What's new
Apple iPad Forum 🍎

Welcome to the Apple iPad Forum, your one stop source for all things iPad. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

iPad wi-fi configuration challenge

davisn456

iPF Noob
Joined
Sep 30, 2015
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
What I'm trying to do may just be impossible, but I'd like to see if anyone has any ideas about how to make this setup work.

I'm trying to set up my iPad as a point-of-sale system for processing credit cards at a convention. I have a receipt printer and cash drawer, and the receipt printer connects via ethernet to a wireless router. The iPad, when connected to the router via wi-fi works beautifully to print receipts and open the cash drawer (using the SquareUp app). However, at a trade show/convention, I will not likely be able to use that wi-fi router to access an internet connection. So, tethering to my iPhone seems like a good option, and I am able to do that to process credit cards. However, I am unable to connect my iPad to both the tethered connection and my wi-fi router at the same time. I assume this is a limitation of the iPad, but I'm hoping there's a setting that could possibly fix that.

Does anyone know of any other options, other than purchasing an iPad with cellular data options? Even then, I'm not 100% sure that it could be on the wi-fi network while also on the cellular data.
 

twerppoet

iPad Fan
Joined
Jan 8, 2011
Messages
24,150
Reaction score
15,398
Location
Milton-Freewater, OR
The iPad can only connect to one wi-fi network at a time. You're phone's hotspot is just a wi-fi network created by the phone.

You are also right that getting a cellular model won't solve this. The iPad will connect to either a wi-if or cellular network. It can't do both. At least not under user control. There are some background things like AirDrop that do this, but the user can't control any of it.

If Square has a user forum or support contact, I'd try contacting them directly. They probably have a solution for this scenario.
 

dhewson777

iPF Novice
Joined
Feb 23, 2012
Messages
1,589
Reaction score
163
Location
Brisbane, Australia
With the right wireless router, you can actually plug in a USB 3G/4G dongle to give an Internet connection to the devices on said wireless network.
 
OP
D

davisn456

iPF Noob
Joined
Sep 30, 2015
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
With the right wireless router, you can actually plug in a USB 3G/4G dongle to give an Internet connection to the devices on said wireless network.

I wondered if this actually was possible. I saw some board posts suggesting this idea, but didn't actually see any routers that could do this. Ideally, what I'd like to do is use my iPhone lightning cable to plug it into this router.

Thanks for the idea. I'll do some more research on this and see what I can find.
 
OP
D

davisn456

iPF Noob
Joined
Sep 30, 2015
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
The iPad can only connect to one wi-fi network at a time. You're phone's hotspot is just a wi-fi network created by the phone.

I was under the assumption that tethering activated the connection via Bluetooth, which why I thought it might work to have it connected to a Bluetooth internet source while still on Wi-Fi, but I guess that isn't the case.

If Square has a user forum or support contact, I'd try contacting them directly. They probably have a solution for this scenario.

I sent a message to Square's support address this morning. Hopefully they've dealt with this before and have an idea.
 

scifan57

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Dec 3, 2011
Messages
34,976
Reaction score
23,098
Location
Regina,Canada
I was under the assumption that tethering activated the connection via Bluetooth, which why I thought it might work to have it connected to a Bluetooth internet source while still on Wi-Fi, but I guess that isn't the case.



I sent a message to Square's support address this morning. Hopefully they've dealt with this before and have an idea.
Tethering can connect your iPhone to your iPad via WiFi, Bluetooth, or USB. In any case, you can't have multiple internet connections active at the same time.
 

Donnydark

iPF Noob
Joined
Dec 18, 2015
Messages
2
Reaction score
1
If off-topic, apologies. My IPad Air has wi-fi; but it does not have cellular facility. ( big mistake, I know). I'm about to buy a smart phone with an android OS. Will the iPad tether to an android smart phone? I live in Thailand - should I be asking this question of my cellular service provider? Or is it a hardware question. Thanks in advance. Newboy.
 

twerppoet

iPad Fan
Joined
Jan 8, 2011
Messages
24,150
Reaction score
15,398
Location
Milton-Freewater, OR
If your Android phone has the hotspot feature (almost all of them do), and it is included in your carrier contract (you should ask), then the iPad will work with it.

The hotspot feature is basically a small wi-fi network. Almost any wi-fi device (laptop, tablet, etc.) will work with it.

Tethering is a kind of general description, and can refer to hotspots (small portable cellular to wi-fi routers and/or phones), bluetooth wireless teathering, or connecting a cable between your phone and device.

The last two are rarely used these days, and will not work with your iPad. Or, at least not without considerably more effort and less efficiency.
 

Donnydark

iPF Noob
Joined
Dec 18, 2015
Messages
2
Reaction score
1
If your Android phone has the hotspot feature (almost all of them do), and it is included in your carrier contract (you should ask), then the iPad will work with it.

The hotspot feature is basically a small wi-fi network. Almost any wi-fi device (laptop, tablet, etc.) will work with it.

Tethering is a kind of general description, and can refer to hotspots (small portable cellular to wi-fi routers and/or phones), bluetooth wireless teathering, or connecting a cable between your phone and device.

The last two are rarely used these days, and will not work with your iPad. Or, at least not without considerably more effort and less efficiency.

Brilliant - that is exactly the info I need to go ask the cellular service provider. Love living in Thailand. But the Thai way to answer a question where the person doesn't understand what you are talking about is to say "yes". Of course, it would help if I spoke Thai. Thank you, oh legendary one. May the sun shine on you, thru' 2016.
 

Most reactions

Latest posts

Top