Using the mobile data network

LTE Android tablets are designed to connect to the Internet by using the mobile data network. That’s the same digital cellular network used by smartphones. Several types of this network are available, based on the network’s speed:

• 4G LTE: The fourth generation of wide-area data network and the fastest.
• 3G: The third-generation network, which is the fastest network used when a 4G signal isn’t available.
• 1X: Several types of the original, slower cellular data signals are still available. They all fall under the 1X banner. It's slow.

Your tablet always uses the best network available. So, when the 4G LTE network is within reach, it’s used for Internet communications. Otherwise, the 3G network is chosen, and then 1X networking in an act of last-ditch desperation.

• A status icon representing the network connection type appears atop the touchscreen, right next to the Signal Strength icon.

• Accessing the digital cellular network isn’t free. You likely signed up for some form of subscription plan for a certain quantity of data. When you exceed that quantity, the costs can become prohibitive.

• See Chapter 21 for information on how to avoid cellular data overcharges when taking your Android tablet out and about.
• Also see Chapter 23 for information on monitoring your mobile data usage as well as tips on sharing the tablet’s mobile data connection.

Understanding Wi-Fi

The mobile data connection is nice, and it's available pretty much all over, but it costs you money every month. A better option is Wi-Fi, or the same wireless networking standard used by computers for communicating with each other and the Internet.

To make Wi-Fi work on an Android tablet requires two steps. First, you must activate the tablet’s Wi-Fi radio. The second step is connecting to a specific wireless network. The next two sections cover these steps in detail.

• When your tablet is connected to a Wi-Fi network, it uses that network rather than the mobile data network.

• Wi-Fi stands for wireless fidelity. It’s brought to you by the numbers 802.11 and various letter suffixes too many to mention.

Activating Wi-Fi

Follow these steps to activate your Android tablet’s Wi-Fi radio:

1. Open the Settings app.

2. Choose the Wi-Fi item.

   On Samsung tablets, tap the Connections tab to locate the Wi-Fi item.

3. Ensure that the Wi-Fi Master Control is set to the On position.

To deactivate the Wi-Fi radio, which also disconnects the Wi-Fi network connection, repeat the steps in this section but set the master control to the Off position.

• Use the Wi-Fi Quick Setting to instantly activate or deactivate the Wi-Fi connection. See Chapter 3 for information on accessing the Quick Settings.

• Once Wi-Fi is activated, the tablet connects automatically to any memorized Wi-Fi networks. See the next section for info on memorized networks.
• It’s perfectly okay to keep the tablet’s Wi-Fi radio on all the time. It does drain the battery, but you really need that Internet access to get the most from your Android tablet.

• Using Wi-Fi to connect to the Internet doesn’t incur data usage charges.

Connecting to a Wi-Fi network

After you’ve activated the Android tablet’s Wi-Fi radio, you can connect to an available wireless network. Obey these steps:

1. Open the Settings app.

2. Choose Wi-Fi.

   On some Samsung tablets, you find the Wi-Fi item on the Connections tab.

3. Choose a wireless network from the list.

   Available Wi-Fi networks appear on the screen, similar to what’s shown in Figure 16-1. When no wireless networks are listed, you're sort of out of luck regarding wireless access from your current location.

4. If prompted, type the network password.

   Tap the Show Password check box so that you can see what you’re typing; some of those network passwords can be long.

5. Tap the Connect button.

   The network is connected immediately. If not, try the password again.

When the tablet is connected to a wireless network, you see the Wi-Fi Connected status icon, similar to the one shown in the margin. This icon indicates that the tablet’s Wi-Fi is on, connected, and communicating with a Wi-Fi network.

• Some public networks are open to anyone, but you have to use the tablet’s web browser app to find a login web page. Heed that page’s directions to get network access. To find the page, simply browse to any page on the Internet, and the login web page shows up.
• The list of available wireless networks also includes previously connected networks. They appear at the bottom of the wireless network list. These networks are connected automatically any time the tablet is in range. To remove an item, long-press it and choose the Delete action.

