How to use my phones data on my laptop

When you are working and on the move, you may find that you do not have access on your laptop to a Wi-Fi network. One solution is to use a mobile broadband service, but this can be expensive, particularly for occasional use. However, you may instead be able to use the tethering feature that is available on many smartphones. This allows you to share the 3G data connection on your phone with other devices such as your laptop. Your smartphone effectively works in the same way as a wireless router on a home broadband connection. Before using tethering, you must check that your cell phone service provider allows tethering and whether there is a charge. This will depend on your handset and your contract.

iPhone 4 or later

1. 1.

   Upgrade to iOS 4.3 or later if you are not already running this. You can do this by selecting "Settings," choosing "General" and selecting "Software Update."

2. 2.

   Select "General," choose "Network" and switch Cellular Data to "On."

3. 3.

   Select "Personal Hotspot." Your phone will display the necessary Wi-Fi password.

4. 4.

   Turn on wireless networking on your laptop, select the network with the name of your phone and type in the password to connect.

Android

1. 1.

   Select "Settings" and choose "Wireless & Networks."

2. 2.

   Select "Tethering & Portable Hotspot" and choose "Portable Wi-Fi Hotspot." You can now connect your laptop to the network marked "AndroidAP," though it will not be a secure connection.

3. 3.

   Select "Portable Wi-Fi HotSpot Settings" on your smartphone to change the name of the network or add a password.

Windows Phone 7.5 or later

1. 1.

   Swipe your finger from the right side of the screen and select "Settings" from the on-screen menu that appears. Tap "Mobile Network" and turn on "Data Connection and 3G Connection."

2. 2.

   Select the back button to return to the "Settings" menu, tap "Internet Sharing" and turn Sharing to "On." This will display a broadcast name, or the network name, and a password. Tap "Setup" if you want to change either of these.

   With data tethering, you can use your mobile internet on your PC, laptop, or tablet. All you need is an Android phone!  Need an internet connection for your PC or laptop, but do not have access to public Wi-Fi? The solution is simple: connect your smartphone's mobile internet connection to your PC. This process is known as tethering.

   While tethering with your laptop or tablet may be faster than the public network in your favorite cafe, it can have its own problems. Here is what you need to know about tethering with Android and how to connect your mobile internet to your PC.

   What is tethering?

   Tethering is the term for connecting your mobile device to your computer so your PC can get online via your phone's mobile data connection. It works via USB, Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi.

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   In the pre-iPhone days, this meant using an old-style feature phone to call a number that gave internet access anywhere. Some cell phones could share their internet connection, enabling you to get online via the device network's APN.

   Following the release of the iPhone in 2007, many cell phone networks began charging extra for tethering plans. Fortunately, this money-grabbing practice has since been phased out almost completely these days, tethering is usually free aside from using your data allowance.

   Android mobile tethering options explained

   Android owners have three tethering options to share a mobile internet connection with their laptop, tablet, or even desktop PC:

   1) Connect via Bluetooth

   2) Use your phone as a wireless hotspot

   3) Connect your phone to your computer via USB

   We will look at each of these to discover which method will drain your battery quickest, and which transfers data fastest.

   Before proceeding, make sure you have enabled mobile internet on your phone. It is important to note that mobile signal strength will impact your connection speed. Using tethering can also result in your phone's battery level decreasing quickly; wireless tethering is particularly power-intensive.

   I have provided speed results from speedtest.net for comparison.

   1. How to connect mobile internet to a PC with USB tethering

   Mobile phones have long had a modem feature, allowing you to hook up the device to your computer via USB. This lets you share the mobile internet connection over a wired connection with your laptop or other devices.

   It is easy to do. Connect the USB cable that shipped with your phone to your computer, then plug it into the phone's USB port. Next, to configure your Android device for sharing mobile internet:

   a)     Open Settings > Network & internet > Hotspot & tethering.

   b)    Tap the USB tethering slider to enable it. If this appears grayed out, make sure the USB cable is properly connected on both ends.

   c)     The Hotspot & tethering warning will appear, informing you that continuing will interrupt any existing data transfers between your phone and PC.

   d)    Tap OK to proceed.

    A notification icon should appear to confirm that tethering is active. In testing, we found the following results:

   • Speed: 97Mbps download, 2.02Mbps upload, with an average ping of 66ms.
   • Battery Impact: The effect on your phone's battery depends on whether your laptop is plugged in or not. If it is, battery decrease should be slow to non-existent, as the phone will slowly charge through the USB connection.

   Note: If your computer is running on its battery, your phone will potentially drain the computer's battery, rather than its own.

   Can I use my mobile phone data on my laptop?

   You can share your phone's mobile data connection with a single computer via USB tethering or Bluetooth tethering. You can also share your data connection with multiple devices at once by turning it into a Wi-Fi hotspot. You can add encryption to your hotspot to prevent unauthorized access.

   How can I use my phone internet on computer?

   Connect the USB cable that shipped with your phone to your computer, then plug it into the phone's USB port. Next, to configure your Android device for sharing mobile internet: a) Open Settings > Network & internet > Hotspot & tethering.