There are two ways to connect to the Internet. First, you can connect through any Wi-Fi network. Second, if you have the 4G version of the iPad, you can connect through a cellular telephone company's network.
A Wi-Fi network is faster, but it won't always be available, especially if you're outside. 4G service is usually available almost everywhere. Since connecting to the Internet can make your iPad so much more useful, you need to learn both ways of getting on the Internet with your iPad.
In this chapter you'll learn how to set up an Internet connection for your iPad.
No matter which type of iPad you have, you can always connect to the Internet through a Wi-Fi connection. Many public places offer free Wi-Fi connections, and your home or office may have a Wi-Fi network.
To set up a Wi-Fi connection with your iPad, follow these steps:
From the Home screen, tap Settings. The Settings screen appears.
Tap Wi-Fi. The Wi-Fi Networks settings screen appears, as shown in Figure 10-1.
(Optional) Tap the Ask to Join Networks on/off switch. When turned on, your iPad always asks for permission before accessing a Wi-Fi network. This can let you see exactly which Wi-Fi network your iPad may be accessing. It's usually a good idea to know exactly what network you're connecting to, especially when you're travelling.
Tap the Wi-Fi on/off switch so that the switch reads ON. Your iPad tries to recognize any Wi-Fi networks. If there are multiple Wi-Fi networks available, a window lists them all and you can tap the one you want to use. If the Wi-Fi network is password-protected, a Password screen appears. (If your iPad can't recognize a Wi-Fi network that you know exists, you'll need to tap Other and type in Wi-Fi settings yourself.)
(Optional) Type the password to access the Wi-Fi network and tap the Join key on the virtual keyboard. Your iPad connects to your chosen Wi-Fi network.
After you've connected to a Wi-Fi network once, your iPad will try to automatically connect to it in the future. This can be handy the next time you need to use that particular Wi-Fi network. However, if you find your iPad trying to latch on to a Wi-Fi network that you don't want to join, you can have your iPad forget that network. Forgetting a network is especially useful when a Wi-Fi connection is very slow or doesn't work at all (many Wi-Fi networks in hotels or airports allow you to connect but require payment, for example).
To forget a Wi-Fi network, follow these steps:
From the Home screen, tap Settings. The Settings screen appears.
Tap Wi-Fi. The Wi-Fi Networks settings screen appears, as shown earlier in Figure 10-1.
Tap the white arrow inside the blue circle that appears to the right of the network you want your iPad to forget. The network info screen appears.
Tap Forget this Network at the top of the screen.
Tap either Forget or Cancel when prompted.
If you have the 4G version of the iPad, you have the option of connecting to the Internet through a 4G cellular telephone network. Depending on your cellular telephone provider, you can purchase 4G access on a monthly basis for a fixed fee that gives you a fixed amount of data.
To set up a 4G account on your iPad, follow these steps:
From the Home screen, tap Settings. The Settings screen appears.
Tap Cellular Data. The Cellular Data settings screen appears, as shown in Figure 10-2.
Tap the Cellular Data on/off switch to make sure it reads ON.
(Optional) Tap the Data Roaming on/off switch to turn it ON or OFF. (Data Roaming means that your iPad constantly checks the Internet for email messages, and, in many countries, each time it checks the Internet you could incur a fee.)
Tap View Account. The Cellular Data Account window appears, as shown in Figure 10-3.
Type in the required information and choose a data plan.
Note
To sign up for a data plan, you must type in a credit card number. If you are in an area where you can't get 4G cellular telephone access, you will have to wait to sign up for a 4G data plan when you can access a cellular network.
When you sign up for a data plan, it runs for a fixed amount of time, such as 30 days, starting with the date that you signed up for that data plan. You'll receive three alerts when your data plan limit reaches 20 percent, 10 percent, and zero. Each alert gives you the chance to sign up for your current plan or choose a different plan.
Your data plan will automatically renew every time period until you specifically turn it off. To turn off (or switch) your data plan, follow these steps:
From the Home screen, tap Settings. The Settings screen appears.
Tap Cellular Data. The Cellular Data settings screen appears (see Figure 10-2).
Tap View Account. (You'll need to type your email address and password to access your account.) The Cellular Data Account window appears showing your current data plan.
Tap Cancel Plan or one of the other data plan buttons to switch to that data plan.
Once you purchase a cellular data plan, you can share your Internet connection with others through Wi-Fi. Just remember that sharing your Internet connection uses up your monthly data allotment.
Note
Not all cellular phone networks allow you to turn an iPad into a Wi-Fi hotspot.
To share your iPad's Internet connection through Wi-Fi, follow these steps:
Make sure you have signed up with a cellular data plan through your iPad.
From the Home screen, tap Settings. The Settings screen appears.
Tap General. The General screen appears.
Tap Network. The Network settings screen appears, as shown in Figure 10-4.
Tap Personal Hotspot. The Personal Hotspot screen appears, as shown in Figure 10-5.
(Optional) Tap Wi-Fi Password and create your own password to access your Wi-Fi hotspot. If you do not create a password, your iPad creates a random password for you.
Tap the Personal Hotspot on/off switch to turn it ON. You can now access the Internet through your iPad's cellular connection.
As an alternative to turning your iPad into a Wi-Fi hotspot, you may find it less expensive to turn your mobile phone into a Wi-Fi hotspot and let your iPad connect to the Internet through your phone. You can also buy a portable Wi-Fi hot-spot that has its own cellular data plan, which might be less expensive than going through the iPad's cellular data plan. By piggy-backing off another device's existing wireless Internet connection, you can spare yourself from paying for a cellular data plan on your iPad.