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How to Convert Android Phone into a Modem And Connect to PC

It is very easy to enable Internet access (data access over a mobile network) on Android handset and then convert it to a modem. With the 3G and 4G networks, we do not need to rely on just DSL connection for faster Internet access. With a 3G or 4G network we can access faster Internet connection on our computers by using an Android handset as a modem. This tutorial explains the steps to convert a Smartphone into a modem by tethering and access the Internet on a computer. There are different types of tethering but this tutorial explains USB tethering to convert mobile handset to a modem. Here, the entire procedure is divided into two parts.
  • Enable Internet on Android Phone

  • Convert Android Phone to Modem

Step by step instructions to activate mobile Internet service (Data Access) on mobile handset are provided below.


1. Enable Data Access on Android Phone
  1. Click on Application

  2. Go to Settings

  3. Click on Wireless and Networks

  4. Go to Mobile networks

  5. Check the option "Data enabled"

After you check the option "Data Enabled", your phone starts pick up the data signal either Edge or 3G depends on the service you have. Now we are going to the second part of the tutorial. This section explains how to use the Android feature tethering to connect the phone to your laptop or computer and access the Internet directly from the phone.

Use Tethering to Connect Android Phone as a Modem
  1. Connect Phone to PC using a USB cable

  2. Cancel the prompt to use the device as a USB storage

  3. Click Applications

  4. Click on Settings

  5. Click Wireless & networks

  6. Click Tethering & Portable hotspot

  7. Select USB tethering

Now the procedure is complete and your Android phone is acting as a modem for your computer. However, rarely users see issues with tethering. Let us check some common issues which prevent you from tethering Android phone.

Common Tethering Problems and Solutions

  1. Internet Service Provider Blocks Tethering

    As I said before, tethering enables a user to use his phone as modem and access Internet on his computer. However, this practice is not encouraged by Mobile service providers because high data transfer through the mobile network can make a network busy. So to avoid this issue, some mobile service providers block users from using the feature tethering. One of the practical solutions to the service provider's tethering block is to pay extra as they demand. I have been using Idea, BSNL and Docomo mobile broadband services without having any tethering trouble. If you face any issues to use a smartphone as a modem, you may comment here for further assistance.

  2. Phone Prompts to Connect as USB Storage

    When you connect your Android phone to your computer using a USB cable, you may be prompted to select it as a USB storage device. You can cancel it by pressing the exit button (any button on your handset which let you escape this prompt). Now you can follow the instructions provided in this tutorial.

Suggested Readings
  1. Why toggling 3G and H in a 3G mobile handset

  2. Compare HSDPA, 3G, Edge and GPRS

  3. Problems to disconnect calls On Android Phone

  4. How to Configure Idea Mobile Internet On Android Handset

  5. How to Setup BSNL GPRS Connection On Android Phone

Why MAC Address Cloning is Required For Cable Internet Connection

CoreNetworkZ is rich with different tutorials to configure and troubleshoot networking devices. After reading some of them, one visitor asked me a question regarding the importance of cloning Media Access Control Address while configuring cable broadband. He is curious to know the reason for cloning the MAC (Hardware) address of the computer into Router while configuring the router with a Cable modem. It is because most of the cable Internet providers register the MAC address of the PC Ethernet adapter in their records to allow Internet access to the specific device. This is a safety precaution to block any unregistered computers from accessing their connection. So the only registered computer can access the Internet provided by Cable ISP. In the case of DSL Internet Providers, they do not use this method to verify the user. So DSL connection does not care the MAC address of your computer.


When you connect a router to the Cable modem, the cable Internet Provider will block you from accessing the Internet. It is because the Cable Internet Provider sees the Media Access Control number of the Router instead of your registered computer. Router Hardware number is not registered and you will be blocked from accessing the connection. In order to avoid this issue, most routers have a feature called MAC address cloning.



By using the feature, MAC address cloning, you can clone the MAC number of your Registered computer into the Router. When you connect the Router after this step, Cable Internet Providers see the registered MAC address. You should use the registered computer while configuring the router and clone the MAC address of the same computer. If you use a different PC to setup router to share cable broadband connection, your ISP will block the Internet. So it is important to make sure which PC is used while configuring the modem and have a note of the Hardware number of that PC.

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BSNL 3G APN Settings For Android Phones

BSNL is one of the leading mobile data service providers in India. Once you have activated BSNL GPRS on a mobile handset, they will send automatic settings. It will come almost instantly and all you have to do is to click the config file and install. If the automatic GPRS settings provided by them does not work, you can configure it manually to access the Internet on your Android mobile handset. The same manual steps are valid for configuring 3G on Android phones but you should ensure your phone supports it. Check if your mobile handset supports HSDPA before activating BSNL 3rd generation mobile broadband. If your Android handset supports this facility, the steps provided below are enough to setup BSNL 3G connection on your handset.

How to Configure BSNL GPRS on Android Phone
To set up GPRS on Android handset follow the steps below.
  1. Click on Applications

  2. Go to Settings

  3. Click on Wireless and Networks

  4. Click on Mobile networks

  5. Go to Access Point Names (APN)

Now create new APN and provide following details.



Name                 : CelloneSouth_gprs_n (any name is OK here)

APN                  : bsnlnet

User Name            :  no user name 

Password             :  no password

Proxy                : no need to set

Port                 : No need to set

Authentication type  : none or normal 

IP Address           : Automatic



After saving these manual settings, BSNL 3G and GPRS settings are configured on your Android device. The settings are same for all handsets like Samsung Galaxy, HTC handsets like HTC Desire, LG Optimus etc. You might be interested in comparing the speeds between various mobile data services. We have created an article about the data transfer speed in various wireless standards. To compare the speed difference between various mobile data services, click on the link below.
Compare various Data Services and Their Speed Limits

In this article, you have learned how to setup BSNL GPRS on your Smartphone. If you find the service provided by current ISP is not that satisfactory, you can change to another service provider. There are different guides to activate cell phone Internet access by different service providers on a smartphone are written. To learn how to activate Idea 3G on your mobile device follow the instructions provided in the link below.
How to Activate Idea Wireless Broadband

While transferring data through your BSNL HSDPA phone, you might notice a toggling of 3G and H symbol on the screen. To know the reason for toggling H and 3G in BSNL 3G mobile handset (when data service is enabled), click on the link below.
Why toggling 3G and H in a 3G Handset