How do I use my phone as a modem?

I have unlimited mobile broadband with my 3 iPhone contract. Can I tether the phone to a computer to use it like a modem? And, if so, how do I do it?

The simple answer is that, yes, you can use your iPhone as a modem by tethering it to your computer.

Tethering is the act of hooking up a mobile phone handset to a computer and using the device as a modem to access the internet.

It essentially turns the phone into a mobile broadband USB dongle, however it's worth noting that the data used in this way is classified separately to data used on the handset itself and is rarely included as part of a tariffed data allowance.

That said, Three have broken the mould a little bit and do actually include tethering as part of the data allowance.

Other mobile phone operators and tariffs are unlikely to be so forgiving though and tethering a mobile phone for computer Internet access is often a sure fire way to a very large bill.

How do I tether my iPhone?

The iPhone makes tethering very easy, you simply flick a switch. Tap 'Settings' > Press 'General' > Click 'Network' > Tap 'Internet Tethering' to switch on tethering.

From then on it is a very simple process, you simply connect your iPhone to a spare USB port on your computer or pair them using Bluetooth. You are then able to access the internet on your computer, using the handset as a modem or dongle.

If you are using a Mac, access the internet as normal on your computer and it should automatically recognised the iPhone as the modem.

If for any reason the connection is not automatic, follow these steps to tether your iPhone:

1. Click the wireless internet icon
2. Select 'Open Network Preferences'
3. In the new window, click the iPhone network
4. Press 'Assist Me'
5. Your Mac should confirm and connect to the internet

If you are using a Windows PC and the internet connection is not automatic, follow these steps:
Windows XP

1. Double click the network icon in the taskbar
2. Click 'Mobile Device Ethernet'

Windows Vista

1. Open 'Network and Sharing Centre' in the Control Panel
2. Click 'View Status'
3. Click 'Diagnose'

If you need to keep an eye on how much data you are using, follow this path on your iPhone: Settings > General > Usage.

Mobile phones as modems

This is becoming a more popular option since the introduction of smartphones as an alternative way to browse the web.

A few years ago, as a nation we became enthralled with the idea of accessing the internet whilst on the move, rather than from our home or desktop PC. This saw a boom in mobile broadband and dongles.

However, having broadband through your phoneline at home, a mobile broadband contract and a mobile phone contract including data allowance is very expensive. This is another reason that more and more people are interested in tethering their smartphone.

Three allow tethering on 'all-you-can-eat' plan

The Three network has taken a u-turn in the world of mobile data allowance.

Just as many providers decided to revert from their 'unlimited' plans, and include a data cap, whereas Three have stuck to their guns and allowed true unlimited internet allowance with their 'all-you-can-eat' plan.

When announcing the new plan, Marc Allera, Three mobile broadband's Sales and Marketing Director confirmed that tethering your smartphone to a PC in order to use the internet would be allowed.

Other users should check their mobile phone tariffs carefully though before hooking up their handsets to their computers.

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