Get 3G on a WiFi only iPad

So I got a 32Gb iPad on Saturday and I bought the WiFi only model, mostly because I’m impatient but most importantly I already own a iPhone and I’m paying for unlimited 3G data.  The iPhone that I have is a 3GS and its Jailbroken running 3.1.2.  I heard from other people leading up to the launch of the iPad, is that they were going to use the popular 3G WiFi access points you can get from Verizon, Sprint or AT&T.  That takes the 3G and broadcasts it in WiFi for any devices to connect to it and get on the internet.  They are great if you travel a lot and need to have more than one device connected to the Internet.  The problem with them are that you have to pay $50 to $60 a month for unlimited 3G service on top your phones service, the price adds up.  So if you have a jailbroken iPhone and $10, you can turn it into a WiFi hotspot so your iPad can connect to it without paying more for data.

On your iPhone launch Cydia and find the app call “MyWi”.  If you have Rock installed you can get a 8 day free trial of the app.  Once you have it installed and you did a soft reboot of your iPhone, just launch the app and follow the instructions.  The one downside of MyWi is that the encryption they use is WEP and not WPA or even WPA2.  WEP is very easy to crack but its better than nothing, but make sure that you encrypt your WiFi network so no one else will jump on and start capturing your data.

In my tests of MyWi I found that my iPhone lasted about 4 hours broadcasting out a WiFi signal and using my iPad.  This method is very handy when your in an area where there isn’t any WiFi (of course) but you can plug in your iPhone and surf the Internet right from your iPad and not have to worry about the battery life of the iPhone.  You can even slip the iPhone in your pocket and screen locked and it will continue to work.  It’s the perfect solution for getting online with your iPad and saving money in the process.