iPad Pro Has anyone tried using Ethernet on iPad Pro?

[richwoodrocket]

Apple released the USB to lightning adapter, and also the USB to Ethernet adapter recently. Has anyone tried connecting their iPad Pro to Ethernet using these adapters?
All I can find online is that it should theoretically work, but nobody has actually tried it.

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

Their documentation says it's supported, but yeah, I haven't heard of any real world testing.

 

[Marshall73]

Looks like you have been able to do it for a while, I think the difference is that the iPad Pro 12.9 supports USB3 so that you can get gigabit speed over LAN. Found an old video showing how to hook it up for other apple devices:

 

[A.R.E.A.M.]

In the accessory section I posted that I have successfully used Ethernet on the pro. I have been doing this since November.

 

[ecschwarz]

I've used it multiple times with my iPad Air 2, iPhone SE, and now iPad Pro with both the old Lightning-to-Camera adapter and now the new USB 3 version. The old one needed a USB hub in between to give the Ethernet adapter enough juice, while the new one just needs your AC adapter (and charges your iPad as a bonus).

I'm using an Anker Ethernet adapter, but just about any other driverless one should work. The only downside is that you can't tweak network settings, so DHCP better be okay.

(I actually made this post with my new adapter just to test) 🙂

 

[richwoodrocket]

Thanks for the replies! That's really cool. I'm surprised that there isn't an indicator to take the place of the wifi indicator when using this, like there is for tethering.

 

[ecschwarz]

I'd love for that and maybe connectivity information without a third-party app. I also wonder if there are any Ethernet adapters that don't need the extra power boost - would be nice to throw in my network admin toolkit...seems like the Anker and Apple ones need power.

 

[thingstoponder]

...Why?

 

[ecschwarz]

...Why?

This isn't a daily-use kind of thing, but I run into some instances where I have to troubleshoot network equipment where Wi-Fi doesn't reach. Being able to check connectivity without always having to grab my computer is pretty nice (mostly grab my iPhone). Additionally, Ethernet access is sometimes free in hotels while some charge for Wi-Fi (or have poor coverage).

 

[Mac 128]

I've used it multiple times with my iPad Air 2, iPhone SE, and now iPad Pro with both the old Lightning-to-Camera adapter and now the new USB 3 version. The old one needed a USB hub in between to give the Ethernet adapter enough juice, while the new one just needs your AC adapter (and charges your iPad as a bonus).

I'm using an Anker Ethernet adapter, but just about any other driverless one should work. The only downside is that you can't tweak network settings, so DHCP better be okay.

(I actually made this post with my new adapter just to test) 🙂

It's times like these when I wish I were the kind of person that kept track of all the people on these forums that ripped me a new one for complaining there was no way to do this before it was discovered that it worked. But then I'd waste a lot of my life going back to tell them "I told you so".

The Apple zealots can be so unreasonable sometimes. In my particular use case, it was both a remote government location with satellite internet so only hard wired connections were permitted to limit bandwidth, the other was a cruises ship with similar restrictions, and the last was a government installation with a secure network which forbid wifi. All legitimate reasons, all things Apple obviously sought to accommodate.

 

[Richdmoore]

I know this is an old thread, but does anyone know which USB 3 to Ethernet adapters will work? (I think the apple one is only USB 2, max 100 Ethernet.)

Right now I am on an iPad 2 air so it can only do USB 2 max anyway, but I would like to buy a USB 3 compatible Ethernet adapter to pair with the USB 3 tonight into adapter to future proof my setup for future iPads.

 

[ecschwarz]

Since the original posts in this thread, my go-to kit is the old Lightning-to-Camera adapter and a Belkin USB 2 ethernet adapter. The nice thing about that is that it doesn't need external power to work (https://www.amazon.com/Belkin-USB-2...04689&sr=8-1&keywords=belkin+usb+2.0+ethernet). It looks like Amazon doesn't have it right now, but it's also at Target and Best Buy for <$20.

