iPhone All-in-One For Dummies. Hutsko Joe

fastest – and cheapest – ways to connect to the Internet. Wi-Fi networks blast their typically close-range signals from a device known as a wireless router, which is connected to a broadband modem, which in turn is typically connected to your cable or phone company’s broadband Internet service (or whatever the Wi-Fi router you tap into is connected to, be it at your favorite cafe, on a train, or a public library, for example). Other people can connect their Wi-Fi enabled devices as well, making the group of you a network, as opposed to a single connection. You may need a password to access a Wi-Fi network, and some Wi-Fi services charge an hourly or daily fee to access their networks.

      To join a Wi-Fi network, follow these steps:

      1. Open the Settings app and tap Wi-Fi.

      The Wi-Fi Networks screen opens.

      2. Tap the Wi-Fi switch on.

      The screen expands to give you the option to Choose a Network, as seen in Figure 2-5. iPhone detects servers in the area, and the Wi-Fi symbol indicates how strong the signal is: the more waves, the stronger the signal. Servers that require a password have a closed lock icon next to them.

      

Some Wi-Fi networks may require you to agree to the provider’s terms before you can use the network. In those cases, a prompt appears, asking for your permission to launch Safari to view the provider’s web page, where you typically tap a check box indicating you agree to the legal mumbo jumbo listed on the web page. In other cases, you have to type in a username and password in order to agree to the provider’s terms.

      If you know the name of the network you want to join and it’s not in the list, follow these steps:

      1. Tap Other.

      The Other Network pane opens.

      Figure 2-5: Choose a wireless network from the list of visible servers.

      2. Type the name of the network in the Name field.

      3. If the network has a password, tap Security.

      The Security screen opens.

      4. Choose the type of password this network uses and tap the back button that reads Other Network.

      The Other Network screen reopens, and the cursor is blinking in the Password field.

      3. Type the password.

      4. Tap the Join button.

      You return to the Wi-Fi Networks screen. A check mark appears next to the highlighted name of the network you’ve joined. iPhone automatically remembers any Wi-Fi network you’ve joined and connects to it whenever you’re in its range.

      

iPhone remembers Wi-Fi networks you previously connected to and automatically reconnects whenever you’re in range of those Wi-Fi networks, unless you’re already connected to a network that has a stronger signal. Tap the Info (i) button next to a network name and then tap the Forget This Network button to immediately disconnect from a Wi-Fi network you’re connected to. Tapping this option also erases any password or other information you may have typed in to connect to the Wi-Fi network. If you have trouble connecting to a network you know you should be able to connect to, try forgetting the network and signing in again.

      

Information about and configuration options for the Wi-Fi network you’re connected to appear beneath the Forget This Network button. Scroll down the list to see the Wi-Fi network’s information and configuration options. Chances are, you’ll probably only view or change these additional Wi-Fi network settings if the tech folks at the company or organization that operates the network tell you that you need to and provide you with the necessary details you must type in to make the connection.

       Carrier

      This setting appears on the main Settings screen on GSM models (such as the AT&T iPhone or an unlocked iPhone) when you’re outside your service provider’s network – you may not see this option when you’re within your carrier’s network. Open the Settings app, tap Carrier, and tap the Automatic switch on for your iPhone to connect to the appropriate carrier. When the Automatic switch is off, your iPhone searches for available carriers and presents a list of those found; tap the network you want to use. You may incur roaming charges when you use a different network.

      Many apps download and upload data with a remote server and use either Wi-Fi or the cellular data network to make those exchanges. For example, Facebook accesses the Facebook server to show you the latest status updates and let you post your own; likewise, the App Store exists in the virtual realm of the Internet and when you access it from your iPhone, your browsing and shopping activity travels on the cellular data network or Wi-Fi. You can better control how you consume your contractual cellular data allotment by choosing which apps use cellular data. Open the Settings app, tap Cellular, scroll down to the Use Cellular Data For section, and tap the switches on or off for the apps you want to allow cellular data access. Even if you tap an app’s switch to the off position, it can still perform its data functions when you’re connected to Wi-Fi.

       AirDrop

      AirDrop creates a connection between your iPhone 5 or later and one or more iOS devices such as iPhones (5 or later), iPads (fourth generation or Mini), or iPod touches (fifth generation), or newer Macs running OS X (10.10) Yosemite or later. You can then exchange documents and data from apps, such as a contact card in Contacts, an address in Maps, or an event in Calendar. To use AirDrop, follow these steps:

      1. Drag up from the bottom of the screen to open the Control Center.

      2. Tap AirDrop.

      When you turn AirDrop on, both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are activated because sharing takes place with either of these types of connections.

      3. Choose one of the choices:

      • Off to turn AirDrop off

      • Contacts Only to give access to your iPhone only to people with iCloud accounts who are in your Contacts

      • Everyone to let everyone on the same Wi-Fi network with an iCloud account see your iPhone

      4. Open whatever it is you want to share – say, a photo in Photos.

      5. Tap the Share button.

      6. Tap the icon for the person you want to share with.

      The person receives a notification that you want to share something with her, and she can choose to Decline or Accept your shared item.

       Personal Hotspot and tethering

      When another device uses your iPhone’s Internet connection to connect to the Internet, that’s called tethering. Tethering essentially turns your iPhone into a miniature Wi-Fi router that broadcasts a signal that you or a few others can tap into with your laptop computer, your iPad, or most any other Wi-Fi–enabled gadget. A Wi-Fi network you can connect to is typically referred to as a hotspot, and on your iPhone, this feature is called Personal Hotspot. You can also connect your computer to iPhone’s Personal Hotspot feature using a USB cable, instead of connecting using Wi-Fi.

      

To use iPhone’s Personal Hotspot feature, you must pay your cellular service provider a separate fee in addition to your existing cellular service plan. Contact your provider for details. Personal Hotspot also quickly consumes the battery charge.

      To share an Internet connection using your iPhone’s Personal Hotspot feature, follow these steps:

      1. Open the