• Not every wireless network has a password. Even though that absence makes connection work easier, be careful when connecting to such a network. It’s possible that the Bad Guys can monitor your connection, stealing passwords and other information.

• To disconnect from a Wi-Fi network, simply turn off Wi-Fi. See the preceding section.

• Use Wi-Fi whenever you plan to remain in one location for a while. Unlike a mobile data network, a Wi-Fi network’s broadcast signal has a limited range. If you wander too far away, your tablet loses the signal and is disconnected.

Connecting to a hidden Wi-Fi network

Some wireless networks don't broadcast their names, which adds security but also makes connecting more difficult. In these cases, follow these steps to make the Wi-Fi network connection:

1. Open the Settings app and choose Wi-Fi.

   For Samsung tablets, locate the Wi-Fi item on the Connections tab in the Settings app.

2. Tap the Action Overflow and choose Add Network.

   The item might be titled Add Wi-Fi Network, or it may appear as the Add (Plus) icon on the screen.

3. Type the network name into the Enter the SSID box.
4. Choose the security setting.

5. Type a password.

   The password may be optional, although heed my advice from the preceding section regarding password-less networks.

6. Tap the Save button or Connect button.

Details such as the security setting and password are obtained from the same person who provided you with the network name or SSID.

SSID stands for Service Set Identifier. Any further information on this acronym would needlessly lower your blood pressure, so I’ll leave it at that.

Connecting to a WPS router

Many Wi-Fi routers feature WPS, which stands for Wi-Fi Protected Setup. It’s a network authorization system that’s really simple and quite secure. If the wireless router features WPS, you can use it to quickly connect your Android tablet to the network.

To make the WPS connection, follow these steps:

1. Touch the WPS connection button on the router.

   The button either is labeled WPS or uses the WPS icon, shown in the margin.

2. On your tablet, open the Settings app and choose Wi-Fi.

   On your Samsung tablet, look on the Settings app’s Connection tab to locate the Wi-Fi item.

3. If you don’t see any WPS options on the screen, tap the Action Overflow icon and choose Advanced.
4. Choose WPS Push Button or WPS Pin Entry, depending on how the router does the WPS thing.
5. If the router is a WPS push-button router, push the WPS button on the router. If the router is a WPS PIN router, type the number shown on the tablet’s screen on the router.

Connection with the router may take a few minutes, so be patient. The good news is that, as on all Wi-Fi networks, once the initial connection is established, the tablet automatically connects in the future.

Understanding Bluetooth

To make Bluetooth work, you need a Bluetooth peripheral, such as a wireless keyboard. The goal is to pair that peripheral with your tablet. The operation works like this:

1. Turn on the Bluetooth wireless radio on both your tablet and the peripheral.

2. Make the peripheral you’re trying to connect to discoverable.

   The peripheral must announce that it’s available and willing to go steady with other electronics in the vicinity.

3. On your tablet, choose the peripheral from the list of Bluetooth devices.

4. If required, confirm the connection.

   For example, you may be asked to input a code or press a button.

5. Use the Bluetooth peripheral.

You can use the Bluetooth peripheral as much as you like. Turn off the tablet. Turn off the peripheral. When you turn both on again, they’re automatically reconnected.

Bluetooth devices are labeled with the Bluetooth logo, shown in the margin. It's your assurance that the gizmo can work with other Bluetooth devices.

Activating Bluetooth on your tablet

You must turn on the tablet’s Bluetooth radio before you can enjoy using any Bluetoothy peripherals. Here’s how to activate Bluetooth on an Android tablet:

1. Open the Settings app.

2. Choose Bluetooth.

   On some Samsung tablets, tap the Connections tab to locate the Bluetooth item.

3. Ensure that the Bluetooth master control is set to the On position.

   Slide the icon to the right to activate.

When Bluetooth is on, the Bluetooth status icon appears. It uses the Bluetooth logo, shown in the margin.

To turn off Bluetooth, repeat the steps in this section, but slide the master control to the Off position.

You’ll also find a Bluetooth switch in the tablet’s Quick Settings, as foretold in Chapter 3.

