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Posted By: Bob_00001 Macbook using iPhone hotspot for Internet - 07/16/13 01:06 AM
I just got my first iPhone today (yay! it's an iPhone 5), and I'm testing out the iPhone's personal hotspot feature. I have no problem connecting my Mac to it using WiFi, but trying to connect via the USB cable, I'm stumped. It doesn't show up in my Network Preferences, and when I try to add a new service, the only choices that come up are Airport, Firewire, Ethernet and Bluetooth; but no USB. Is it not possible to do this with USB?

The iPhone manual says only:
1. Plug iPhone into your computer
2. Choose iPhone from the list of network services in your settings.
But "iPhone" doesn't show up in the list.

I'm running OSX 10.6.8 on my Mac, and iOS 6.1.4 on the iPhone.

Edit: BTW, the Mac does recognize the iPhone, because it fires up iTunes when I plug it in, and gives me an iPhone related page.
On the new iPhone, under Settings/General/Cellular, did you turn ON the Personal Hotspot option? ....and then did you get a quick "slide-in" contextual menu asking you to choose WiFi - BlueTooth - USB Only? ...and if so, did you choose USB Only? ....and finally, did you get a Blue Personal Hotspot notification header after all that to show that your Personal Hotspot was then active?

If all the above seems correct in your case, it may simply require that you then unplug and reconnect your USB cable to the computer in order that it recognize the new network source.....and ultimately, the computer may need to have OSX 10.7 in order to "see" the Personal Hotspot.....

Let us know.
Thanks for your reply.

Yes, the hotspot option is turned on. There are no other menu options on the iPhone for selecting USB, bluetooth or wifi. Apparently they are all enabled (or supposed to be). I'm able to connect my Mac to it via both bluetooth and wifi, so I know the hotspot is working, it just doesn't want to connect via USB.
OK, I see the issue.....if you want to connect via USB, it requires you to choose USB Only on the initiation of the hotspot....if you choose WiFi & Bluetooth, then USB is not enabled.

So to get back to that point you will need to turn Personal Hotspot off, then disconnect/reconnect your USB cable and plug it back into the computer before turning Personal Hotspot back on....this should pop the contextual menu back up on the screen of the iPhone offering you your networking choices again.

Let us know.
I tried that, but still nothing. The only time I get a contextual menu on the iPhone is if I have Wi-Fi switched off and I turn on Personal Hotspot. Then I get this dialog:

"Wi-Fi is Off
Personal Hotspot will only be available over Bluetooth and USB. Do you also want to enable it over Wi-Fi?"

with these choices:
-Turn on Wi-Fi
-Bluetooth and USB only

If I select the first one, it simply turns on Wi-Fi, and if I select the second item, then it doesn't. Either way, the computer still won't connect via USB.

I suspect the problem may be on the computer end. Possibly I need a newer version of OSX.
Backing up to square one, have you tested your iPhone with a different, known to work, USB cable or tested your USB port with a similar different device?
Originally Posted By: artie505
Backing up to square one, have you tested your iPhone with a different, known to work, USB cable...

It's the cable that came with the iPhone: USB on one end, and iPhone "Lightning" connector on the other. It's the only cable of this kind that I have. But when I plug in the iPhone to the computer, they do communicate, because I can use iTunes to sync the Mac and the iPhone over this cable.

Originally Posted By: artie505
...or tested your USB port with a similar different device?


I have a Novatel CDMA cellular modem that plugs into the Mac's USB port and gives me an Internet connection. It shows up in the Network Preferences interface list. So, the computer must recognize USB network interfaces.

I'm beginning to think that the hotspot USB option may have been intended only for non-Mac computers. It's not really a big deal, since my Mac can use the hotspot connection over both wifi and bluetooth. It's just bugging me that I can't do something that they say should be possible.
Did your iPhone come with AppleCare call-in privileges?
That's an excellent question. I honestly don't know. I was in such a glassy eyed state of bliss, having just got my first ever iPhone, that I totally forgot to ask about warranty things. I got this phone directly from the Phone Co., at a steep discount by signing a 3 year contract. Pretty sure they wouldn't have provided any Applecare though. If they had, they would have made a big deal about it. Anyway, I have an Apple dealer down the street that I'm on good terms with, so I'll see if they have any advice. I may just haul the computer and phone down there and see what they can do.
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