iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS: System requirements for Internet tethering
Summary
Internet tethering is a feature of iPhone OS 3.0 that has several requirements, including requirements for your computer, your iPhone, and your wireless carrier supporting this feature. See below for additional information.
Products Affected
iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS
First, make sure your iPhone 3G or iPhone 3GS and your wireless carrier meet the system requirements. For Internet tethering you need:
- iPhone OS 3.0 installed on iPhone 3G or iPhone 3GS
.
The original iPhone is not supported for Internet tethering. - Confirmation from your carrier that Internet tethering is supported and is provisioned with your account. Refer to this article for a list of carriers that support Internet tethering on iPhone.
- A carrier settings update (may be needed when using certain carriers)
- A coverage area where you can place and receive a call, and access the Internet using Safari on your iPhone 3G or iPhone 3GS. 3G network coverage is recommended.
Next, make sure your computer meets all of the system requirements:
For Internet tethering using a USB port you need:
- A Mac OS X computer running Mac OS X 10.5.7 or later or a computer running Windows XP Service Pack 2 or later or Windows Vista, and a USB 2.0 port.
- iTunes 8.2 or later downloaded and installed on your computer.
Note: if you downloaded iTunes 8.2 using a web browser, you may still need to install it. See this article if you experience an issue installing iTunes. - An Apple iPhone USB cable (included with iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS).
For Internet tethering using a Bluetooth port you need:
- A computer running Mac OS X 10.4.11 or later (Mac OS X 10.5.7 recommended) with Bluetooth 2.0
or a computer running Windows XP Service Pack 2 or later or Windows Vista with Bluetooth 2.0. - To turn on Bluetooth on your iPhone and your computer.
- iPhone must be paired to your computer.
Additional Information
Tap Settings > General > Network> Internet Tethering to confirm that your carrier supports Internet tethering. If you don't see this option, and your carrier supports Internet tethering, connect iPhone to iTunes to install a carrier settings update in iTunes. If you don't see a carrier settings update, your carrier may not support Internet tethering. Contact your carrier for additional information.
For information on Troubleshooting Internet tethering, click here.