[ShaneN.]

Would it use more to tether the playbook to a blackberry 9900 or to use the hotspot option on the phone? Is there any advantage to either?

[kbz1960]

Either will use whatever data you use. My carrier is 3g the speeds for me are pretty much the same using either. Plus wifi hotspot and tethering is an additional charge on most carriers in the USA where using bridge isn't unless you're on at&t and then there the work around.

[Ben1232]

Why not use Blackberry bridge for connection instead of tethering (if at all we can tether those two)

[JasW]

Why not use Blackberry bridge for connection instead of tethering (if at all we can tether those two)

The wifi hotspot is faster. Bridge is more convenient though, and doesn't burn through my 9810's battery like the hotspot does.

[Ben1232]

The wifi hotspot is faster. Bridge is more convenient though, and doesn't burn through my 9810's battery like the hotspot does.

I know, OP said tether as in a usb cord ??? That's why I asked him.

[JasW]

I know, OP said tether as in a usb cord ??? That's why I asked him.

Yeah, you're right, I though he might be talking about bridge "tethering" v. hotspot, but I'm not sure what he's talking about now that you mention it.

Tethering used to mean just using the phone as a modem (via USB or bluetooth) to connect a PC, but now if you have a tethering plan (and in some cases even if you don't) you can use the hotspot feature on your phone to connect whatever, including the PB.

But as you suggest you can't "tether" the PB to a phone via USB or Bluetooth as far as I know -- it's either hotspot or nothing. (Or bridge, of course.)

[kbz1960]

I think you can tether the pb to a phone using bt.

[bunky1971]

I can confirm a Nokia 3711 w/ T-mobile 3G will tether via BT to the playbook but sesation 4G wifi hotspot is way faster

Additionally, you can bridge and tether at the same time - example - BlackBerry bridge will not let you have APPWORLD access, yet updates will pop up when bridged. Since i Bridge with Verizon and wifi w/ Sensation 4G, I have everything in play

[ShaneN.]

What I want to do is be able to connect to the internet through my phones data plan when not around a normal wifi connection. i was under the impression you had to either tether it to your phone or use your phones hotspot. is this not the case?

edit: i just realized you CAN go on the internet when you're bridged. why would you ever need to use the "internet tethering" under options then?

[Ben1232]

What I want to do is be able to connect to the internet through my phones data plan when not around a normal wifi connection. i was under the impression you had to either tether it to your phone or use your phones hotspot. is this not the case?

edit: i just realized you CAN go on the internet when you're bridged. why would you ever need to use the "internet tethering" under options then?

Laptops etc

[kbz1960]

What I want to do is be able to connect to the internet through my phones data plan when not around a normal wifi connection. i was under the impression you had to either tether it to your phone or use your phones hotspot. is this not the case?

edit: i just realized you CAN go on the internet when you're bridged. why would you ever need to use the "internet tethering" under options then?

What if you own a pb but not a bb. For that.

[Ben1232]

Yeah, you're right, I though he might be talking about bridge "tethering" v. hotspot, but I'm not sure what he's talking about now that you mention it.

Tethering used to mean just using the phone as a modem (via USB or bluetooth) to connect a PC, but now if you have a tethering plan (and in some cases even if you don't) you can use the hotspot feature on your phone to connect whatever, including the PB.

But as you suggest you can't "tether" the PB to a phone via USB or Bluetooth as far as I know -- it's either hotspot or nothing. (Or bridge, of course.)

LOL

The net connection via bridge may be called tehthering. I don't know. Confused but have used all three. As long as we know how to use them that's the main thing hehe.

[menaknow]

Would it use more to tether the playbook to a blackberry 9900 or to use the hotspot option on the phone? Is there any advantage to either?

Bluetooth is designed to use less power than wifi by sacrificing the range/distance the signal is available.

The bluetooth stack on the playbook is a version that supports lower speads than wifi. However, I personally prefer to conserve battery life when possible.

Hence, I always tether via BT rather than hotspot via wifi. The only time that I do hotspot is when I have more than 1 client to connect with

[CrackberryPB]

Agreed - 9810 hotspot for my laptop. 9810 bluetooth bridge for PlayBook. I wouldn't do data-heavy work with either device when using my 9810 as mobile data source.

[Chaddface]

What I want to do is be able to connect to the internet through my phones data plan when not around a normal wifi connection. i was under the impression you had to either tether it to your phone or use your phones hotspot. is this not the case?

edit: i just realized you CAN go on the internet when you're bridged. why would you ever need to use the "internet tethering" under options then?

The bridge connection won't allow you to use app world and some apps that require Internet. If you were to use the Internet tethering I believe it would act as if it were on WIFI, just slower.

[manofice1]

I use hotspot, but before we had hotspot I tethered via bluetooth with my 9930. I use bridge to access corporate intranet sites though

[jenkitp]

I have AT&T and I do have tethering service. The bridge does not work on the Citrix receiver. The tethering is done via BT. I wish I had the Hotspot option but AT&T is the only carrier that has not released 7.1 for my Torch 9810....

[btgdelta]

Well... Actually you can currently use 3 types of connections (at least if you own a newer BB phone):
Bridge
Modem
Mobile Hotspot
-------------------
In the Bridge mode the Playbook and the phone both use Bluetooth to communicate.
Pro: Powersaving, usually works without additional charges, a lot of integration services
Con: Lot of apps won't work

You can also use your mobile phone as a modem (that's what real tethering is), this also works via BT.
Pro: Not only BB, powersaving, all apps work
Con: You have to start the connection manually, additional charges possible

Last but not least - newer BB phones (e.g. last gen Bold) can start up a mobile hotspot, this works through WiFi.

Pro: all apps work, more than one device can use it
Con: it will suck your phone dry in mere hours, additional charges possible


In my everyday usage i prefer Bridge since i need my mobile internet mostly for work (internet & emails) and i don't like to plug my charger more than once a day. Also the Bridge helps me separate my private emails from my business emails which is really a great feature.