Choosing a connection
Your BlackBerry device is capable of a wide range of connections, to increase what you can do with
your device and how it interacts with other devices. Take a look at the list of connections to learn about
the different types of connections, some tips for when to use each connection, and maybe learn a few
things you didn't know you could do.
Network connections
Mobile network
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A mobile network connection allows your BlackBerry device to make calls and, if you have a data
plan, use data services such as Internet browsing. In some locations, such as in a hospital or on an
airplane, you need to turn off your mobile network connection, but usually you can just leave your
mobile network connection on.
Wi-Fi
A Wi-Fi network connection is another way to get data services on your device, but unlike using the
mobile network, using Wi-Fi doesn't add charges to your data plan. Your device is designed to try
to use saved Wi-Fi networks before it tries to use the mobile network for basic data functions such
as using the Internet or downloading apps. You can leave Wi-Fi on so that as soon as you're in
range of a saved Wi-Fi network, your device connects to it automatically, but remember that if you
leave Wi-Fi on all the time your battery can drain faster.
Connections between devices
USB
You can use a USB cable to create a two-way connection between your BlackBerry device and
your computer. Your device appears on your computer as a mapped drive. If you turn on the USB
Mass Storage Mode feature, your device appears on your computer as a removable storage
device. You can usually use a USB connection to drag files between your device and your
computer, depending on the features of your computer.
You can use an HDMI cable or a wireless display adapter to connect your BlackBerry device to
another device such as a TV or computer monitor. You can display the screen of your BlackBerry
device on the other device.
Bluetooth technology
Bluetooth wireless technology allows you to create a direct connection between your BlackBerry
device and another Bluetooth enabled device. Although you can transfer files over a Bluetooth
connection, because of its ability to stream content, Bluetooth connections are more commonly
used for actions such as playing the music on your BlackBerry device through a separate speaker
or making calls from a headset that is using your BlackBerry device's mobile network connection.
NFC
NFC is a short-range wireless technology that's used for quickly creating connections between
your BlackBerry device and other NFC-enabled devices or NFC tags. With NFC you don't need to
enter pairing information to make a connection, so it's useful for on-the-go actions such as
transferring contact cards with people you meet, or grabbing information from a poster that
contains an NFC tag. Depending on your wireless service provider and the applications you have
installed on your BlackBerry device, NFC can also be used to turn your device into a digital wallet
to allow you to do things such as make payments with your BlackBerry device.
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Shared Internet connections
You can use your BlackBerry device's connection to the mobile network to allow other devices to
access the Internet. This functionality is particularly useful if you want to browse the Internet on your
laptop or Wi-Fi only tablet but you don't have access to a Wi-Fi network.
Internet tethering
You can use Internet tethering when you only have one device that you want to connect to the
Internet through your BlackBerry device's mobile network connection. You can connect the device
to your BlackBerry device using a USB cable or, if both devices are Bluetooth enabled, you can
use Bluetooth technology instead.
Mobile Hotspot
You can use Mobile Hotspot mode to connect up to eight devices to your BlackBerry device. (The
number of devices that you can connect depends on your wireless service provider.) Connecting
your devices using Mobile Hotspot mode is like connecting to a Wi-Fi router; you can use the Wi-Fi
connections on your devices, but you don't need access to a Wi-Fi network.
VPN connections
You can connect your BlackBerry device to a virtual private network (VPN) over your mobile network or
using a Wi-Fi connection. While your device is connected to the VPN, you can send data to and receive
data from the private network across the public network.