iPhone’s personal hotspot will only support 3 connections over Wi-Fi

By on Mar 4, 2011 at 7:21 PM
Software March 4, 2011

To Apple’s credit: it has consistently said that its Personal Hotspot feature would “support five connections.” It did this without ever actually specifying what type of connections those were. According to support documentation on the iPhone maker’s website, those utilizing the Personal Hotspot feature in iOS 4.3 will be allowed to share their phone’s internet connection with up to five devices, however, only three of them can be over Wi-Fi. Yes, it seems the other two connections will have to be made using Bluetooth and USB respectively. Most of the tech world assumed — present company included — that the five connected devices in question would all be suckling from the iPhone’s data connection via Wi-Fi. Which is, obviously, not the case. We can’t say we remember the last time (if there ever was a time) that we had five devices connected to a cellular hotspot device, but that’s just us. Is this a deal breaker for anyone?

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  • DROID4LIFE

    MY ANDROID CAN SUPPORT 10!

    • mark

      why do you need to support 10? It only drains your already bad Droid battery and kills your data.

      • Anonymous

        Who said it has to be unplugged from a power source?

      • StorminS4

        Point being why the hell would you ever need ten devices drawing from a mobile hotspot???

        I can see two or three. Heck, that can be in the car, but ten? Are you sharing your data connection with everyone else on the school bus?

      • Anonymous

        Just pointing out that the battery issue is not really a problem. Plus there are still some unlimited data plans out there.

      • Anonymous

        Do you know that you can plug in your phone?

  • Francois la montagne

    the iphone is the sexiest phone out there. just sayin

    • AppleFUD

      You might want to see somebody about that. . . . object fetish isn’t a healthy thing. . . we don’t want you putting it places it shouldn’t go. . . might be hard to get out of there.

      • http://twitter.com/ChazClout ChazClout

        “Doctor, Steve said I was holding it wrong so I thought I’d try holding it between my butcheeks and….,”

      • Ultraseven32

        that was funny :-)

  • AppleFUD

    Hilarious!
    Classical Apple all the way!

  • Anonymous

    Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha …….
    It’s a miracle ciNgucrAp can support one tethered device.
    And, for those of you with that infamous 2G Microcell service, when you can actually get a signal, you might try looking into other carriers’ networks!

  • Brian

    I’ve never had more than two devices connected to my hotspot, on any device let alone my iPhone on iOS 4.2.6

    Android users have to support more because they need to continually use multiple devices (android phones) to carry out their daily activities. We all know that they seed free hotspots because they’re to cheap to pay for it. Afterall, they are android users.

    (this is fun, no wonder why there are so many trolls) :-P

    • Paris Hilton

      You are incorrect. Android users need to support more because we have friends (more than 3). You need to get out more.

      • Anonymous

        Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha …….Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha …….Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha …….Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha …….Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha …….Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha …….

        But, they have a “Home” button in the right place and they get to sync’ with iTunes because, otherwise, they’re incapable of organizing their own media and files; doesn’t that count for something????

        Soon, they’ll also have a 3G [ONLY] iMaxiPad too…………………………………….

        Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha …….Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha …….Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha …….

      • numetheus

        Why would you need to support more than 3 because you have friends? Are they all teenage kids without jobs who can’t pay for data on their own, so you set up your mobile hotspot so 10 of your pizza delivery buddies with bad acne issues can play WOW together in the park? I have a lot of friends, but when we are together we don’t all hide behind a computer using one persons mobile hotspot. We have something called girlfriends. Maybe you should look into getting a girlfriend/boyfriend. And … even if we are doing stuff on the computer, we all have our own data. Realistically a very small percentage of people will need to support more than 3 on one hotspot. This is a non-issue for most people. And an issue for nerdy introverts intertaining other nerdy introverts.

      • Anonymous

        Some of those friends don’t have unlimited data like us…

      • serpentor

        If you’re going to use that arguement then why 3 connections, even? Why not just 2 or 1.

        Why do you even need a hotspot at all? Don’t make enough to have a data plan for all your devices?

        Except for the iPhone the standard has been 5 devices. No one was complaining that was too much. Now iPhone only supports 3 via wifi and now people are asking why we need more than that.

        mfw

      • numetheus

        People are asking because they don’t like limitations. It doesn’t mean they are using it past 3, it just means the number is lower here than over there. Of course people need personal tethering. My laptop doesn’t have 3G, and neither does one of my iPads. So that is a good use of 2 connections. Do you really think the majority will actually share it with 5 of their friends? I don’t think so. Furthermore, I doubt most people will complain about the limitation. It’s going to be a vocal thing with a small percentage of tech geeks that patron blogs like this. But for the rest of the world it will be a non issue. Heck, I doubt it will be an openly discussed disadvantage outside of the tiny tiny population of tech geeks that care.

      • serpentor

        @numetheus

        It doesn’t have to be five friends. It could be a family with 3 kids.

        But if you want to talk about majorities, a majority of iPhone users won’t sign up for tethering. So why even offer it at all?

        Of those that do a majority won’t have more than 1 device to tether. So, why not just limit it to 1? We know 5 is technically doable, so I don’t understand limiting it to 3.

        Just seems arbitrary to me.

      • serpentor

        @numetheus

        Also, do you really want to defend technology being limited to what the majority of people do rather than allowing for what’s possible?

        example: Do the majority of people use up the iPad’s whole 10 hr battery /30 day stand-by before they dock it? No, so let’s just put in a 4 hr battery.

