What is Wi-Fi Tethering
Wireless transmission remains one of the greatest inventions of modern times. With the development of mobile phones, the true power of radio communication has been unleashed. While radio transmission made communication easier, the rise of the Internet created a global platform for information exchange. Now the Internet and cell phone communication technology have been integrated in the form of 3G and 4G technologies to provide Internet access via mobile phones. Today's smart phones can provide high speed Internet access which has turned mobile phones into the new computing platform. Wi-Fi tethering is a new facility made available in 4G and 3G mobile phones.
Wi-Fi Tethering Explained
The concept is quite easy to understand if you know how wireless networks work. In a standard wireless network, Internet access is provided by the wireless router, which provides access to other Wi-Fi devices like laptop computers. With Wi-Fi tethering facility enabled in a smart phone, the role of a router in a wireless network is played by the cell phone. Any Wi-Fi device that is tethered or connected to your smart phone, after authentication, can access the Internet.
Using a phone installed with tethering software, you can gain wireless Internet access for your laptop computer and other such Wi-Fi enabled devices. The devices may be connected with the phone through a USB cable link or wireless radio link. The smart phone gains access to Internet via GPRS, 3G or 4G technology and shares the bandwidth with connected devices.
Not all phones can be used to create a Wi-Fi hotspot using tethering facility. This facility needs the installation of special software on the phone. All Android phones have a built in functionality, which can let you convert your phone into a Wi-Fi hotspot. Since the Android OS 2.2 (Froyo) version, there is an inbuilt software component which can provide Internet access to multiple Wi-Fi enabled devices. All phones including the Apple iPhone 3G and Apple iPhone 4G can be used to create Wi-Fi hotspots.
There are several software programs that you can download and install on your Nokia phone or Apple iPhone, which can enable Wi-Fi tethering. 'MyWi' and 'JoikuSpot' are two such programs which you can try out. These software programs will only work, when you have tethering enabled in your data plan with your wireless carrier. These programs offer all the facilities like WEP encryption which can enable secure Internet access. To use these programs on your iPhone, you may have to jailbreak it.
If you have AT&T as your service carrier, you need to enable the tethering facility first and make it a part of your Internet data plan. Using a software called 'AT&T Communication Manager', you can easily connect your laptop to the Internet. So if you don't have the facility enabled in your data plan, it's time you get it activated through your cell phone carrier. It comes in handy when you are traveling or need a high speed net connection for your laptop. It eliminates the need to be in the vicinity of a Wi-Fi hotspot.
To explain it in a nutshell, tethering converts your cell phone into a router, which can grant Internet access to any Wi-Fi enabled device in its vicinity. This lets you harness the power of 3G and 4G technologies through your smart phone. You can use it to get Internet access on the go, anywhere, anytime!
