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iphone remote app without wifi?

C

chill.

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 1, 2008
385
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i have a macbook that i've connected to an external monitor, and i like to watch movies on it from across the room. i would like to use my iphone as a remote, but it is an iphone 2G and has a weak wireless wifi connection that is out of range of my router most of the time. using 2G is not an option either as i don't have a data plan.

is there an iphone remote control app that can work through bluetooth or maybe infrared or anything?
 
well, i would prefer to use the devices that i already have, and also i like to watch some of the tv series on hulu and youtube and want the flexibilty of a wireless trackpad to start new videos, skip around, etc.
 
You cannot use the remote app on the cellular network - it will not operate simply because it has no way to find your computer - putting it on Wi-Fi allows it to be on the same local network and be able to communicate and find the computer. It can’t do it over the cellular network because of the different networks you are using. THe devices cannot “see” each other.

Its the same reason one cannot log in to my computer at work without using a dedicated service that knows how to find it like Go To My Pc. ITunes does not operate as a web service - just local.

Any solution is going to require you to buy something - your best option might be a repeater for Wi-Fi or an apple remote (which uses RF)
 
I don't get it... the Macbook is in range of the router, but the phone is not? How big is this room? Are you more than 20m away from the TV? :eek:

If the Macbook is also not connected via wifi, could you not just create an adhoc network (share the connection) from the Macbook, join it with the phone, and be done?

Otherwise you should also look at re-positioning the router or its antennas, using a different broadcast channel, etc. Again, unless this room is very large -- more than 25-30m across, I don't understand why your Macbook should be connecting to the Wifi and your phone not.
 
pdjudd: depends what you define by cellular network... 2G, 3G, 3.5G etc. can all definitely work if i had a data plan. and i talked about bluetooth/IR (though i'm not sure if the iphone has an IR transmitter)

mkrishnan: the router is across the house and downstairs, so maybe 60 feet away with multiple walls between it and the macbook. my macbook gets 3-4 bars connection usually while my iphone gets 0-1 bars

i have an aluminum macbook (which has a bad wifi signal compared to plastic/carbon laptops) and aluminum iphone which has horrible wifi range. these aluminum products are frustrating in the extreme, gimping wifi strength

i have verizon fios with their fios g router/modem combo. the best solution would probably be to pick up an n router or signal relay/extender i guess, but it's just another 50-100$ more that i have to shell out which sucks
 
chill. said:
pdjudd: depends what you define by cellular network... 2G, 3G, 3.5G etc. can all definitely work if i had a data plan. and i talked about bluetooth/IR (though i'm not sure if the iphone has an IR transmitter)
Click to expand...

Ahhh, okay, so well, the cellular data services are definitely useless to you if you don't have a data plan. There might possibly be some way if you did have a data plan, but you'd have to adjust your firewall to open up access to the Macbook to the public internet. But not if you don't have a data plan.

With bluetooth it's also possible in principle (a la Sweet Tooth) but I'm not aware of anyone having developed such a thing as your case of not being able to use wifi is such an extreme case....

(FWIW the wifi range on my iPhone 2G is not really all that bad, and at least comparable to other devices I have).
 
Is your computer plugged in via ethernet? If so you can simply forward that connection via wifi to your iphone.

system preferences->Sharing->Internet sharing checkbox , make sure airport is checked off in the "to other computers using" box.

Works great, but happens to lose signal semi regularly so you may have to do it over again from time to time.
 
NT1440 said:
Is your computer plugged in via ethernet? If so you can simply forward that connection via wifi to your iphone.

system preferences->Sharing->Internet sharing checkbox , make sure airport is checked off in the "to other computers using" box.

Works great, but happens to lose signal semi regularly so you may have to do it over again from time to time.
Click to expand...

unfortunately my macbook is connected through airport, but that is a very cool feature you mentioned that i never knew about, thank you
 
mkrishnan said:
*sigh* You realize this is the third time this has been suggested in this thread and the OP is still using WiFi to connect the MacBook to the net, making it not feasible as a solution?

If the Macbook can get a wired connection it's a good solution.
Click to expand...

It's perfectly feasible for watching movies that he already has on his MacBook or any attached drives. It's not for watching stuff through Hulu, YouTube, etc.
 
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