Fritzbox: This helps immediately if the DSL line fails

If you are working on a notebook or desktop computer with an integrated WLAN module, you can access the Internet further by switching on the hotspot function on your smartphone and connecting the PC to the mobile device’s WLAN. But on the one hand not every stationary computer has WLAN and on the other hand you do not have full access to the other devices in the home network with this method, i.e. the printer, the network hard drive and so on. And hardly anyone at home has a surf stick with a SIM card, which could, among other things, function as an alternative to Internet access on the widely used Fritzbox routers.

But if you own an Android smartphone, you can help yourself immediately! Because instead of using a surf stick, you can also establish the Internet connection in the Fritzbox with your mobile phone. The Fritzbox including WLAN and network and thus all other devices at home continue to work as usual. However, there may be restrictions for landline telephony depending on the mobile phone provider of the SIM card.

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Internet transfer via USB tethering can be switched on on the Android smartphone directly when connecting the cable (left) or selected later in the settings (right).

Are you surprised that you have never noticed the access function via smartphone on the user interface of the AVM router? In fact, you don’t usually see it because it only appears after the mobile phone is connected via USB cable.

That’s how it’s done:

Connect the Android device to the Fritzbox using a USB cable. The message that it is being charged via USB then appears on the mobile device. Tap on this notice and change the “Use for USB connection” to “USB tethering”. The smartphone then releases the Internet connection to the connected device, in this scenario to the Fritzbox. Alternatively, you can also find the option on the smartphone in “Settings -› Network & Internet -› Hotspot and Tethering”.

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USB tethering must also be activated in the Fritzbox. Important: The function only appears after the smartphone is connected to the router by cable.

In the next step, log in to the router’s user interface. To do this, type fritz.box in the browser line on the PC and enter your Fritzbox password. On the user interface, click on “Internet” and on the new, previously non-existent entry “Mobile”. Select the upper option on the right to use the Internet connection via mobile phone until you change it again. With the second option, the router automatically switches back to DSL (or cable or fiber optics) as soon as the normal line has been stable for at least 30 minutes. Finally, confirm with “Apply”.

Two notes on this: The tethering method via Android phones is by no means only supported by the latest Fritz boxes. This is what the manufacturer AVM calls a total of over 30 router models. And please also remember that internet use via smartphone consumes mobile data. Depending on the contract of your SIM card, additional costs may be incurred.

Tip:

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