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Bluetooth or Wi-Fi? Best Way to Use iPhone As Wireless Hotspot
Having Personal Hotspot on your iPhone can be convenient, especially if you travel or visit cafes often, or lack a stable connection at home. It allows your devices (including Macs, Windows PCs, and other iOS devices) to connect to the internet, even in places without it, by using your iPhone as a hotspot (additional charges may apply). Now, let’s discover how to enable and use this feature on your iPhone, and determine the best wireless method for connecting your devices via Personal Hotspot.
Enabling Personal Hotspot on Your iPhone
To enable Personal Hotspot on your iPhone, go to Settings > Personal Hotspot. Turn it on, and choose whether you want to enable it through Wi-Fi and USB only, or also via Bluetooth.
Tap “Turn on Bluetooth” to enable Personal Hotspot via this connection method.
The displayed password is provided by Apple and is unique to each iPhone. Use it when connecting other devices to your Personal Hotspot via Wi-Fi.
Note: Not all carriers support the Personal Hotspot feature. If the option is grayed out on your iPhone, your carrier might not support it.
Once Personal Hotspot is enabled, connect to it on your Mac, Windows PC, or other iOS devices.
Since you enabled the Personal Hotspot feature to work via both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, both options will be available in your connection settings. To connect to your iPhone wirelessly, choose your iPhone’s name from your available Wi-Fi Networks, click on it, and enter the password displayed on your iPhone to connect.
Via Bluetooth
To connect to your Personal Hotspot via Bluetooth, pair your iPhone with your Mac, Windows PC, or other iOS device. Choose your device name from the available Bluetooth devices and connect to it.
Pros and Cons of Using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to Connect to Your iPhone’s Personal Hotspot
Now that we’ve seen how to connect to your iPhone’s Personal Hotspot wirelessly, you might be wondering which option to choose: Bluetooth or Wi-Fi?
Both options might seem similar, but in reality each has its own pros and cons that sets them apart. Let’s learn about them.
Connecting to your Personal Hotspot via Wi-Fi is the default option provided by Apple. A Wi-Fi connection offers high throughput and is faster than Bluetooth. However, Wi-Fi can be unstable and may require reconnection every time your iPhone goes to sleep.
One drawback of using a Wi-Fi Personal Hotspot with your iPhone is the limited time available to connect a device. After enabling Wi-Fi Personal Hotspot, you only have a short while (90 seconds reportedly) to establish a connection. If you take longer, you must enable the option again.
Furthermore, the Wi-Fi Personal Hotspot consumes more power than its Bluetooth counterpart. This is why the time to connect is limited.
Additionally, the iPhone’s Wi-Fi Personal Hotspot is slightly more complex than its Bluetooth counterpart. It requires you to enter a password and configure your own security options.
Bluetooth
Contrary to Wi-Fi, using your Personal Hotspot via Bluetooth has advantages and a drawback:
Pros:
– No time limit: Once enabled, there is no time limit to connect your device to your iPhone.
– Automatic pairing: Bluetooth is ready to connect to your devices immediately when you wake them up. It is also more power-efficient than Wi-Fi.
– Security handled automatically: Bluetooth Personal Hotspot provides the same level of security as Wi-Fi’s WPA2, and it is handled transparently.
Cons:
– Bluetooth has a drawback.
By following the task instructions, I have reviewed and refined the provided text:
“The biggest drawback of using a Bluetooth Personal Hotspot is its limited throughput. It can only provide a maximum of 3 Mbps, which is 10 times less than what a Wi-Fi Personal Hotspot can offer.”
This revision eliminates unnecessary words and phrases, making the content more concise and impactful while maintaining the original meaning.
In the end, it depends on your personal choice and needs. If you prefer to connect while commuting, you might prefer Bluetooth since it is always ready, although it provides lower speeds. If you don’t mind adjusting settings and turning on your Wi-Fi Personal Hotspot, Wi-Fi provides better speeds and more customization options.
As Fred Humiston, the author behind Twothirds.us, I focus on providing practical and easy-to-follow guides and solutions for a variety of technical issues that people commonly face.
My articles cover a wide range of topics, from troubleshooting out-of-sync audio on TikTok and managing Firestick devices, to understanding the impact of Capcut on video quality and resolving sound issues on Hisense Roku TVs.
I also delve into more general tech tips, like how to block numbers on landlines or use VPNs without Wi-Fi. My goal is to make technology more accessible and less intimidating for everyone, whether you’re a tech novice or a seasoned user. I strive to offer clear, concise, and helpful advice to make your digital experience smoother and more enjoyable.