Connecting an iphone to the net without a wi-fi router.

[RedM]

As I may be a lot better off financially soon I'm thinking of getting an iphone.

 

We don't have a wi-fi router at home as the other half will not use one. So, to connect to the net when at home, I was thinking that an Apple Airport might work.

 

I've looked at the Apple site and can't get a clear answer to this question.

 

Can an Airport be connected to a wired router/modem via ethernet? If so, can I then use it as a kind of branch off of the router/modem so that an iphone can connect to the net via Aiport and router?

[Smallshinyant]

http://www.apple.com/airportexpress/

there is a pic to the lower right of the screen that says see airport in action. Shows iphone connecting via airport

 

 

This site show a few extra bits of info you might find useful

http://www.electronista.com/reviews/apple-airport-express.html

[ScottC]

Are you trying to find a way to connect an iphone to the internet without using wi-fi?

[Dash Rendar]

We don't have a wi-fi router at home as the other half will not use one.

 

Not necessarily a reason not to have one. Your existing machines could wire into a wireless router (as you do now), using the wireless only for your iPhone.

 

Alternatively, you could attach a wireless access point to your existing router.

[Scott]

Sounds like this airport thing is a wireless router anyway?

 

As above. To make it 100% secure you can setup the router to only allow the MAC address of the Iphone. You can then hide the SSID so that noone can do a search for the signal.

[ScottC]

Sounds like this airport thing is a wireless router anyway?

 

It is, Apple call it Airport.

 

This is a vid that explains all

 

Might not be worth it if you don't have a Mac or any other Apple devices. May as well just to buy a wireless router

[Dash Rendar]

As above. To make it 100% secure you can setup the router to only allow the MAC address of the Iphone. You can then hide the SSID so that noone can do a search for the signal.

 

... both good ideas, although neither are effective against a more determined hacker, so the most important step is to secure the traffic with WPA. (Ideally, do all three.)

[Scott]

... both good ideas, although neither are effective against a more determined hacker, so the most important step is to secure the traffic with WPA. (Ideally, do all three.)

 

Oh yes, definitely that. I would hope that went without saying

 

Anyone not using decent encryption is just asking for trouble

[caseys]

Yes redm, an airport or airport express would work, but as others say it's apples wifi router.

 

You really that fussed of being connected to wifi whilst at home tho? The 3G data rate can be pretty good and you may not need wifi

[Dash Rendar]

Personally, I do find the wifi much quicker than 3GS.

[RedM]

I'd like wi-fi for the times I can't be arsed to open up the laptop. Also, IIRC the amount of usage you get through wi-fi is only limited by your ISP agreement instead of the 1gb 'unlimited' allowance that phone companies give.

 

So, what we're saying is that Airport is just a router but could it be set up to connect with an existing router/modem? Is that called a bridge?

[Dash Rendar]

I'd like wi-fi for the times I can't be arsed to open up the laptop. Also, IIRC the amount of usage you get through wi-fi is only limited by your ISP agreement instead of the 1gb 'unlimited' allowance that phone companies give.

 

In a nutshell, yes...

 

Any device that sends/receives data via your router is ultimately downstream of your ISP. Consequently, once your phone is connected to your wireless network, it's on your LAN and thus totally divorced from any data restrictions you may have if using 3GS (or any other phone data tarriff via your phone provider).

 

So, what we're saying is that Airport is just a router but could it be set up to connect with an existing router/modem? Is that called a bridge?

 

Not so correct. A wireless access point is just a device that allows you to connect wireless devices to an existing hub, switch or router.

 

A bridge is a device that enables you split a network into two segments at the physical (MAC address) level, such that network traffic in one does not jam up traffic within the other, and vice versa. I have an old but accurate page that explains it here: http://www.just2good.co.uk/bridgeSwitch.php. However, without knowing a few more fundamentals of networking, this probably won't make much sense, so it's probably not worth pursuing (unless you read all the previous articles first). These days, bridges are not often used, since switches are, in effect, multiport bridges.

[ScottC]

You can do a bit more with Airport. It also allows you to connect a normal usb printer and share it on a wireless network. You can also stream music wirelessly using itunes and play music through external speakers anywhere around the house.

[caseys]

I'd like wi-fi for the times I can't be arsed to open up the laptop. Also, IIRC the amount of usage you get through wi-fi is only limited by your ISP agreement instead of the 1gb 'unlimited' allowance that phone companies give.

 

 

just checked my usage stats, had a 3gs since week of it's release and I've downloaded 3.2gb in 6+ months? And uploaded 550mb. So unless you're planning to watch a heck of a lot of YouTube on it you will be really stretched to use over 1gb a month.

 

No matter how you put it, the apple airports are a wi-fi emitting device. So there's no easy way to connect your iPhone to your net connection unless you use some form of it.