Tethering BlackBerry Internet to Android Tablet PCs

Tethering BlackBerry Internet to Android Tablet PCs

A couple of individuals have asked this question on blogs about how to tether an Android Tablet PC or any other Tablet PC to a BlackBerry phone. Usually tethering a computer or laptop to a Blackberry phone is not hard at all, even tethering a Blackberry Playbook to  the phone is common place. But how can one tether an Android Tablet to a Blackberry device? Where are the drivers to achieve this?

RIM recent BlackBerry OS upgrade, version 7.1 to be exact now makes it possible for some Blackberry models to become Mobile Hotspots – which is another term for Mi-Fi’s or Wireless Hotspots. Yes – Blackberry devices can now allow up to 5 devices to share Internet access. This makes it possible for multiple devices to tether instead of one device via USB or Bluetooth.

The following phones have the capability of tethering via Wi-Fi (at the time of this article write-up)

• Blackberry Curve 9350, 9360, 9380
• Blackberry Torch 9810, 9860
• Blackberry Bold 9790, 9900, 9930

To be able to set up the Mobile Hotspot, one has to ensure that Blackberry 7.1 OS is running on the device. If not – simply perform the upgrade by going to Blackberry’s website and go through the instructions

Upon completion of the OS upgrade, go to “Setup” on the phone and look for the Mobile Hotspot icon. Configure the Wireless Security Settings – by default, WPA security is set. This can be changed to WEP but my advise will be to stick with the device security option and change only if your devices only support WEP security.

The next step is to enable Mobile Hotspot by going to “Manage Connections” and ensure that the Mobile Hotspot has the “Connected” status.

Finally connect your Tablet PC to the Mobile Hotspot.

There are some things to consider when using the Mobile Hotspot on your Blackberry Smartphone

• It consumes power so ensure you have your phone charger nearby
• It automatically get deactivated if there is no activity for 15 minutes  -  I believe it is to converse battery power but at the same time it more secured that way especially if one is using WEP security.
• Bluetooth functionality is reduce to only Hands-free Phone Audio. Audio streaming from device to Bluetooth speakers or headsets will not work when Mobile Hotspot is enabled.

This is a video clip on tethering  BlackBerry Internet to Android Tablet PCs (and others)

Tethering BlackBerry Internet to Android Tablet PCs – Video

In summary, Blackberry phones are now stepping up the plate when it comes to functionality. With the inception of Mobile Hotspots, we anticipate a growth number of these phones since a lot of people will what to tether their devices to a phone with a data plan.

Tablet PCs for Sale

Azure - Android 4.0 ICS Tablet 7 inch Capacitive Touchscreen - US$ 116.99 $116.99 7 inch Capacitive Screen with 5 point multi-touch capabilities; 1.2GHz Rock chip 2918 processor (Single Core); 512 MB DDR 3 RAM, 8GB of Internal Storage; 0.3 MP WebCamera; 4 hours of Battery Life; Supports WiFi, External 3G, USB connectivity options More Info »

Pontus - Android 4.0 Tablet 9 inch Capacitive Touchscreen - US$ 129.99 $129.99 9 inch Capacitive Screen with 5 point multi-touch capabilities; 1.5GHz Boxchip A10 processor (Single Core); 512 MB DDR3 RAM; 8GB of Internal Storage; 0.3 MP WebCamera; 6 hours of Battery Life;Supports WiFi, External 3G, USB, HDMI-out connectivity options More Info »

Fortis - Android 4.0 ICS Tablet 10.1 inch Capacitive Touchscreen US$ 169.98 $169.98 Introducing the Fortis Android 4 Tablet PC, a 10 inch Tablet equipped with a 1.2Ghz Rockchip 2918 Processor, 512 MB of DDR3 RAM, and 8 GB Internal Memory More Info »

Helpful Articles