Wifi hotspotting?

[beavery]

I have a wifi only iPad 2. I also have an iPhone 4.
I am aware that I can set up a private network using 3G from my phone.
I went to my local Vodafone shop and asked how to set this up.
They said that I needed to download an app from the app store for like $30 or something.
No charge from Vodafone (au) themselves though.
I have looked through the app store, searching for 'wifi' which I was told by the reps.

Is this the case? If so what app is it? I know the option is in settings, however I don't want to turn it on if there is something else I have to do first.

Has anyone got any experience with this?

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

I have a wifi only iPad 2. I also have an iPhone 4.
I am aware that I can set up a private network using 3G from my phone.
I went to my local Vodafone shop and asked how to set this up.
They said that I needed to download an app from the app store for like $30 or something.
No charge from Vodafone (au) themselves though.
I have looked through the app store, searching for 'wifi' which I was told by the reps.

Is this the case? If so what app is it? I know the option is in settings, however I don't want to turn it on if there is something else I have to do first.

Has anyone got any experience with this?

I don't think the Vodafone guys know what they're talking about - maybe I don't either...

Just enable WiFi hotspot on the iPhone4 in the 'Settings' menu and that's it. Now your iPad will be able to 'see' the iPhone4 network and connect to the Internet via your iPhone.

That's all there is to it - if Vodafone say they're not going to charge you for tethering (aka hotspotting), you're good to go...

Tim

 

[beavery]

Do I need to have tethering enabled as well as the wifi hotspot?

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

Here are all the details....

iPhone: System requirements for Personal Hotspot

Tim

 

[beavery]

Thanks

 

[K1W1]

if Vodafone say they're not going to charge you for tethering (aka hotspotting), you're good to go...

Tim

Yes but the data you use on the iPad will be charged against the data content of your Vodafone account so be very careful about that side of things.
I guess the good thing about Vodafone is that the reception is so poor that you can't download much anyway (I'm a Vodafone iPhone user).

 

[beavery]

Just thought I would update this. Have been tethering when needed, even when my iPhone won't use the Internet itself due to low reception, it gives good connection to the iPad! Strange. I tested it out at a local 'blackspot' for Vodafone, with the same video YouTube at the same time, and low and behold the iPad was the better one, with no jumps in the playback..

If I could only understand how that works out ? Oh well.

Oh and no charge from Vodafone at all

Thanks everyone !

 

[K1W1]

You will be charged if and when you exceed your data limit. Virtually all mobile plans these days have a data content built in (500MB per month, that sort of thing). Once you go over that limit it will show.
You WILL also be charged by Vodafone if you access the Internet outside their 3G area regardless of whether you have credit in your plan or not.

 

[leelai]

Do you get any 'Warning' texts from Vodafone telling you that you have reached so much percentage of your plan. I'm with Telstra, I get them, I find them very helpful.

 

[beavery]

Do you get any 'Warning' texts from Vodafone telling you that you have reached so much percentage of your plan. I'm with Telstra, I get them, I find them very helpful.

I'm sure I would if I ever go near the edge of my data allowance! I seem to almost always be in an open wifi's range the only place I need to use 3G tethering is at my local club. I have had my iPhone for almost a year now, and not once have I gone over around a quarter of the allowance given to me
I stay on the cap I am so when I turn into a messaging ninja (2-3k texts daily!) I don't need to worry about them. ;D

 

[lee1965]

I decided on ipad2 with wifi only, if I need the net it's a wifi hotspot or use the iPhone 4 hotspot tethering, save a few hundred dollars on tne price of the ipad2 and not having to worry about another data plan...

Optus iphone plan has enough data for me to use & I wouldn't touch vodaphone as the staff aren't to savvy and all I hear is complaints about coverage.

 

[col.bris]

Buy the telstra myfi unit it allows 5 users at same time accessing Telstra all for $110 inc start up data best deal with out question

 

[K1W1]

Buy the telstra myfi unit it allows 5 users at same time accessing Telstra all for $110 inc start up data best deal with out question

The problem with those devices is simply that you have to carry an additional device AND a charger with you where ever you go. The devices have a battery life shorter than the iPads so they somewhat limit the flexibility of the iPad.
If you need access for multiple people who are all in the same place all the time (I know that they will work between hotel rooms that are several rooms apart on the same floor) that's fine but for me I'd rather pay a little extra and not have to worry about the hassle of chargers and extra boxes, it reminds me of previous lives travelling with laptops and a mouse and all the rest of the paraphernalia. If my iPad is on I have access to the net via wifi or 3G that's all I want.

 

[ipadbraincell]

The problem with those devices is simply that you have to carry an additional device AND a charger with you where ever you go. The devices have a battery life shorter than the iPads so they somewhat limit the flexibility of the iPad.
If you need access for multiple people who are all in the same place all the time (I know that they will work between hotel rooms that are several rooms apart on the same floor) that's fine but for me I'd rather pay a little extra and not have to worry about the hassle of chargers and extra boxes, it reminds me of previous lives travelling with laptops and a mouse and all the rest of the paraphernalia. If my iPad is on I have access to the net via wifi or 3G that's all I want.

PC World has a version of this dongle, seems a good idea to me. I appreciate the battery life us less and more clutter but serves a need.

My son lives in rented accommodation, so not keen to have fixed Internet and tie-in to a long minimum contract, With this dongle he can 'sub let' it to share the cost

When considering ipad2 models 3G added an extra £100.00.

At home I have WiFi ant BT Internet, in their deal I get free 'fone' hotspot access nation wide, so I decided to spend my money on the bigger memory size.

Tbh I find if i need, I can normally hook onto the clients Internet services when out and about.

 

[K1W1]

I think that the relative costs and data plan situations are likely to be different between the UK and Australia.