Motorola Xoom™: Companion

Sharing Your Xoom's Mobile Data Connection

You may have noticed while exploring the Wireless & Networks options (in the Settings app) that there are two additional options related to networks: Tethering & Portable Hotspot, and VPN settings. You can view these options in an earlier figure, Figure 4-1. Chapter 10 discusses virtual private networks (VPNs) and this is a common way mobile, corporate users connect a Xoom to a protected, corporate network. Tethering and setting up a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot will be discussed here. Before we start though, you should understand the differences between tethering and Wi-Fi hotspots, and what is required of both for it to work properly.

WHAT IS TETHERING, AND WHAT ARE HOTSPOTS?

Tethering is a way to share your Xoom's Internet connection with another device, such as a laptop or netbook, by physically connecting it with a USB cable. The cable is supplied and ships with the Xoom. You must use the cable to tether; therefore, you can tether only one device at a time. The device you want to tether must have an available USB port.

Setting up and using a Wi-Fi hotspot through your Xoom is another way to share your Xoom's Internet connection; however, you do not need to connect the secondary device with a USB cable; hotspots are wireless. Because no cable is required, you can connect up to five devices at a time to your personal hotspot, and you can connect devices that don't have a USB port.

Whatever data your laptop or netbook (or other compatible device) ...