How to Tether a Mac to a Cell Phone

Cell phones and smart phones that access the Internet or email can be used as a computer modem. Users with a data plan on their cell phones can add a tethering option to use the mobile phone as a computer modem. Tethering enhances the utility of the mobile device while on the road, and devices can be connected to Mac computers via Bluetooth or through the device's USB cable. Many mobile carriers and Blackberry distributors provide utility programs to synchronize the device with the computer and to dial out to connect with the carrier's broadband service.

Things You'll Need

• Data-enabled cell phone or smartphone
• Carrier's broadband manager software
• iTunes and iPhone
• Optional: cell phone USB cable

Instructions

General

1. Install your carrier's broadband manager software (e.g., VZAccess Manager from Verizon or BlackBerry Desktop). When you contact your cellular carrier to activate the tethering option, make sure you ask for the website to download this application.

2. Connect your cell phone to your computer via Bluetooth or using the phone's USB sync cable. If connecting via Bluetooth, select "Mobile Phone" for the device type in the Bluetooth Setup Assistant utility (located in the top right menu bar on the Finder desktop or in the Utilities sub-folder in the Applications folder).

3. Launch the broadband manager application (installed in Step 1).

4. Type the dialing code for your carrier in the "Phone number" field. Smart Device Central lists the following (your carrier will supply this information when you activate the tethering option):
   Cingular and T-Mobile - "*99#"
   Verizon and Sprint - "#777"

5. Type the carrier's assigned user name and password in the corresponding fields (supplied by your carrier when tethering is activated). Crackberry Forums outlines the following information:
   Cingular - user name = "[e-mail]" and password = "CINGULAR1"
   Sprint and T-Mobile - user name and password are blank
   Verizon - user name = "[mobile number[@vzw3g.com" where [mobile number] is your cell phone number and password = "vzw"

6. Click the "Apply" or "Save" button.

7. Select the "WWAN" tab and click the "Connect WWAN" button.

8. Wait for the computer to dial through the cell phone and confirm connection to the Internet. For example, VZWAccess Manager will display a pop-up window, "Connected to Broadband A."

AT&T iPhone

1. Launch your browser and type "cache.gizmodo.com/assets/iphonetetheringfile.dmg" in the address bar to download the carrier settings.

2. Double-click the downloaded file to uncompress (expand) the file and mount it as a device in the Finder.

3. Connect the iPhone to your computer using the USB cable or connect via Bluetooth.

4. Launch iTunes and click your iPhone under the "Devices" category in the left frame.

5. Click the "Device Summary" tab for your device in the main iTunes window.

6. Press and hold the "Option" key and click the "Restore" button.

7. Select the "ATT_US.ipcc" file from the mounted drive (set up in step 2) and click the "OK" button to synchronize the carrier settings to the iPhone.

8. Tap the "Settings" button in your iPhone directory, tap the "General " category and then tap "Network."

9. Slide the switch next to "Enable 3G" to "On" and then tap "Internet Tethering."

10. Slide the switch for Internet Tethering to "On" to activate a connection on your computer.

11. Click the "Network Preferences" button in the dialog box displayed on your computer.

12. Check that the Ethernet Adaptor status displays "Connected" before closing the window.

Tips & Warnings

• If a call is answered while the cell phone is tethered, most carriers will drop the tethered Internet connection. Ignore the call so that it transfers to voice mail or forward your cell phone calls to an alternate number before initiating a tethered connection.

• Check with your mobile carrier or cell phone manufacturer whether a special modem script or updated device driver is required (usually these are installed with the setup program to synchronize with the computer).

• Tethering involves additional monthly fees, in addition to an established mobile data plan associated with the device.

• A tethered connection through the cell phone is usually slower than a dedicated broadband modem.

References

• SmartDeviceCentral.com: Tether Your Smartphone to Your Mac
• BlackBerryCool.com: How to Tether Your BlackBerry for Free Via Bluetooth (Mac and PC)
• EVDOInfo.com: Tethering-Get the Facts

Resources

• Crackberry Forums: How to Tether on Mac with VZAccess Manager
• CNET Reviews: How to Activate Tethering on any iPhone Without Jailbreaking
• RickySays.com: Use Your Cell Phone as a Laptop Modem