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Knowledge document #1205

Configuring FRITZ!Box for internet access via an Android smartphone (USB tethering)

Not only can the FRITZ!Box establish internet connections using a mobile network dongle, it can also use the existing mobile internet connection of an Android smartphone (USB tethering).

This way all devices in the FRITZ!Box home network can use the Android smartphone's internet connection to access the internet should your conventional internet connection ever be down and you do not have a mobile network dongle.

Requirements / Restrictions

  • The smartphone must support USB tethering and Android 4.1 or later must be installed. USB tethering cannot be used with Apple iOS.
  • Depending on the mobile network provider, internet telephony and all other functions for which a public IP address is required (for example incoming VPN connections) are either not available or available only to a limited extent.

Note:All instructions on configuration and settings given in this guide refer to the latest FRITZ!OS for the FRITZ!Box.

1 Connecting a smartphone with the FRITZ!Box

  1. Use a USB cable to connect the smartphone to a USB port on the FRITZ!Box.

    Important:Some smartphones require more energy than the USB interface on the FRITZ!Box can supply. If your smartphone does not charge when connected to the FRITZ!Box, if necessary use a USB hub with its own power supply (active USB hub) to connect it to the FRITZ!Box.

2 Configuring the smartphone

  1. Open the "Settings" on your smartphone.
  2. Tap "Network & Internet" in the "Settings".
  3. Tap "Hotspot & tethering".
  4. Enable the option "USB tethering".

Now the smartphone shares the internet connection with the device you connected via USB cable.

Note:USB tethering ends when you remove the USB cable or disable the option "USB tethering".

3 Configuring the FRITZ!Box

  1. Click "Internet" in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click "Mobile Network" ("Mobile Communications") in the "Internet" menu.
  3. If the mobile network should always be used for the internet connection, enable the option "Internet connection via smartphone or mobile network dongle by USB tethering enabled".
    • If the mobile network should only be used for the internet connection when the cable connection is interrupted, enable the option "Automatically enable the mobile connection when the cable internet connection is disrupted".
  4. Click "Apply" to save the settings.

The FRITZ!Box will now establish all internet connections using the smartphone you connected to it. If you no longer want the FRITZ!Box to use the internet connection, disable the option "Internet connection via smartphone or mobile network dongle by USB tethering enabled" again.

Note:If the smartphone should be connected to the FRITZ!Box's Wi-Fi network, disable the Wi-Fi network on the smartphone so that it does not try to forward web requests to the FRITZ!Box.

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