Tethering Arduino to mobile phone using Wifi

Projects General Guidance
1

I am working on a project where I will have two Arduino boards each with multiple sensors. Data will be transmitted from the Arduinos to a remote webserver. This will be done over the 3G network. The purpose of using the 3G network is to prepare a prototype for a situation where 2G is phased out e.g. AT&Ts plans to phase out 2G by 2017 or to be modifiable to a project where where photos/video need to be streamed.

I will not be importing the 3G breakout board that is available. I would like to tether the Arduino to a cheap Android phone with hotspot. and use its 3G connectivity. If I use either WiFi Shield V2.1 For Arduino or the Arduino Diamond which is an Arduino Duemilanove compatible clone that has 802.11b wireless connectivity baked directly onto the board.

There is a time limit on the project of about 4 months.

Will this approach be as simple as connecting the Arduino to the internet via your usual wifi access point? Any forseeable problems? This is my first Arduino project.

Please advise. Thanks in advance,

2

If you turn on Internet sharing on the Cellphone, so it shares it's 3G data connection over Wifi, the setup will be the same as connecting to your normal household WiFi network.

So go ahead!

// Per.

3

You might want to check your cell phone contract. My cell phone provider (t-mobile in the USA) charges an extra fee to enable cell phone wifi hot-spot and also wired tethering to my laptop (via a OTG usb cable). Obviously if you are in a public location, you probably want to lock down the wifi hot-spot, so that only your Arduino can connect to the 3G network.

4

Take a look at PDA net for Android. It costs about $8.

I've never used it to connect to Android, but it's worth taking a look at.