For the sake of testing, I _think_ USB 3 may work if you have the newest Lightning-to-Camera adapter and an iPad Pro 12.9" - I've used an Anker USB 3 one (https://www.amazon.com/Anker-Unibod...89304666&sr=8-5&keywords=anker+usb+3+ethernet) with an iPad Air 2, but it obviously was limited to USB 2 speeds. Connecting it to my iPad Pro reports as 10/100/1000 ethernet, but I'll have to check with a direct connection to my router in the morning.

I'm also really glad Apple has fleshed out Settings>Ethernet in iOS 10.2. Doing network admin things with my phone and two small dongles is really really nice. 🙂

 

[Richdmoore]

Since the original posts in this thread, my go-to kit is the old Lightning-to-Camera adapter and a Belkin USB 2 ethernet adapter. The nice thing about that is that it doesn't need external power to work (https://www.amazon.com/Belkin-USB-2...04689&sr=8-1&keywords=belkin+usb+2.0+ethernet). It looks like Amazon doesn't have it right now, but it's also at Target and Best Buy for <$20.

For the sake of testing, I _think_ USB 3 may work if you have the newest Lightning-to-Camera adapter and an iPad Pro 12.9" - I've used an Anker USB 3 one (https://www.amazon.com/Anker-Unibod...89304666&sr=8-5&keywords=anker+usb+3+ethernet) with an iPad Air 2, but it obviously was limited to USB 2 speeds. Connecting it to my iPad Pro reports as 10/100/1000 ethernet, but I'll have to check with a direct connection to my router in the morning.

I'm also really glad Apple has fleshed out Settings>Ethernet in iOS 10.2. Doing network admin things with my phone and two small dongles is really really nice. 🙂

Thanks for the update. I will be looking forward to see if it will negotiate 1000 ethernet speeds, getting that version makes more since to me unless I don't have the USB 2 version laying around and would have to buy one anyway.

 

[ecschwarz]

It looks like it negotiated at 100Mbps on my Ubiquiti EdgeRouter X, but did negotiate at gigabit speeds on my U-verse modem/router combo. Keep in mind that it does require a charger capable of charging iPads (10 or 12 W) in order to operate. An iPhone charger will not work.

 

[darkarn]

Since the original posts in this thread, my go-to kit is the old Lightning-to-Camera adapter and a Belkin USB 2 ethernet adapter. The nice thing about that is that it doesn't need external power to work (https://www.amazon.com/Belkin-USB-2...04689&sr=8-1&keywords=belkin+usb+2.0+ethernet). It looks like Amazon doesn't have it right now, but it's also at Target and Best Buy for <$20.

For the sake of testing, I _think_ USB 3 may work if you have the newest Lightning-to-Camera adapter and an iPad Pro 12.9" - I've used an Anker USB 3 one (https://www.amazon.com/Anker-Unibod...89304666&sr=8-5&keywords=anker+usb+3+ethernet) with an iPad Air 2, but it obviously was limited to USB 2 speeds. Connecting it to my iPad Pro reports as 10/100/1000 ethernet, but I'll have to check with a direct connection to my router in the morning.

I'm also really glad Apple has fleshed out Settings>Ethernet in iOS 10.2. Doing network admin things with my phone and two small dongles is really really nice. 🙂

I don't usually necro threads but when I do, it's to thank people!

Thanks for the recommendation, I used this exact Anker adapter with the Lightning-to-Camera adapter and iPad Pro 12.9 inch 2nd Gen and glad to say that this works too even in iOS 11! I am using a 1Gbps up and down connection and can see that my iPad is getting almost all of it via SpeedTest (of course in real world usage YMMV but still a major improvement over Wifi)

Just that you will not see any icon on top of your screen for Ethernet connection like the Wifi or LTE connections, you will need to go to Settings to confirm that it works when the Ethernet menu appear

 

[RumorConsumer]

It works. I just saw them using it at the apple store the other day. Plugged up my iPhone 7 and voila.

 

[labyrinth153]

This is my specific use case. I use my iPad to ssh/Vnc into my networks. I bought the apple usb3 adaptor with the ability to plug in a power source. Otherwise it says the accessory uses too much power.

