On the Mac, you’ll see the Status label set to Connected. The iPhone is now tethered to the Mac and active. Your iPhone should be selected in the Device pop-up menu.

In the adapters list at left, you’ll notice a new Bluetooth PAN entry PAN stands for personal area network, and it’s the kind of network that Bluetooth is.

Now, in System Preferences, click Show All, then select Network.

If you entered the PIN code correctly, in a moment, the assistant tells you “Congratulations!”

Enter the assistant’s code on the iPhone, and tap Done.

On the iPhone an entry dialog pops up, as seen in the figure above and to the right. On the assistant’s next screen, an 8-digit code appears.

Your iPhone should appear in the list of devices if not, check that Bluetooth is enabled on the iPhone and that it’s within a few dozen feet of your computer.

This launches the Bluetooth Setup Assistant.

Click the plus button to the lower left.

Launch System Preferences, and select the Bluetooth pane.

But now that AT&T has discontinued those plans, there’s no excuse for the fee it charges.įollow these steps to set up a Bluetooth connection between your iPhone and a Mac: In the United States, AT&T once had an argument for charging for tethering when it offered unlimited data plans. Outside the United States, some carriers charge to enable tethering service, even though you’re already paying the carrier for data consumption. For a stationary computer, look into fixed wireless service or WiMax if wired broadband isn’t an option. Tethering is meant as a nomadic option for mobile use because it is more expensive than most other options. Note: You can use tethering with a desktop computer, but you’re unlikely to travel with one. The Wi-Fi-only model-and use the iPhone as its data source instead of managing two separate 3G plans to have active service.) It’s a shame, because otherwise you could own a cheaper iPad. (In case you were wondering, you can’t tether an iPhone to an iPad or vice versa with aģG iPad.

You’ll also need iTunes 9.2 or later, as well as a USB 2.0 port or support for Bluetooth 2.0. The system requirements for iPhone tethering are Mac OS X 10.5.8 or later (though 10.4.11 may work for Bluetooth). Carriers outside the United States started offering tethering with the 2009 release of iPhone OS 3 (now called iOS 3).

Macos usb tethering