How to use a smartphone as a... How to use a smartphone as a modem for a laptop

Thanks to modern technology, you can use Android devices as a modem. This means that you can connect your smartphone to your computer and connect the latter to the mobile Internet. To do this, the smartphone has a modem mode, which provides access to a global mobile connection.

Phone as access point

This mode consists of certain settings that are made automatically when this function is activated. This allows you to use the phone as a mobile 2G and 3G modem. Of course, any modern smartphone can act as a Wi-Fi access point, but it happens that for some reason this option is not suitable. So, how to connect Android as a modem?

Connection modes

First, it’s worth looking at the question of what a modem is. This is a device that allows you to connect to local and global networks. It uses signal modulation, which allows digital data to be transmitted over an analog link.

It is worth noting that the smartphone can be used as a modem in two connection modes:

• Via USB.
• Via Bluetooth connection.

This means you can connect your phone via cable or over the air. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, wireless communications have fairly strict limitations on data transfer speeds. Depending on the Bluetooth version, the actual connection speed will vary from 720 kbps to 3 Mbps.

At the same time, the USB connection, although it boasts a higher information transfer speed, limits your movements. If the phone is connected to the computer via cable, if necessary (at the time of a call, etc.) you will not be able to move freely. So, let's take a closer look at these two connection options.

Smartphone as a Bluetooth modem

As you may have guessed, this function works similarly to a Wi-Fi hotspot. To use Bluetooth tethering mode on Android, follow these steps:

• Turn on the Bluetooth module on your laptop and phone. Enable device discovery. This is done in the module settings. On your computer, find the Bluetooth icon in the system tray (bottom right corner of your desktop). Right-click on it and select “Open Settings”.

In the “Settings” tab, check the “Allow devices to find this computer” checkbox.

On your smartphone, go to the Bluetooth settings and check the box “Allow discovery” or “Visible to all devices...”.

• At this stage we need to pair the devices. To do this, on your computer, right-click on the Bluetooth icon in the tray again. In the menu that appears, select “Add device”.

After this, a window will open in which the system will display a list of equipment available for connection. Select your smartphone and click "Next".

The system has now generated a PIN code. It must be the same on both devices. All you have to do is confirm the pairing. To do this, click “Ok” on your smartphone and computer. The system will now install the necessary software and drivers.

• Turn on mobile Internet or Wi-Fi on your phone (mobile data transfer).

• Now go to the smartphone settings and select “Other networks”, then select “Modem and access point”.

On older versions, follow this path: “Settings” - “Wireless networks” - “Modem and access point”. Here you just need to check the “Bluetooth modem” box.

• Let's go to the computer. Click the Bluetooth icon in the system tray again and select Show devices.

In the window that opens, you will see all the devices paired with this PC (tablets, phones, smartphones, printers, and so on).

• Right-click on the desired device. We need the “Connect via” item and then select “Access Point”.

After this, on your PC you will have access to the mobile Internet via Bluetooth. As you can see, there is nothing complicated. It is only important to follow the sequence of actions. In this case, pairing only needs to be done once.

For further connections, you just need to turn on the wireless module on your PC and phone and follow the steps starting from the third point.

Remember that this mode significantly reduces the battery life of your mobile phone. Take this into account when traveling and in cases where there is no outlet for charging at hand.

Connection via USB cable

Each smartphone comes with a special USB/microUSB cable. With it, you can connect the device to a PC to copy files, as well as for firmware and work with the phone. This cable can also be used to use Android as a USB modem.

To do this, connect your phone to your PC via USB. On your smartphone, turn on mobile Internet. Next, go to settings and select “Other networks” (on earlier versions – the “More” section). Enter the "Modem and Access Point" category. All that remains is to check the “USB modem” box.

As you can see, this option is even simpler. Moreover, in both the first and second cases, you can use not only a mobile network, but also a Wi-Fi connection to access the Internet. This way you can connect to the Internet a desktop computer that does not have wireless communication modules, as well as laptops that are not equipped with a Wi-Fi adapter.

It is worth noting that, unlike the first option, when connected via USB, the battery of your mobile phone will be constantly charged, thanks to which the equipment can operate for an unlimited amount of time. But this affects battery wear. If you regularly use your phone in this mode, the battery capacity will noticeably decrease within a month.

