How to Connect PC or Laptop to Internet Using Android Phone

The Android operating system supports usage of Android phones as an Internet modem for Personal computer or laptops. This facility of sharing the Internet connection of Android phone with a laptop or PC through a USB cable is called USB tethering. It supports most of major operating systems.

In Linux:

In Linux you just have to enable 'packet data' in phone first, connect phone with PC or laptop through USB data cable and check the option 'USB tethering' in Settings. It is somewhere within USB settings or Wifi and network settings. The place of this option may vary from phone to phone.In my phone (Ssmsung Galaxy S Advance, GT-I9070) , it is found as follows: Settings-> Wireless and Neetwork->Tethering and Portable Hotspot-> USB tethering. Check the option 'USB Tethering'. When 'USB tethering' is enabled, your Linux OS will automatically install the 'Remote NDIS based Internet sharing' driver. and your computer will automatically connect to internet within a few minutes.

Windows XP:

In windows XP, required driver for enabling USB tethering is already available in the OS. But in order to enable this, we have to download a file tether.inf. Windows XP users follow the instructions given below:

Download the configuration file tether.inf before connecting the Android phone to computer. Click here to download. This file will instruct Windows XP how to configure itself to use those drivers.
Connect your Android phone to your PC or laptop using USB cable.
Open settings in your phone. Open Wireless & networks > Tethering & portable hotspot and check USB tethering. (Enabling tethering in phone)
The 'Found New Hardware' wizard will be opened up automatically. Select 'No, not at this time and click 'Next'.
Select 'Install from a list or specific location' and click 'Next'.
Click 'Browse' and select the folder where you have saved the 'tether.inf' file (downloaded in step1) and click 'Next'. Now, Windows XP will configure itself to support tethering using the file 'tether.inf'.
When the installation is over, click 'Finish'.

The system will be connected to a Local Area Network provided by your Android phone and you can simply browse or download as you wish just as if you have got a wired internet connection.

NB: When you are stopping usage, disconnecting your phone from your computer should be safely. If you just disconnect carelessly, a software deadlock will happen so that the next time you connect your phone with computer, you won't be able to connect to Internet again. If you disconnect phone after shutting down computer or after disconnecting from the LAN there is nothing to worry. There is a post in microsoft website with a hotfix for the issue. Just read it here. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/959765

Windows Vista and Windows 7

In Windows Vista and Windows 7 you do not have to configure anything manually. Just enable 'packet data (mobile data)' in your phone and connect your phone to the Personal computer or Laptop using USB data cable and enable USB tethering. It is somewhere within USB settings or Wifi and network settings. The place of this option may vary from phone to phone.In my phone (Ssmsung Galaxy S Advance, GT-I9070) , it is found as follows: Settings-> Wireless and Neetwork->Tethering and Portable Hotspot-> USB tethering. Check the option 'USB Tethering'. When 'USB tethering' is enabled, your OS will automatically install the 'Remote NDIS based Internet sharing' driver. and your computer will automatically connect to internet within a few minutes.

Windows 8 or 8.1

In Windows 8 or Windows 8.1, if you connect your Android phone through USB, the computer will not automatically install the driver for it. We have to do it manually. I have wrote a post on sharing internet connection of Android with computer, exclusively for Windows 8 and WIndows 8.1. It have screenshots in it. Read it here: How to Connect Windows 8 or 8.1 Compuer to Internet by USB Tethering Android Phone

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