iPad Internet connectivity to 8th gen iPad over wire?

[B737]

I'm having trouble googling this question.

I have an 8th gen wifi only iPad that is transferring data over its wifi connection to another non-apple device. While it's doing this, I would like the ipad to have internet connectivity. But because the wifi is in use to another machine that is not connected to the internet, its Wi-Fi radio is already in use, thus no internet connectivity.

I have an iPhone 14 available and a MacBook available.
Is there a way I can tether my iPhone to the iPad with a wire, a lighting to lighting wire, so my iPhone could send internet to the iPad?

I tried connecting my Macbook to my iPhone Wi-Fi hotspot, then plugging a USB-C to Lighting cable from my MacBook to the iPad, but that did not provide internet to the ipad. I even checked to make sure internet sharing was turned on at the mac.

Can a mac share internet over Bluetooth only?

Is this even possible?

Unfortunately the location is semi-remote, I only have cellular data available, there is no Ethernet cable nearby. The only way to connect to the 3rd party machine is over Wi-Fi using the iPad, so it's not like I can connect to it with a wire or iphone (it's a marine chart plotter). Trying to avoid buying a cellular iPad for this single use.

 

[CharlesShaw]

More questions come to mind than suggestions.

If this particular marine chart plotter is used by others, then perhaps include that in the subject line to attract attention of others who use them with iPads, etc.

So, the only way to connect to the chart plotter is the iPad? If you could load the ipad app on your M1 (might be possible) would you be able to connect the MacBook to the chart plotter? If yes, then just tether the phone to the MacBook and share the wifi connection. [p.s. if there is power available, the Mac could also share the internet via Ethernet to a router, but you’d need a dongle and a router, power, etc, but it sounds the plotter only uses Wi-Fi).

Would the cellular iPad be a better solution than using three devices?

Can the chart plotting be done by the iPad (or Mac) alone without the need for the other device?

 

[B737]

Thank you for reading
The plotter can only talk to the iPad, and the only connection available between them is over Wi-Fi. Due to a software bug the plotter cannot talk to latest generation iPhones (Garmin Active Captain). A cellular iPad would do the trick, but I’m trying to avoid going that route for this single use.

I wonder if I had internet sharing set up wrong on the mac. Maybe I should try again with USB C to lightning cable to iPad while the mac is hotspotted to iPhone 14. I noticed in internet sharing there are some additional settings in that MacBook settings that I did not check last time.

If there was a way to wire in internet to the ipads lighting port, from my iPhone or mac I’ll be in good shape.

 

[CharlesShaw]

I believe that you should be able to connect the iPad to the Mac via Lighting/USB, connect the Mac to the phone’s hotspot, then share the connection from Wi-Fi to “ipad usb” (or however it shows up in there). Let us know.

 

[B737]

I definitely did not specify which port to internet share with on from the mac when I tried last time. I will take shot at it again on Friday and look more closely at that setting. Will report back, thank you for the help!

 

[jaytv111]

If you get the Lightning (male) to USB (female) adapter, then the right ethernet to USB adapter (only some work due to drivers/compatibility), then an ethernet to USB adapter for the Mac, I would think the Mac can share/bridge its connection to ethernet and the iPad would just think it's a regular network like any other, since iPads can use ethernet.

I don't think tunneling ethernet over regular Lightning is an option built into the iPad, it needs to see an adapter explicitly going to ethernet. If you had an iPad with USB-C you could go straight from USB-C to ethernet and back for the Mac.

Also this all depends on getting bridging to work. Something like this may work (not sure but you can try): https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/388562/how-do-i-bridge-a-wifi-connection-from-macos

 

[B737]

If you get the Lightning (male) to USB (female) adapter, then the right ethernet to USB adapter (only some work due to drivers/compatibility), then an ethernet to USB adapter for the Mac, I would think the Mac can share/bridge its connection to ethernet and the iPad would just think it's a regular network like any other, since iPads can use ethernet.

I don't think tunneling ethernet over regular Lightning is an option built into the iPad, it needs to see an adapter explicitly going to ethernet. If you had an iPad with USB-C you could go straight from USB-C to ethernet and back for the Mac.