How to connect Android as a modem: Video

The Internet today is becoming a daily necessity not only for business people with a traveling nature of work. We are accustomed to the convenience of using modern communications. Mobile access is possible via USB devices, but if there is no desire to purchase additional special equipment, you can use what is always with us. Let's look at how to use a phone or smartphone as a modem.

Modem mode is available on almost any model, even outdated ones. An old mobile phone will require more effort to establish a connection; you will have to spend time setting up a computer or laptop. The speed will depend on the type of connection. Wi-Fi and USB will provide good communication; Bluetooth is somewhat outdated, but sometimes it helps out quite well.

There are slight differences in instructions on different OS (Android, Apple) and connection types.

WiFi

The simplest and most convenient way. If you enable the mode on your phone, your phone turns into a Wi-Fi router. We need a connected mobile Internet tariff plan, and the device on which we want to use the network must have a Wi-Fi module. It can be any gadget or desktop computer.

First, let's figure out how to enable modem mode on your phone. There is a function in the settings section that is called that. Then everything is simple:

If the Android version is older than 4.х.х., then it will be required from PlayMarket. Read, experiment, which one is more convenient for you, there is a choice, and the differences are insignificant.

In addition to speed, there is another plus: you can connect several devices to one smartphone at the same time. The main thing is that the tariff plan is enough for volume traffic.

Bluetooth

You can also connect via Bluetooth technology as a modem. Relevant for older devices that are not equipped with Wi-Fi technology, but with mobile Internet. It's simple:

The method used is not designed for serious volumes of information, since the technology itself is imperfect, and at the time when it appeared, everyone considered the telephone as a means of making calls, and not as a modem.

USB

If it is not possible to use Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, you can connect your phone as a modem for your computer via USB. The cable is included, as is software for pairing devices. The gadget does not require Wi-Fi to be turned on, so battery consumption if you use the smartphone as a modem will be small.

Modern smartphones have ceased to perform one function of communication between subscribers. Today, inventions make it possible to access the global network. Exchange video messages. And also use your phone as a modem. Communication with other equipment is carried out via a wireless connection or using a cable that connects to the USB port.
Today it is possible to set up modem mode on Android and enjoy a high-speed Internet connection

To establish shared network access on a smartphone, it is now possible not to spend money on purchasing expensive portable modems anywhere in the world. It is enough to correctly configure the modem mode on Android and enjoy a high-speed Internet connection.

Let's talk about how to use your phone as a modem. We know 4 ways to configure Android to visit web pages:

• by creating a Wi-Fi access tag. In this case, it is necessary to use the built-in functions of the phone axis;
• via a USB cable connection, turning a regular phone into a high-speed, full-fledged modem;
• via Bluetooth;
• using additional programs that require preliminary installation and configuration.

We will take a detailed look at each way to use your phone as a modem. Moreover, this topic is relevant, because many smartphone owners have not tried to set up the Internet on their gadgets. In this article we will try to discover the secrets of new technologies and the most current methods on how to connect the Internet to a PC via Android.

What is the essence and cost of such a connection?

To install Internet on an Android phone, the smartphone must be connected using one of the mobile network connection options. Accordingly, Internet for a megaphone phone, MTS or another operator, will be assessed at established tariffs. Of course, this is not a cheap pleasure, especially when you are roaming.

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Before connecting your gadget to the Internet, you should check with your telecom operator about the cost of 1 MB of traffic.

If the cost is high, check if it is possible to connect a package option to reduce costs. Only in this case is it reasonable to connect the phone to the network, otherwise the connection will incur high costs and will not become a profitable investment.

In other words, if you become a new subscriber of any Russian operator, for example, Beeline, and the starter package does not provide unlimited mobile Internet services, then you will have to pay about 50 rubles for downloading data of 3-4 MB. When you activate a tariff plan that provides for a certain payment when accessing the global network, you don’t have to worry about money leaving your account.

Creating an access point

Let's talk about how to enable a hotspot on Android, respectively, by connecting the device to the Internet. To activate the option to form a wireless network, you need to go to the Options (Settings) menu, go to the wireless network management section, select More.

