Tethering Android or iPhone to a Wi-Fi Router

When you need to connect your smartphone to a Wi-Fi router, instead of directly tethering to a PC, there are a few simple steps to follow for both Android and iPhone devices. This method can be particularly useful in areas without traditional broadband internet access.

How to Tether Android to a Wi-Fi Router

For Android devices, you can follow these steps to tether your phone to a Wi-Fi router:

Open the Settings app on your device. Navigate to Network Internet. Tap on Hotspot tethering. Find and tap on Wi-Fi hotspot. Set up a name for the hotspot and enter a password. Tap on Connect to the Router.

On your Wi-Fi router, connect to the newly created hotspot network using the SSID and password you created.

How to Tether iPhone to a Wi-Fi Router

To tether your iPhone to a Wi-Fi router, follow these steps:

Open the Settings app on your iPhone. Go to Personal Hotspot. Tap on Allow others to join. Toggle on Connect to the Router.

On your Wi-Fi router, connect to the iPhone's hotspot using the network name (SSID) and password.

Additional Notes and Considerations

Router Compatibility: Ensure your Wi-Fi router supports connecting to mobile hotspots. Not all routers have this capability.

Data Usage: Be mindful of your mobile data plan, as tethering may consume significant data.

Network Settings: If your router offers a specific feature for connecting to mobile networks, you may need to configure it according to your router's manual.

Alternative Setup for USB or Hotspot Tethering

Since direct USB tethering from a mobile phone to a router is not successful, an alternative setup involves:

Connect your phone to a PC/Laptop via USB tethering with internet enabled on the phone. Alternatively, use a phone hotspot instead of USB tethering. Setup Internet sharing of the Phone connection on your PC. Assign a static IP address to the Ethernet connection on your Laptop, such as 192.168.1.1. Install a DHCP server on your Laptop, like Antamedia or something similar, with a default gateway of 192.168.1.1. Connect your Laptop to the Wi-Fi Router using an Ethernet cable. Configure the Wi-Fi on your Router with an IP address of 192.168.1.2. Disable DHCP on the router and enable DHCP relay, pointing the relay server to your PC's IP address or 192.168.1.1.

This setup allows your Wi-Fi router to use the mobile data from your phone, making it a viable solution in areas with no traditional broadband internet access.