 

[TriBruin]

This has been around for several years. It is a well know way of mass installing Application without killing your WiFi network. (Ever try installing Apps on 100 iPads at once?)

Apple now has the ability to do wired tethering to a Mac. Connect your iPad via a lightning cable to a mac running High Seirra and your iPad will route all network through the Mac instead of WiFi, if you Mac is on Ethernet, not WiFi.

 

[pika2000]

Apple now has the ability to do wired tethering to a Mac. Connect your iPad via a lightning cable to a mac running High Seirra and your iPad will route all network through the Mac instead of WiFi, if you Mac is on Ethernet, not WiFi.

Wait, how does that work again?
So the Mac must be on ethernet (not wifi), and when you connect the iPad (with wifi turned off) via lightning to USB, the Mac shared its network connection to the iPad?
That's really neat. But why would it not work if the Mac uses wifi?

 

[darkarn]

I have edited my earlier post as I found out that all 3 connections (Wifi, cellular, Ethernet) will be simultaneously active. You will need to disable them if you do not wish to use them accidentally for any reason.

 

[great high wolf]

I'm using an Anker Ethernet adapter, but just about any other driverless one should work. The only downside is that you can't tweak network settings, so DHCP better be okay.

As a general tip for anyone who finds this thread, if you’ve got control of the DHCP server and need a static address on an iPad over ethernet, find out the MAC of the ethernet adapter and give it a reservation on the DHCP server

 

[ecschwarz]

As a general tip for anyone who finds this thread, if you’ve got control of the DHCP server and need a static address on an iPad over ethernet, find out the MAC of the ethernet adapter and give it a reservation on the DHCP server

Yep, although since I wrote that, iOS 10.2 and later (I think that was when it appeared) now allow full control of network settings. DHCP reservations still win in some instances, obviously.

 

[great high wolf]

Yep, although since I wrote that, iOS 10.2 and later (I think that was when it appeared) now allow full control of network settings. DHCP reservations still win in some instances, obviously.

Oooh, nice! I’m kind of surprised that Apple has integrated support for something that is a hacky workaround at best but they must recognise some people need ethernet for their iPads.

 

[ecschwarz]

Oooh, nice! I’m kind of surprised that Apple has integrated support for something that is a hacky workaround at best but they must recognise some people need ethernet for their iPads.

I wouldn't be surprised if it's for some kiosk applications or other purpose-specific needs that they were seeing. As it has always "worked," I'm guessing giving control over the settings isn't too difficult. It also works on iPhones and iPod touches.

 

[USAFA2008]

The Apple zealots can be so unreasonable sometimes. In my particular use case, it was both a remote government location with satellite internet so only hard wired connections were permitted to limit bandwidth, the other was a cruises ship with similar restrictions, and the last was a government installation with a secure network which forbid wifi. All legitimate reasons, all things Apple obviously sought to accommodate.

Well said

Since the original posts in this thread, my go-to kit is the old Lightning-to-Camera adapter and a Belkin USB 2 ethernet adapter. The nice thing about that is that it doesn't need external power to work (https://www.amazon.com/Belkin-USB-2...04689&sr=8-1&keywords=belkin+usb+2.0+ethernet). It looks like Amazon doesn't have it right now, but it's also at Target and Best Buy for <$20.

For the sake of testing, I _think_ USB 3 may work if you have the newest Lightning-to-Camera adapter and an iPad Pro 12.9" - I've used an Anker USB 3 one (https://www.amazon.com/Anker-Unibod...89304666&sr=8-5&keywords=anker+usb+3+ethernet) with an iPad Air 2, but it obviously was limited to USB 2 speeds. Connecting it to my iPad Pro reports as 10/100/1000 ethernet, but I'll have to check with a direct connection to my router in the morning.

I'm also really glad Apple has fleshed out Settings>Ethernet in iOS 10.2. Doing network admin things with my phone and two small dongles is really really nice. 🙂

Thanks I will add this to my kit for my deployments since WiFi doesn't always work. So are you just plugging that into a lightening to camera adapter?