Here I will be taking you through USB Tethering on Android and how you can set it up. Do you need an internet connection for your laptop or PC and you do not want to make use of public Wi-Fi? It is simple: Android allows you to connect your mobile internet connection to your PC or laptop through inbuilt-feature known as “Tethering”.
Types of USB Tethering on Android
Android smartphones have three tethering methods for sharing mobiles internet connection with laptop or PC:
- Connect via Bluetooth.
- Create a wireless hotspot or connect via Wi-Fi.
- Connect your mobile to your computer via USB.
Sharing Fast Internet with Your PC Via USB Tethering on Android
Below, we will discuss three methods in which you can use USB Tethering on Android and find out which one is the fastest in transferring data and which drains the battery the most.
Using Wi-Fi Hotspot
Creating a Wi-Fi hotspot on your mobile device is perhaps the simplest and best common tethering method. Using your phone Wi-Fi connection, you can create a private network to connect your devices with a protected PIN or password, and it is simply the most appropriate option. However, the method is not only battery-consuming but also prone to hacking.
Here’s how to use it:
- Open Settings
- Click Network & Internet
- Then, Hotspot & Tethering
- Tap Portable hotspot (Wi-Fi hotspot) on your screen
- Then, switch the icon to On
- Make use of the Configure hotspot menu to set a name for the connection.
- Tap the Show password box to view password if need be.
After following the above steps on your phone, now move to your laptop or PC.
- Press Win + I to open Settings
- Click Network & Internet > Wi-Fi
- Click Show available networks
- Then, Browse to find the network you created on your phone.
- Select the network and click Connect
- Input the password or PIN as displayed on your mobile and the connection will begin after a moment.
Note: You can likewise do this by right-clicking the wireless internet icon in the System tray.
After you have set up the wireless tethering for the first time, turning it on again is easy. Just go to the notification panel and tap the Hotspot button, and then wait for your PC to connect.
Via Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable
You can share your mobiles internet connection with USB tethering while charging your phone at the same time through your laptop. It means you will not drain your phone battery. It is likewise very safe since your mobile is connected directly to your laptop. Below are steps on how to enable USB tethering;
- Connect the USB cable to your laptop and phone
- Go to Settings on your phone
- Scroll up and click More
- Tap Tethering & Portable Hotspot
- Select USB Tethering option
- The Hotspot & tethering warning will appear, notifying you that continuing will interject any existing data transfers between your laptop and phone.
- Click OK to proceed
- Then, a notification icon will appear on your phone to confirm that the phone is tethered to the laptop.
- Automatically, your computer will be assigned an active IP address while your mobile does the internet routing magic between your phone data network and your laptop.
- Then, the USB tethered connection will appear like a Local Area Network (LAN) connection on your laptop.
The challenge with USB tethering is that it only supports the device connected to your mobile via USB. In case you need more users to share your mobile internet connection with, then you can enable the wireless hotspot as well. Both the USB tethering and wireless hotspot will run at the same time. Although this might drain phone your battery and data.
Via Bluetooth
The Bluetooth tethering feature is another means to share your phone internet connection to a laptop or PC.
- Start by pairing your mobile with your computer (to ensure that your smartphone is discoverable, long-press the Bluetooth icon displayed in the notification panel to reveal Bluetooth settings).
- Then, go to Settings
- Click on Device
- Tap Bluetooth & other devices
- Switch the On icon and wait for your laptop to detect your mobile.
- Once paired on your mobile, Open Settings
- Then Network & internet
- Click on Hotspot & Tethering
- Tap Bluetooth icon and right-click it
- Then select Join a personal area network
- Find your mobile icon and click on it
- Then, select a Connect using Access point.
Your phone should then display a notification that Bluetooth tethering is active.
In a Nutshell
Tethering is a fast way to connect your mobile internet connection to your laptop or PC. But it ought to serve as a time-based measure since tethering exposes your mobile to wireless hacks, drain your mobile battery and consume your phone data quicker. Hope the guide on this USB Tethering on Android benefits and how to use it has been helpful. Don’t forget to share the article.
