Chromebooks are designed to be online pretty much all the time. Of course, you can do a few things with one when you do not have a connection, but for best results you need to have access to the internet.
If Wi-Fi networks are not available, the answer to your problems may be in your pocket, as Chromebooks can use your phone’s mobile data connection to get online. Almost all modern smartphones have a setting that enables them to broadcast a Wi-Fi hotspot that your Chromebook can connect to – just like any Wi-Fi network.
Here we will explain how to set it all up and make it work.
Chromebook Instant network sharing with Android phones
While you could simply enable a Wi-Fi hotspot on any Android phone that supports this, there is a better way.
Instantaneous tethering provides a deeper integration level with ChroneOS so you can send and receive text messages, for example. It also makes the process incredibly simple, as you can see below.0
Google provides a list of Chromebooks that do not support Instant Tethering, so you can check if your model supports it or not.
Of course, you can also try following the guide below, and if you do not see the Instant tethering option appear after connecting your Android phone to your Chromebook, then this means that one of the devices does not support it.
And if you can not use it, search your phone’s settings for Wi-Fi hotspot and activate it instead. Make a note of the name and password, then use this to connect your Chromebook to that network.
How to let your Chromebook use your Android phone’s mobile data
Accessing mobile data on your Android phone on ChromeOS is pretty easy. To do so, follow these steps (although you will want to check with your mobile data provider first to see if network sharing is allowed on your subscription first):
- Click the watch area at the bottom right of the Chromebook screen.
- choose Settings possibility
- Find the section called Connected devicesthen below Android phone choose Setup possibility
- Follow the on-screen instructions to connect your Android phone to your Chromebook
- Once your phone is set up, make sure its Bluetooth connection is turned on and then (on your Chromebook) go back to Settings> Connected devices and select your phone
- You should see a section called Instant Tethering. Click on the setting and make sure the rocker switch is on.
- In the list of available networks, click on it with your phone’s name and click Connect
- Searching Mobile dataunder which should be your Android phone and select the latter
- You should now see the word Connected under your phone, which means your Chromebook uses its mobile data.
- If you have trouble connecting, go to your phone and navigate to Settings> Network and Internet> Hotspot and network sharing> then activate Bluetooth tethering.
- To stop using mobile data, return to the settings on your Chromebook and click Disconnect.
How to let your Chromebook use your iPhone’s mobile data
You can not connect an iPhone directly to a Chromebook as you can with an Android phone, but you can still use the Personal Hotspot feature in iOS to access an iPhone’s mobile network.
To do so, follow these steps:
You should now be able to get your Chromebook online via your smartphone. Should you find that your device does not have the ability to use Instant tethering, check out our list of the best Chromebooks to find the ones that will. Alternatively, read our tips for using a Chromebook offline.