Enabling an access point on Android In “Modem Mode” - you can configure a hotspot

In this section, the access point is configured. It must be given a unique name, i.e. SSID and a fairly complex password. We leave the “Security” field unchanged; the default setting is WPA2 PSK, which is not recommended to be changed.

Setting up an access point is not difficult

After completing the settings for the access point, check the box next to Portable Wi-Fi modem. After this, you can try to connect to the new access point from a laptop or other mobile device.

Connection via Bluetooth

Go to Android System Settings again and activate Internet Sharing via Bluetooth. Sometimes it happens that Bluetooth does not turn on on Android. Try rebooting the device; if that doesn’t help, contact a specialist; the built-in module may have failed.

Let's go back to our settings. Once the Internet access option has been enabled, you can connect your laptop or tablet via Bluetooth to the network.

Before establishing a connection, make sure that the smartphone appears in the list of available devices.

Let's move on to the laptop settings. We go to the “Devices and Printers” menu, select “Add a new device” and after a few seconds our mobile device will appear in the list. After the laptop and phone connect to each other, call up the context menu in the list of devices and click “Connect using”, specify the access point.

Thus, you can connect not only a laptop, but also a personal computer on which a Bluetooth device is pre-installed.

How to use your phone as a USB modem

Modern gadgets from leading manufacturers are equipped with Cyanоgenmod and MIUI firmware, and are equipped with system capabilities for using Android as a modem for data transfer. We suggest enabling modem mode by following these steps.

1. Deactivate the standard firewall on your mobile phone;
2. Connect to the Internet;
3. Connect your phone to your computer using a USB cable;
4. If the system prompts you to install the modem driver, complete the action. Typically, this process is completed automatically. If unsuccessful, insert the disk with your phone's software into your computer's drive and start installing drivers and services;
5. Go to the Settings menu on your mobile. Activate USB modem mode. For each model, this item is located in different sections, but intuitively you will understand what we are talking about;
6. As soon as you enable the modem function, Internet access is configured.

Let's move on to setting up the PC. When you activate the modem function on your smartphone, Windows will detect a new connection and display a message about it

When you activate the modem function on your smartphone, Windows will detect a new connection and display a message about it

To fully pair a PC with a phone and use the Internet via a mobile device, it is necessary to exclude third-party methods of connecting the computer to the network.

If the Internet does not connect to your Android phone, contact your service provider or gadget setup specialist.

If you have a 4g modem, you can use it to connect directly to the network. Connecting a 4G modem to an Android tablet is quite simple, you need to connect the device to the car, install the driver automatically, and you can start working.

Using additional programs

Special applications that can be downloaded from Google Play will help you turn on the Internet on Android, as well as distribute the Internet from your phone to your computer. Programs such as FoxFi and PdaNet+ and others will help you connect the Internet to Android USB. Some of them require root installation on your phone and computer, while others do not. The advantage of using such applications is that they remove the restrictions imposed by the modem mode in the Android operating system.

Let's look at an example of how to distribute Wi-Fi from an Android phone using the FoxFi application.

One download option is to visit Google Play. Thanks to this small utility, you can enable Wi-Fi distribution on Android, implement modem functions, and if there is no Wi-Fi on the receiving device, Bluetooth is connected.

FoxFi will help you connect the Internet to Android USB

The program menu is understandable, although in English, since it completely duplicates the names of the items in the router parameters.

1. The first mode activates the access point mode.
2. The second point is setting the network name.
3. The third line sets the password.
4. The fourth point activates the Bluetooth channel.

For example, using a program such as WiFi HotSpot, you can distribute wifi from an Android. This utility is also available on Google Play. The menu is Russified and understandable.

Now you know how to use your phone as a modem. Ask questions to the experts.

What to do if you need to access the World Wide Web from a PC, and you are in a place where there is no wired broadband Internet? Use your phone as a modem for your computer via USB. Let's look at how to do this.

How to make your phone a modem for your computer

Use your smartphone as a modem. Almost everyone has it. Operators provide good coverage of the area with 3G and 4G networks. The device comes with a special USB/microUSB cable. We will use it to connect a smartphone as a .

