Apple iPhone 8 Wi-Fi Sharing Guide: How to set up and use your iPhone 8 as a Wi-Fi Hotspot? [Tutorials]

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Let’s say that your wireless router gets busted and you need to get your tablet or computer online but there’s no other available Wi-Fi nearby. Or maybe you’re travelling with your MacBook and want to do some important work but don’t have any other online resources to connect to. Then you realized you’ve got your iPhone 8 and so, you’re saved! You can use your iPhone and make it work as a wireless router to share internet connection with your other devices. Need help on how to get started? This post will walk you through the entire process.

New smartphones particularly the ones rolled out by leading manufacturers already integrate new powerful features to keep an edge over the others. Aside from the basic calling and messaging functions high-end devices are now capable of providing users with wireless access to the Internet. This is likely one of the reasons why many people would opt to secure a smartphone and even consider it among their must-have items. With the augmented network coverage offered for wireless services, more and more people would make use of their smartphones to carry out personal and business transactions at any time and place for as long as there is Wi-Fi access. Not only that they’re used to access the Internet, smartphones are also capable of sharing Wi-Fi connection to other devices with Wi-Fi support. This post will walk you through the entire process so read on to learn more.

How to use your iPhone 8 as a wireless router?

Apple’s iOS devices like the new iPhone 8 in particular has the so-called Personal Hotspot feature that is mainly used to share cellular data (mobile data) connection with other nearby devices through Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or USB connections. Generically, this feature is called tethering. With Personal Hotspot enabled, your iPhone acts like a wireless router for other devices. In short, the iPhone transmits and receives data for them.

One of the requirements in using Personal Hotspot is a data plan that supports tethering or Personal Hotspot. Your iOS device must also have a later version of iOS. If you want to connect your devices using a USB cable, then you need to secure one as well. Once you have secured all the requirements you are all set to make your iPhone a Wi-Fi hotspot.

Note: If you’re not sure of which data plan you are currently subscribed to or if tethering or Personal Hotspot is actually included in your data plan, then you better contact your carrier first. Doing so will help you evade incurring extra charges especially when you have exceeded your data allowance.

How to set up your iPhone 8 to work as a Wi-Fi router?

The following steps will walk you through making your iPhone 8 work as a wireless router, allowing it to connect to the Internet with its cellular data connection and then broadcasts its Wi-Fi connect to your other devices so the latter can access the Internet as well.

  1. Tap Settings to open the Settings app.
  2. Tap Cellular.
  3. Tap Personal Hotspot.
  4. Then tap the slider to turn Personal Hotspot ON.
  5. If you don’t see Personal Hotspot in this menu, try going to Settings-> Mobile Data menu. Otherwise, contact your carrier verify and ensure that Personal Hotspot is available with your plan.

After setting up Personal Hotspot on your iPhone 8, you may now try to connect your other devices to your iPhone 8’s Personal Hotspot using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or USB. Here’s how to get started:

  1. Verify and ensure that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on your iPhone 8 are enabled or turned on so as not to limit the hotspot to USB.
  2. Tap Wi-Fi Password and enter a password you want to use.
  3. Then check the name of the hotspot. It is listed under the section labelled To Connect Using Wi-Fi.
  4. On your other device like Mac computer, click the Wi-Fi icon. If your other device is an iPad, open Settings-> Wi-Fi-> then select the Wi-Fi hotspot.
  5. Enter the correct Wi-Fi password (the one you set up in the prior step).

Wait until your device connects and you should then be able to browse the Internet on your MacBook or iPad using the connection provided by your iPhone 8.

How to connect to your iPhone 8 Personal Hotspot using USB?

Before you begin, make sure that you have the latest iTunes version installed on your computer. Also use the original USB cable that comes with your device.

  1. Connect your Mac computer (other device) to your device that provides Personal Hotspot, which in  this case your iPhone 8.
  2. Make sure that iTunes recognizes your iPhone 8.
  3. If you see an alert message that says, Trust This Computer, tap Trust to proceed.
  4. On your Mac computer, go to System Preferences-> Network menu.
  5. Select iPhone USB. If you don’t see it, click the + icon and then add it.

Your Personal Hotspot connection might not activate if you already have a different network connection unless you uncheck the option that says Disable unless needed under Status.

  1. Click the Settings icon (represented by a black wheel-like image) then select Make Service Inactive.
  2. Then scroll to and select the option to Make Service Inactive.

With that configuration, your Mac computer will be able to connect to the Internet using the signal broadcasted by your iPhone 8.

If you are using a Windows computer to connect to your iPhone 8 Personal Hotspot via USB, make sure you are using the original USB cable and that you can locate and view your iPhone in iTunes. Also ensure that you follow the steps provided by Microsoft to check as they may vary depending on the Windows operating system your computer is running on.

How to connect to your iPhone 8 Personal Hotspot using Wi-Fi?

Considering that Wi-Fi and Personal Hotspot are already enabled on your iPhone, you can go straight with these steps:

  1. On the device that you want to connect, go to Settings> Wi-Fi menu.
  2. Locate your iPhone 8 in the list.
  3. Tap the Wi-Fi network (iPhone 8 hotspot) to join.
  4. If prompted, enter the correct password (the one you used during the Personal Hotspot setup on your iPhone 8).

Wait until your other device is able to connect to the Wi-Fi network.

How to connect to your iPhone 8 Personal Hotspot using Bluetooth?

Just like with Wi-Fi, you also need to enable Bluetooth on your iPhone 8 for it to be able to broadcast its connection. Then follow these steps:

  1. On the device that you want to connect to (your iPhone 8), go to Settings-> Bluetooth then make sure it’s turned on. Stay on the screen then follow the next steps to connect your other device.
  2. On your Mac or PC, set up a Bluetooth connection. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to set up a Bluetooth network connection.
  3. On your other iOS device, go to Settings-> Bluetooth-> then make sure it’s turned on.

Make sure both devices are within the required Bluetooth range to make them locate each other and connect.

Using Personal Hotspot with Continuity feature on your iPhone 8

Continuity is an iOS feature that lets Apple devices become aware of each other when they are placed nearby and likewise lets them share features and control each other. One of the iPhone features that Continuity can control is Personal Hotspot. If you wish to give it a try or learn more about this feature, here’s how it works:

  1. If you want your iPhone and MacBook devices to share Internet connection, position your iPhone 8 near your MacBook.
  2. Then click the Wi-Fi menu on your MacBook device.
  3. On that menu, navigate to Personal Hotspot section.
  4. Assuming that both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are enabled on your iPhone, you will then see the name of your iPhone 8. If not, turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on your iPhone 8 first.
  5. Click the name of the iPhone 8. Doing so will enable Personal Hotspot and allows your MacBook to connect to it without even touching the iPhone.

How to disconnect devices in your Personal Hotspot network?

If you’re done using the Internet via Personal Hotspot connection, don’t forget to disconnect so as to avoid incurring extra charges for exceeding data limits.

  • To disconnect a device from your iPhone 8 Personal Hotspot network, simply turn off Personal Hotspot on your iPhone, turn off Bluetooth, or unplug the USB cable from your device.

In case you will encounter some problems with Personal Hotspot on your iPhone 8 try to restart your wireless router or modem and all your devices, then try to set up Personal Hotspot again.

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