Pairing with a Bluetooth peripheral

To make the Bluetooth connection between your tablet and some other gizmo, such as a Bluetooth keyboard, follow these steps:

1. Ensure that the tablet’s Bluetooth radio is on.

   Refer to the preceding section.

2. Make the Bluetooth peripheral discoverable.

   Turn on the gizmo and ensure that its Bluetooth radio is on. Keep in mind that some Bluetooth peripherals have separate power and Bluetooth switches. If so, press the Bluetooth button or take whatever action is necessary to make the peripheral discoverable.

3. On the Android tablet, open the Settings app.

4. Choose Bluetooth.

   On Samsung tablets, tap the Connections tab in the Settings app to locate the Bluetooth item.

   The Bluetooth screen shows already paired and available peripherals, similar to what’s shown in Figure 16-2. If not, tap the icon or choose the command to scan for devices. You may have to tap the Action Overflow to see the command, which can be titled Refresh, Scan, or Search for Devices.

5. Choose the Bluetooth peripheral from the list.

6. If necessary, type the device’s passcode or otherwise acknowledge the connection.

   For example, with a Bluetooth keyboard, you may see a prompt on the tablet showing a series of numbers. Type those numbers on the keyboard and then press the Enter or Return key. That action completes the pairing.

After the device is paired, you can begin using it.

Connected devices appear in the Bluetooth Settings window, under the heading Paired Devices, such as the Logitech Ultrathin KB Cover shown in Figure 16-2.

• To break the connection, you can either turn off the gizmo or turn off the Bluetooth radio on your Android tablet. Because the devices are paired, when you turn on Bluetooth and reactivate the device, the connection is instantly reestablished.
• It’s rare to unpair a device. Should you need to, visit the Bluetooth screen (refer to Figure 16-2) and tap the Settings icon by the device’s entry. Choose the Unpair command or just tap the OK button to terminate the pairing.
• Unpair only the devices that you plan never to use again. Otherwise, simply turn off the Bluetooth device when you’re done using it.

• The Bluetooth radio consumes a lot of power. Don't forget to turn off the device, especially a battery-powered one, when you're no longer using it with your tablet.

Turning on NFC

You can’t play with the Android Beam feature unless the tablet’s NFC radio has been activated. To confirm that it has, or to activate it, follow these steps:

1. Open the Settings app.

2. Locate the NFC item.

   On a stock Android device, you find the NFC item by choosing the More item beneath the Wireless & Networks heading. On Samsung tablets with this feature, tap the Connections heading to find the NFC item.

3. Ensure that the NFC item is activated.

   Either place a check mark next to the NFC item or ensure that its Master Control icon is in the On position.

With NFC activated, you can use your tablet to communicate with other NFC devices. These include other Android tablets, Android phones, and payment systems for various merchants.

NFC is not the same as the Nearby Devices feature found on some Samsung tablets. The Nearby Devices feature is used for sharing media over a network.

Using Android Beam

The Android Beam feature works when you touch your tablet to another NFC device. As long as the two devices have an NFC radio and the Android Beam feature is active, they can share information. You can beam items such as a contact, map location, web page, YouTube video, or just about anything you’re viewing on the tablet’s touchscreen.

When two Android Beam devices touch — usually back-to-back — you see a prompt appear on the screen: Touch to Beam. Tap the screen, and the item you’re viewing is immediately sent to the other device. That’s pretty much it.

• Generally speaking, if an app features the Share icon, you can use Android Beam to share an item between two NFC gizmos.
• Both devices present the Touch to Beam prompt when they get close. If the other person touches his screen at the same time you do, information is swapped between both devices.
• The NFC field is most frequently found on the tablet’s rump. The pitiful documentation that came with your Android tablet may illustrate the exact spot.

Using Jim Beam

Follow these steps to enjoy a bottle of Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey:

1. Unscrew cap.
2. Pour.
3. Enjoy.

It isn’t truly necessary to pour the whiskey into another container for consumption, though many users find a glass, mug, or red Solo cup useful.

Alcohol and social networking do not mix.