What is tethering? How it works and how to activate it

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, allowing multiple devices to access the internet wherever the primary device is connected to a cellular network.

What’s the difference between a hotspot and tethering?

A mobile hotspot is one type of tethering — specifically, tethering that shares the internet over Wi-Fi. Tethering is the broader umbrella term because the feature can also share internet over USB or Bluetooth, not just Wi-Fi. So tethering and a hotspot are essentially the same idea. A hotspot is just the Wi-Fi version.

Types of tethering 

As you now know, you can share your phone’s internet connection with your devices through Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or USB. But which tethering type is the best? Let’s take a look.

Wi-Fi tethering

Wi-Fi tethering is when your phone creates a wireless network, allowing other devices to join and sharing a mobile internet connection over Wi-Fi. It’s fast, easy to set up, and convenient. However, Wi-Fi roaming consumes more battery than Bluetooth or USB tethering.

Bluetooth tethering

Bluetooth tethering is when your phone shares a connection over Bluetooth instead of Wi-Fi. It provides a slower connection speed and a shorter range than Wi-Fi, but it uses less battery.

USB tethering 

USB tethering is when you connect your phone to a computer with a cable and share the internet through that wired connection. 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 does tethering work? 

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 device is easy. It takes just a few seconds, and you can start using the data immediately after setting up your network connection.

Activate tethering on an iPhone

You can set up a hotspot on an iPhone in three different ways. Here’s how:

• To activate Wi-Fi tethering on an iPhone, navigate to “Settings” > “Mobile data” > “Personal hotspot” (on 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, 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 an Android device

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” (on 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” (on 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” (on 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 devices. However, based on your Android version, some variations in settings may occur.

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 an unlimited mobile data plan, 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.

Benefits of tethering 

When Wi-Fi is flaky, locked behind a login you can’t access, or simply not there, tethering gives you real advantages:

• Convenience. Your laptop is online in minutes, even if the café Wi-Fi is down.

• Portability. You can tether almost anywhere you have a cellular signal.

• Lower costs. Your devices don’t get billed separately. All usage goes through the phone that’s sharing the mobile connection.

• One connection for multiple devices. Especially with Wi-Fi tethering, you can connect as many mobile devices at a time as you need.

• More control than public Wi-Fi. You control the password and who joins (which is already a big step up from open networks).

• A solid backup when the internet fails. When your home router decides to take the evening off, tethering keeps you online without scrambling for a workaround.

Disadvantages of tethering 

Tethering is incredibly handy, but it’s not magic. You should keep in mind these downsides:

• Data load. Video calls, cloud sync, app updates, and streaming can burn through gigabytes.

• Battery drain. Once you enable tethering, your phone needs to work harder. Expect faster battery loss and sometimes a warmer phone, especially with Wi-Fi tethering.

• Speed and stability limits. Your tethered device can only perform as fast as your mobile signal (and any plan restrictions) allows.

• Carrier restrictions. Some plans block tethering, throttle it, or treat it differently than on-phone usage.

• Security risks if you’re careless. Weak passwords or open hotspots make it easier for others to hop on your network.

How can you check how much data is used while tethering?

It’s true that tethering can drain your mobile data fast if you use it recklessly. If you’re on a limited mobile data plan, we’d recommend not abusing it by watching movies or TV shows. Also, you might want to abstain from large downloads or online gaming (although some games may not drain your data as much). 

If you’re wondering how to check hotspot usage, simply open your phone’s settings:

• On an iPhone, 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.

• On an Android device, 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! Just one catch, though — your phone will still use your cellular data, which means you’ll need to enable your international roaming and could end up with huge fees.

Luckily, there’s an alternative — you can buy a prepaid data plan through the Saily eSIM app! With Saily, you can set up an eSIM hotspot and connect your devices to the internet cheaply. The app provides a variety of data plans in over 200 destinations worldwide, helping you avoid pricey roaming charges and the unnecessary hassle of buying local SIM cards. You can also use Saily’s data usage estimator to figure out how much data you’ll need on your trip based on your individual internet habits. Whether you’re closing business deals or enjoying a beach vacation, Saily will make sure that you always have quick, cheap, and easy access to mobile data.