I Must Be Missing Something...What Is The Main Point Of Tethering?

[We_Ready]

From what I gather the main reason people tether is to use their phone as a mobile hotspot. Is that right or am I missing something? Are there any other benefits to this? I'm not knocking the people that use it for this but that is something I really have no need to do and was just wondering if there was something else that tethering accomplishes that I'm missing out on.

Thanks for any info.

 

[Cory Streater]

I'm traveling. I have a laptop that needs connectivity. There's WiFi available at the airport, but they want $14 for access, so I tether my phone so I can surf the web and get email.

Better yet, I made my company get me an aircard

 

[mflynn]

It's benefit is when you want to use your laptop, but there's no wifi signal to get on the net. Nothing more then that.

 

[We_Ready]

Ok...thanks guys. That is the answer I was looking for.

 

[Arelunde]

Conceivably, some might opt to use the tether instead of paying for home internet access via cable or (gasp!) land line service provider. However, from what I understand, it's not as efficient as a direct DSL connection. And, I would think it might take a toll on the DX after a while, if used a lot (??)

 

[mflynn]

I don't know if that's feasible. DSL is much faster then 3G. I'd hate to be using my laptop on 3G speeds full time. In a pinch yeah but not a steady diet

 

[charlier180]

Better yet, I made my company get me an aircard

We found that at least some aircards do not play well with the VPN product we run on our company laptops. I do not have that problem running PdaNet on my Droid X. This past weekend when I was out of town there was no wireless access where I was staying. I had all the access I needed with my DX unlike the others in the house with laptops who did not. I think a few people I know may be buying Android based phones in the near future.

 

[JkdJedi]

From what I gather the main reason people tether is to use their phone as a mobile hotspot. Is that right or am I missing something? Are there any other benefits to this? I'm not knocking the people that use it for this but that is something I really have no need to do and was just wondering if there was something else that tethering accomplishes that I'm missing out on.

Thanks for any info.

To point that out to your buddys that your phone can do wifi tethering and they can't.

 

[drinks]

Or if you carry another device that needs wifi such as an ipod touch.