether the phone to my Asus Transformer, since the keyboard dock has USB ports (not the tablet part though), so I can use it as a 3G notebook :thumbup: Never occurred to me before. Just quickly browsing the subject though, I notice that some providers charge for tethering. Would this be only if you use it as a WiFi hotspot? And if so, do Movistar charge for this?
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El Cid
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Re: "Tethering" a Smartphone

Postby El Cid » Sat Mar 02, 2013 5:32 pm

Surely the Asus has WiFi so you shouldn't need to connect by cable - you would only do that for a desktop with no WiFi.

Movistar don't charge but of course you may go over your monthly data allowance in which case the speed drops to a crawl.

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Re: "Tethering" a Smartphone

Postby Miro » Sat Mar 02, 2013 5:53 pm

Ah. Yes, it has WiFi - so I can connect the tablet alone, using the phone as a WiFi hotspot. Never even occurred to me before. So I can use the tablet for internet down by the pool after all! :thumbup:
Don't worry about what people think, they don't do it very often

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El Cid
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Re: "Tethering" a Smartphone

Postby El Cid » Sat Mar 02, 2013 5:55 pm

Yes, just think of your phone as a portable WiFi router.

Sid

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Re: "Tethering" a Smartphone

Postby Miro » Sun Mar 03, 2013 1:10 pm

El Cid wrote:after a day of normal (fairly extensive browsing) we have clocked up 65mb usage.
Sid, where do you find out how many Mb you've eaten to date? Presumably by logging in to your Movistar account? (There seems to be a problem logging in to mobile at the mo so I can't check)
Don't worry about what people think, they don't do it very often

"Acquiring a dog may be the only opportunity a human ever has to choose a relative," Mordecai Siegal 1935-2010.

El Cid
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Re: "Tethering" a Smartphone

Postby El Cid » Sun Mar 03, 2013 1:53 pm

I use an app called My Data Manager. You can set your monthly usage limit and it shows you if you are over your daily allowance etc.

It's available on both iOS and Android.

Sid

alisonb
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Re: "Tethering" a Smartphone

Postby alisonb » Wed Jan 20, 2016 3:38 pm

Resurrecting open old thread since i was going to use this title anyway! I'm currently with Hits mobile and it's fine apart from the fact that even with a tariff with limited internet it doesn't allow tethering. I see Movistar have one, but I want a provider with a month long contract. Anyone have any ideas?
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Re: "Tethering" a Smartphone

Postby northandsouth » Wed Jan 20, 2016 4:24 pm

I'm pretty sure you can, or at least you could, I did it myself a while ago. http://localsimsupport.mobipassport.com ... im-support

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Re: "Tethering" a Smartphone

Postby alisonb » Wed Jan 20, 2016 6:13 pm

Thanks for that. I couldn't find it on hits site but the link you give goes to them anyway. Just had to change the APN slightly and off I go
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