Connecting to the Internet Using Your iPhone
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Connecting to the Internet Using Your iPhone

Table of Contents

This page contains all the information you will need in order to connect your laptop to the internet via the mobile hotspot on your iPhone.

Getting Started

You will need to have both a TRECA issued iPhone and your computer with you during the following steps.

Setting Up the iPhone

Ensure cellular data is on

Tap the Settings app on the iPhone home screen.

Tap on the Cellular option in the settings menu.

Make sure Cellular Data is in the "on" position (green).

Accessing the personal hotspot

You can access the Personal Hotspot either from the Cellular menu or the Settings menu.

Cellular Menu

Settings Menu

Using your personal hotspot

Make sure Personal Hotspot is in the "on" position (green).

Your hotspot will have a unique identity. This will be displayed beneath Personal Hotspot in the area circled in the picture below. This is the name that will pop up in the networks list on your computer.

Your Personal Hotspot  is password protected. This password will be listed under Wi-Fi Password. By default, it is a mixture of letters and numbers. You may change your password at any time to whatever password works for you.

Setting Up Your Computer

Locate the Control Panel

After turning on your computer, go to the Start Menu in the lower left corner of your screen.

On the right side of the menu, pictured below, find Control Panel and click on it.

Your next step will be to locate the Network and Sharing Center.

Depending on your settings, you will have one of three of the following images:

Large Icons

Small Icons

Category

Connecting to Your Hotspot

Connecting to a network

Once you reach the Network and Sharing Center, click Connect to a Network.

Finding your hotspot

You should see a new window pop up in the bottom right of your screen. This is the list of networks available to you. Depending on your location, there may be a few or many networks listed here. You will want to find your iPhone in this list. 

Connecting

Once you find your Hotspot in the list of networks, click the Connect button.

Enter your password

A new box will pop up asking for the password to the network. This is the Wi-Fi Password listed on the iPhone.

After entering the password, click OK.

You're connected

Your computer is now connected to the internet!

Your Hotspot should now display Personal Hotspot: 1 Device Connected.

I changed my hotspot password and now I can't connect!

Identifying the issue

While you can change your Hotspot to whatever you want at any time, if you have already connected to it before, it will cause a few issues. Luckily this is an easy fix. First, you will want to open up your Personal Hotspot menu on the iPhone.

On your computer

On your computer, go to the Network and Sharing Center. Once there, click Manage Wireless Networks on the left side of the window.

Within Manage Wireless Networks, locate your TDA iPhone and right click the device.

After you right click, you should see a list of three options. Click Properties.

This will open a new window. In this new window, click on the Security tab.

Within the Security tab, click on Show Characters. This will make the password readable instead of being circles.

After the password is readable, change the password to match the one listed as your Wi-Fi Password in the iPhone.

Click OK at the bottom of the window.

You're connected

You are now connected to your Hotspot and able to access the internet once again!