Also this all depends on getting bridging to work. Something like this may work (not sure but you can try): https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/388562/how-do-i-bridge-a-wifi-connection-from-macos

this was really helpful thank you!
will this adapter work?
Apple Lightning to USB3 Camera Adapter
Then i would plug USB C from laptop into that thing, and set up the bridge in settings

 

[jaytv111]

this was really helpful thank you!
will this adapter work?
Apple Lightning to USB3 Camera Adapter
Then i would plug USB C from laptop into that thing, and set up the bridge in settings

You got confused. You have to have an ethernet cable, and you have to convert each side to ethernet. You can’t use that adapter to connect USB to a Mac from the iPad, both sides would get confused and think the other device is a different type of device it can’t connect to. In USB protocol, you can’t connect host-to-host, you have to go host-to-peripheral. Even if you did a USB-C to USB-C Mac to iPad (both C), they both figure out the Mac is the host and the iPad is a peripheral.

So you need to throw in a USB-A to ethernet for the iPad side, and a USB-C (I assume the Mac is USB-C since you say so above) to ethernet, then ethernet to ethernet cable to connect each side. You might want to search for known adapters for the iPad side because not every one works.

 

[B737]

You got confused. You have to have an ethernet cable, and you have to convert each side to ethernet. You can’t use that adapter to connect USB to a Mac from the iPad, both sides would get confused and think the other device is a different type of device it can’t connect to. In USB protocol, you can’t connect host-to-host, you have to go host-to-peripheral. Even if you did a USB-C to USB-C Mac to iPad (both C), they both figure out the Mac is the host and the iPad is a peripheral.

So you need to throw in a USB-A to ethernet for the iPad side, and a USB-C (I assume the Mac is USB-C since you say so above) to ethernet, then ethernet to ethernet cable to connect each side. You might want to search for known adapters for the iPad side because not every one works.

Ok thank you! I follow, I think you mean lighting to Ethernet and USB-C to Ethernet, so I need this on the ipad side, and this on the mac side. Plus Ethernet cable between, plus configure bridge on mac for internet sharing. Would Ethernet cable have to be a crossover cable?

 

[jaytv111]

Ok thank you! I follow, I think you mean lighting to Ethernet and USB-C to Ethernet, so I need this on the ipad side, and this on the mac side. Plus Ethernet cable between, plus configure bridge on mac for internet sharing. Would Ethernet cable have to be a crossover cable?

You can do 2 adapters, as I said, Lightning to USB-A to USB-A to ethernet on the iPad side. You don’t need to buy that specific adapter, but you’re welcome to. More versatile in case you ever want to use those adapters with different devices than just Lightning to ethernet.

Modern ethernet doesn’t need crossover, it should do it on its own.

 

[B737]

ah ok that makes sense, thank you for clearing all this up.

maybe i'll trade in my 8th gen iPad for 10th gen with cellular, that will simplify things 🤣

 

[CharlesShaw]

I no longer have a Lightning iPad, so I used my second iPhone with airplane mode turned on. I connected it to my Mac with Lightning cable, “trusted” it, and made sure that the phone could not access the internet. Then I shared my Mac’s connection to the USB iPhone connection and it worked fine.

 

[teh_hunterer]

maybe i'll trade in my 8th gen iPad for 10th gen with cellular, that will simplify things 🤣

After having a brief look at the situation I agree - the iPad and iPhone don't want to tether together over USB, and getting various adapters to trick them into doing so doesn't seem worth it at the end of the day.

 

[B737]

I concur, about ~$100 in adapters, plus trade in of my old 8th gen, makes upgrading an easy rationalization lol thanks everyone for the help here!

 

[bradbomb]

I have a question, if you turn on the iPhone’s hotspot, can both the iPad and the plotter connect to the iPad’s hotspot? Then the iPad and the plotter would be on the same WiFi and be able to communicate with each other, right and it shouldn’t worry about the iPhone not seeing it?

 

[B737]

@brad the plotter can only connect to one device at a time

but have good news as an update. I used a USB-C to Lighting cable, that connects macbook to the ipad. Hotspotted the phone to the mac, internet sharing turned on at the mac (share from mac wifi then to "ipad usb" under internet sharing options). Now the ipad has internet and it stays connected to the plotter. So much easier to sync the plotter with a live internet connection rather than connecting and disconnecting the ipad constantly.

much thanks to this community for the help