How to share data from a mobile phone to a tablet?

Tablet and mobile phone next to a computer keyboard.

Nowadays, without a good internet connection we feel a little lost. Being connected has become essential for most of us. That's why we're sure you'll be interested in knowing how to do it. share data from mobile to tablet.

If you are using your tablet outside of a Wi-Fi zone and you want to access the Internet through it, you can give it data from your mobile phone so you can use it. Let's see how this system works.

Sharing data from a mobile phone to a tablet: how does this system work?

User with a computer, a tablet and a calculator.

You probably already know that you can share your data mobile as if it were a router.

By transferring data from your phone to your tablet, what you are doing is creating a ad hoc network. A small private wireless network that does not require a centralized access point (a router).

On a technical level this works like this:

Access Point (AP) Mode

When you activate the hotspot on your mobile, it starts working in a similar way to a router. It emits a WiFi signal within a specific frequency and Create a network with a unique name (SSID) and password.

Client Connection

Your tablet searches for available WiFi networks and Find the one you created with your mobile. By entering the correct password on the tablet, the connection to the access point is established.

Packet routing

Once the connection is established, the mobile acts as a router and is responsible for send and receive data packets between the tablet and your mobile operator.

To put it more simply, when your tablet requests access to a website or download a file, the request is sent through your phone and then to the Internet, and the response comes back the same way. However, we as users do not notice that the connection is slow, quite the opposite.

Protocols involved

For this system that we have seen to work correctly, several protocols must be involved:

  • WiFi. It is the fundamental protocol, the one that allows wireless communication between devices.
  • IP. It is responsible for directing data packets through the network.
  • TCP / IP. These protocols are what allow communication between devices on a network.
  • DHCP. Automatically assigns an IP address to each device connected to the network.

Technical considerations

If you are going to share data from a mobile phone to a tablet, there are a number of technical considerations that are important to keep in mind:

  • Frequency band. Choosing between a 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz band can affect the speed and range of your connection.
  • Security. It is a priority to configure a strong password to protect the ad hoc network from intruders.
  • Battery consumption. When you activate your mobile's hotspot, battery consumption accelerates because it is constantly transmitting and receiving signals.
  • Interferences. Other wireless devices nearby may interfere with the WiFi signal, which may affect the quality of the connection.

When is it a good idea to share data between your mobile phone and tablet?

Work table with several electronic devices on it.

Since this connectivity consumes a lot of battery on your phone and always poses a certain security risk, it is recommended that you activate it only in those cases where it is really necessary. For example:

No WiFi

If you are in a place without a Wi-Fi connection and you really need to connect, you can create the ad hoc network and browse with peace of mind.

Events or meetings

At events, conferences or meetings where the WiFi connection is not working well (this does not happen very often these days) you can share data from your mobile to your tablet to ensure a fast and stable connection and be able to work normally.

Share files

If you need to transfer large files between your mobile and your tablet, sharing the data connection can be a faster alternative to using cloud services.

How to share data from a mobile phone to a tablet?

Tablet on a notebook.

Sharing data with an Android phone is quite simple, because this operating system allows for very intuitive and quick connectivity.

To tether (share data connection) just follow these steps:

  • Access the Settings of your phone.
  • Go to the Networks and Internet section.
  • Go to the Wi-Fi zone / Share connection section.
  • Tap Wi-Fi hotspot. 

Android phones come with standard hotspot settings, including a name and password. However, you can change them by tapping on them.

If you don't know your device's password, tap on "Hotspot Password" and you'll be able to see it.

Once you have followed the steps we have seen and made the necessary adjustments to the name and password, all you have to do is turn on the “WiFi Hotspot” switch.

As an added benefit of this system, You just have to do the setup the first time You will be connecting the tablet to your mobile phone. Then, you can use the shortcut that you find when you open the notification panel. Tap on “WiFi hotspot” and the connection between the two devices will be established automatically next time.

Sharing data via Bluetooth

Alternatively, you can also share your mobile data with your tablet via Bluetooth connection.

All you have to do is follow the route:

  • Adjustments
  • Network and Internet.
  • Wi-Fi hotspot / Connection sharing.
  • Activate Bluetooth tethering. 

Then you search for your mobile's Bluetooth signal from your tablet, confirm the connection and you're all set.

Sharing data from a mobile to a tablet is a fairly simple and quick thing to do. As you have seen, you do not need to be an expert to achieve a good result. The only thing you have to keep in mind is that you must keep your ad hoc network secure with a good password, and that you have to control the battery consumption on the mobile, because it will be higher than usual.


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