IPhone – Does using a hotspot while connected to wifi use cellular data

OK, I found one solution that works great.

Since the connection between the computers was originally wired with a router, I plugged them both into the router.

Then I removed the default gateway settings from the wired connection. This prevents them from going to the internet via the wired connection.

But, they are both connected to iPhone by wireless or USB (a separate wired connection), so they go to the internet through iPhone. The first time it takes the computer about 10 seconds to figure this out.

The caveat is that you need 2 interfaces for each device and a way to connect separate from iPhone.

If you plug any cellular enabled iOS device with Personal Hotspot turned on to a Mac via USB, the Mac will automatically open a network connection using the Personal Hotspot.

So yes, your Macbook Air will be the 1 connection you see.

The second part of your question is a little trickier and the answer is both complex and confusing but I will try to explain as best I can.

.

Based on older knowledge with other multiple interface *nix systems is that it will be a complete toss up as to which connection your Mac will use since both active connections could possible provide the same route to the destination for any network query.

I have even seen, on both Windows and Unix networks, traffic coming in on one network connection and going out on another, which rarely works well.

To get round this, in the Network panel you could disable the "iPad USB" in your default location, but then set up a new location where your "iPad USB" is not disabled.

Finally, the order of your devices should mean that if your wifi is above the iPad USB device in your list when both are enabled, it will get priority over the hotspot, but there are still caveats and this could still use cellular data, but of a lesser amount.