        And AT&T used your argument when they introduced tiered data. They said the majority of people only used 250mb or less data. So, what would you say if they just capped it at 250mb with no other options?

      • numetheus

        I’m sure most people don’t like to keep their mobile devices tethered all day. So yes, in that case the more battery the merrier. The only people that will keep their iPads plugged in all day and not use the battery life are people who feel secure with a cable because they are used to poor battery life in notebooks, or ones that have a phobia of being completely wireless. They are right … most people won’t use the full capacity. I rarely do because I’m usually on wifi. Although there are times when I’m traveling and need it. But you know what? It’s not a problem with the majority. Even though I personally would like more, they have records that show a majority doesn’t. You can’t make everyone happy and the ones you can’t will bitch, but ultimately the crying will die down. As far as the capacity thing it’s one of those that’s a non issue. The only fits being raised are geeks on a tech blog. The percentage is too small to matter. If it wasn’t, I’m sure Verizon wouldn’t be considering a tiered data plan as well.

      • Anonymous

        you also forgot to mention that tethering or hotspot with 3G is absolutely shity as hell. The connection will be 56 k ish…

      • Anonymous

        I’m sorry that all my friends are broke ass 15 year olds. We all have real jobs which leads us to having real paychecks.

      • Ultraseven32

        so… if your android phone support 5 or 10 devices… that means you have the same amount of friends. good girl.

  • Hockey88

    Only three devices via WiFi but comes with Happy Sack holders for cell phones, PDAs, smart phones, MP3 players and other portable electronic devices incorporating cleaning cloths for device screens. Apple is a joke.

    • StorminS4

      A mulitbillion dollar joke, that everyone has been trying to copy for a couple of years now… As a shareholder I guess I can see the joke. I laugh all the way to the bank.

  • Anonymous

    Definitely not a dealbreaker at all, but I don’t think anyone can deny that this is classic Apple saying one thing which is easy misinterpretted by the masses in Apple’s favour.

  • Really? Wow.

    Funny. Any Android device that has Wi-Fi hotspot as an option states that it can support five objects……..ALL via Wi-Fi. Odd, and here Apple tried to be useful.

    • http://ctthosting.com Christian Turkoanje

      Yet the Verizon iPhone supports 5 devices as well.

  • Anonymous

    No. Seriously. Other than dinging apple, who has more than a few scenarios for needing more than 3 wireless leeches sucking off their phone’s bandwidth?

    • Anonymous

      I could see some people who’ve ditched their home service having 3 or more people at home using the internet.

      • Anonymous

        Fair enough. Thanks.

      • StorminS4

        The vast minority… If you can afford five devices that need to connect to WiFi Internet, perhaps some of those funds could have been put towards a home broadband connection.

      • Mark

        I still feel the only perk is mobility, who doesn’t have WiFi in their home these days.

      • Anonymous

        …which is a monthly payment, as opposed to purchasing 5 devices for a one time payment.

      • Anonymous

        Ditching home internet for wireless 3G sounds like a backward step to me.

      • Anonymous

        It’s a forward step if you’re actually saving money by ditching home internet.

    • Mark

      Well said, AT&T has all ready proven to be faster than Verizon on data speeds, and personally I really don’t think its fast at enough. To break the bandwidth down even more would be absurd.
      If I ever decided to sign up for a tethering option it would be to use my laptop via mobile wifi connection, maybe even my iPad, but to share it with a friend………… get a job.

  • serpentor

    I’m more interested in knowing why this is. Is it a limitation of iPhone’s wifi?

    • Dario69

      Probably the best post so far. I am curious about that as well. Apple seems to make decisions based on user experience and avoiding any negative impacts – well for the most part. I doubt it is a real limitation. I am sure it is Apple’s way of balancing performance and battery life. Father Knows Best replaced with Steve Knows Best. Well, considering how much better my iPhone4 is over my Android phones, I am not complaining.

  • Alexander530

    Honestly, I can’t even picture myself tethering my iphone to 3 devices at the same time. So for me, I’d be happy to tether my iphone to one device at a time, either my ipad, or to my mac book pro.

    • Hockey88

      Just admit it inferior product but willing to settle for less just because it is Apple. You are not alone.

  • RobertSeattle

    This reply is while using my iPhone hotspot while using my iPad.

    I am fine with the somewhat lame limit, I just wish I could tether directly between my iPhone and iPad.

  • B4ll3r25

    Oh no this means in my line up of Apple Products i wont be able to include my soon-to-be wifi iPad 2 :( my three connections: Macbook Pro, iPod Touch, and iPad 1 LOL

    A garbage windows mobile phone with like a 200mHz processor from 4 years ago could support more wifi connections

    • Anonymous

      and you’re going to have these simultaneously connected in order to … engage in multiple screen masturbation?

  • dwinsmith

    Only need one, but I guess three is good too….

  • Themadczech

    Not an issue, as far as I’m concerned. Most users will thether their laptop or tablet and stop there. For more than a year that’s been my experience.

  • Majinjimdiy

    It can I just tried it on the verizon iPhone 4

  • http://twitter.com/ClubUgly ClubUgly

    I love my iPhone but AT&T are dirty crooks.

  • BDUS

    All of you get a life.the only hotspot you need to worry about is the one your not putting your little wangs in.

  • Dear-karn

    thanguo

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