What is tethering, and how does it work?
What is tethering? Is it the constant need to carry your phone everywhere you go? Well, no, not really. Tethering is a way of accessing the internet through your mobile phone in places where you might struggle to find a good internet connection. How is that possible? Let’s find out.

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What is tethering?
Tethering refers to the process of sharing your phone’s mobile data with other devices (for example, laptops or tablets). To do that, phones typically create their own Wi-Fi hotspots, but you can also tether via Bluetooth or USB. But let's not get confused – tethering and a hotspot are pretty much the same, only that hotspot is a specific type of tethering through Wi-Fi. Of course, your smartphone doesn’t just take the internet from nowhere — it uses your cellular data to provide internet to your devices. This means that if you have limited data plans, frequent tethering might drain your mobile data like it’s a glass of iced tea on a hot summer day (especially if you use it for video streaming or file downloads).
Wi-Fi vs. Bluetooth vs. USB tethering
As you now know, your phone can share the internet connection with your devices through Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or USB. But which tethering option is the best? Let’s take a look:
Wi-Fi tethering. Wi-Fi tethering shares a mobile internet connection over WiFi, allowing multiple wireless connections. It's fast, easy to set up, and convenient. However, Wi-Fi roaming consumes more battery than Bluetooth or USB tethering.
Bluetooth tethering: This type of tethering uses Bluetooth to share mobile internet. It provides a slower connection speed and a shorter range than WiFi but uses less battery.
USB tethering: USB tethering connects a device to your phone via a USB cable. Of all three options, it provides the fastest internet connection while charging your phone at the same time. However, USB tethering is limited to one device at a time, making it the least flexible option.
How much does tethering cost?
You may be wondering whether a hotspot costs money and, if so, how much. Tethering is often included in your monthly mobile data plan and doesn’t come with additional charges (unless you run out of data and need to buy additional data packets). However, these additional charges can vary depending on your carrier, mobile plan, and even the region.
If you’re using unlimited mobile data plans, tethering should also be free of charge. However, if you reach the high-speed data limit, some carriers might throttle the tethered connection speed. Some mobile service providers may also offer tethering add-ons that cost US$5-30 per month, depending on the carrier and the amount of data used.
How tethering works
Tethering works by taking your mobile phone’s cellular data and sharing it with other devices. Think of it like opening a bottle of wine: the wine is the internet, your phone is the corkscrew, and the devices you're tethering to are the glasses. Without the corkscrew (your phone), you can't pour the wine (internet) into the glasses (your devices).
How to activate data tethering on your device
Activating tethering on your mobile phone is super easy. It takes just a few seconds, and you can start using the data immediately after setting up your connection.
Activate tethering on iPhone
You can set up a hotspot on iPhone in three different ways. Here’s how to do it:
To activate Wi-Fi tethering on an iPhone, navigate to “Settings” > “Mobile data” > “Personal hotspot” (in some iPhones, it might be “Settings” > “Personal hotspot”) and toggle the switch on. Don’t forget to enable the “Allow others to join” function and set up a strong password.
To activate Bluetooth tethering on an iPhone, go to “Settings” > “Bluetooth” and pair your iPhone with the device you want to connect to. From there, follow your Mac or PC instructions to set up the hotspot.
To activate USB tethering on an iPhone, make sure you have the latest iTunes app on your computer. Plug your iPhone into the computer using the USB cable. Then, go to “Personal hotspot” in your iPhone's settings and turn it on. A window will pop up asking whether you trust this computer. Tap “Trust” to allow your computer to connect to the iPhone hotspot.
These instructions apply to most iPhone models running iOS 13 and above. Based on your iOS version, some variations in settings may occur.
Activate tethering on Android
If you’re wondering how to set up an Android hotspot, here’s a short explanation describing each of the three available Android tethering types:
To activate Wi-Fi tethering on Android, go to “Settings” > “Network & internet” > “Mobile hotspot & tethering” (In some Android phones, it can be “Settings” > “Portable hotspot” or similar). Then, find the Wi-Fi hotspot (or “Portable hotspot”) section and toggle it on. Don’t forget to set a strong password.
To activate Bluetooth tethering on Android, go to “Settings” > “Network & internet” > “Mobile hotspot & tethering” (in some Android phones, it can be “Settings” > “Portable hotspot” or similar). Once there, find the Bluetooth hotspot section and toggle it on. Remember to turn on Bluetooth and pair your phone with another device before trying to set up the internet connection.
To activate USB tethering on Android, connect your phone to the computer via USB. Then go to “Settings” > “Network & internet” > “Mobile hotspot & tethering” (In some Android phones it can be “Settings” > “Portable hotspot” or similar). In there, find the USB hotspot section and toggle it on.
These instructions apply to most Android models. However, based on your Android version, some variations in settings may occur.
Does tethering use lots of data, and how can you check?
It’s true that tethering can drain your mobile data fast if you use it recklessly. So, if you’re on a limited mobile data plan, we’d recommend not to abuse it by watching movies or TV shows. In addition, you might want to abstain from large downloads or online gaming (although some games may not drain your data as much).
To check how much data you’ve used, you can simply open your phone’s settings:
If you’re an iPhone user, go to “Settings” > “Cellular” > “Cellular data usage.” You can reset this counter at the start of your tethering session to track how much data has been used.
If you’re using Android, go to “Settings” > “Network & internet” > “Data usage.” You can check your overall mobile data usage and, sometimes, data usage from tethering.
Using tethering while traveling abroad
You might wonder whether you can use your phone to tether while abroad. The answer is yes, absolutely! There’s just one catch, though — your phone will still use your cellular data, which means data roaming, resulting in huge expenses in your monthly phone bill.
Luckily, there's an alternative — Saily! With the Saily eSIM data app, you can set up an eSIM hotspot and connect your devices to the internet cheaply. The app provides a variety of data plans in more than 160 countries worldwide, helping you avoid pricey roaming charges and unnecessary hassle while buying local SIM cards. So, whether you're preparing for a business trip or going on holiday, Saily will make sure that you always have quick, cheap, and easy access to mobile data.
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Lukas is the mental prisoner of the song "Orinoco Flow," which plays in his head every time he hears the word "Saily." However, that doesn't stop him from wanting to share his knowledge about connecting to the internet via eSIM — even if his current phone doesn't support it.