How to connect your phone to a computer instead of a modem

Connecting your phone as a modem to a computer using specialized software

Install EasyTether Lite. Download and install it for your phone and PC.
Perform the following sequence of actions:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC;
2. If necessary, the system will install additional drivers;
3. On your smartphone, enable debugging mode (as described above);
4. On a PC, right-click on the program icon and select “Connect”.

What else to do if the computer does not see the phone’s USB modem

The reason is the firmware, or the system files are damaged by viruses. What to do? Reset to factory settings.

Conclusion

We looked at what to do if the computer does not see the phone as a modem. Use the methods described above and you will succeed.

To gain access to the mobile Internet, it is common to use 3G or 4G modems from various telecom operators. On the one hand, this is very convenient, but on the other hand, the modem sticking out of the laptop is easy to break, along with the USB port itself. The problem is solved with the help of mobile phones, which replace modems and allow access to the Internet. How to use your phone as a modem?

There are three ways to connect your phone in this mode:

• By cable;
• Via Bluetooth;
• Via Wi-Fi.

Let's see what this looks like in practice.

Connection via cable

In order to use the phone as a modem, we can connect it to the computer using a suitable cable. Next, drivers are installed into the system - they are available for download on the manufacturers’ official websites. During the installation of drivers, a modem should appear in the list of devices, which is a mobile phone. After this you need to do the following:

• Write the initialization string;
• Create a connection;
• Place the shortcut on your desktop and connect to the network.

Next, go to “Control Panel – Phone and Modem”. The window that opens will require you to specify the city code and dialing type. Enter your city code here, although we won’t need it, and check the “Tone dialing” box - after that you will be taken to the next window, in which we select the “Modems” tab. On this tab you will see the modem (aka mobile phone) previously installed in the system. Next, we need to write the modem initialization string, for which we call up the context menu by right-clicking on the selected modem.

After that, select the “Properties” item and go to the “Advanced communication parameters” tab. Here we specify the initialization string AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","access_point". For example, for the telecom operator MTS the line will look like AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","mts".

You can find out the access point for your telecom operator on the website of the corresponding operator or on our website using the search.

After this, we proceed to create a connection - go to “Control Panel - Network and Sharing Center - Creating and setting up a new network connection.” Select “Internet Connection”, select a modem and enter the connection parameters:

• Name – any;
• Phone number - *99#;
• Username – mts;
• Password – mts.

After saving the parameters, you can start testing the connection. Using the phone as a modem for a computer via USB, we provide not only Internet access, but also battery charging.

The username and password depend on the operator used. For some mobile phones the dial-in number may be different, for example *99***1#. For detailed help, please visit your operator's website, in the help section.

But that’s not all - in smartphones of recent years it is possible to activate the “USB modem” function, which works without additional settings. Connect the device to the PC with a cable, activate the function - after a few seconds the computer will be connected to the Internet.

Connection via Bluetooth

A wired connection is inconvenient because there is a wire that gets in the way. And since almost every phone has Bluetooth, we can set up a connection through it. We turn on the modules on the phone and computer, connect, and wait for the drivers to be installed. Next, we configure the modem that appears in the system and create a connection- all by analogy with the above scheme.

The disadvantage of this method is the need for a Bluetooth module on the computer or laptop - most often they are not there. If there is no module, you can buy it separately by choosing a small-sized model. Another disadvantage will be the rapid discharge of the battery during intensive data transfer.

Connection via Wi-FI

Using the phone as a modem, connected via USB or Bluetooth, we are faced with the difficulty of setting up the connection. Even with step-by-step instructions, not all users will be able to cope with this task. Therefore, we will look at the process of connecting via Wi-Fi − This feature is present in almost all modern smartphones.

To do this you need to do the following:

• Disable Wi-Fi on your phone and activate the mobile Internet connection;
• Go to your phone settings and activate the access point;
• Turn on Wi-Fi on your laptop/computer and find an access point;
• Enter the password for the access point and wait for connection.

There is no need to configure anything here, which is already a big plus. If your smartphone does not have the ability to create an access point, try using third party programs– they can be downloaded from the app store for your mobile platform.

This connection method has two disadvantages. The first disadvantage is the rapid discharge of the battery, and the second is the lack of Wi-FI modules in most desktop PCs (must be purchased separately).