IPhone tethering not working via bluetooth

bluetoothiphonetethering

I can successfully tether my Mac (10.7.3) to my iPhone4 (5.0.1) via wifi, no problem, been doing it for months.

However, when I try to tether via bluetooth instead, I can't seem to see the internet from my mac. Network Settings reports a green light for Bluetooth PAN, but my browser can't connect to anything at all.

My Mac reports very similar IP addresses for both, starting with 172.20.10 and differing only in the last octet.

Any idea why I can't successfully tether via bluetooth?

Best Answer

This fixes what i presume to be a corrupt internet sharing preference file. It will also remove all other network settings such as wifi access-points and their passwords so keep that in mind. Other data such as pictures and contacts will be completely safe.

  1. On your iPhone, go to Settings -> General -> Reset and choose Reset Network Settings.
  2. The iPhone will ask you to confirm and then restart.
  3. In Settings -> Internet Sharing reenable it and choose to turn on bluetooth if a dialog asking to do so appears.
  4. Reconnect to your wifi-network if applicable.
  5. You're probably done, try connecting. If it doesn't work go on.
  6. In Settings -> General -> Bluetooth tap the blue arrow beside your computer and choose to forget the device.
  7. On your computer go to System Preferences -> Bluetooth and remove your iPhone from the list.
  8. Go to System Preferences -> Network. In the Location drop down choose Edit Locations.... Add a new location and press done.
  9. Make sure the new location is selected and press Apply.
  10. Go back to System Preferences -> Bluetooth and re-pair your phone to the computer.
  11. Connect to your iPhone's bluetooth network.
  12. Back in System Preferences -> Network if you do not have a Bluetooth PAN interface add it by pressing the + button in the lower left.
  13. Press Apply and cross your fingers.

Doing the first five solved it for me, after one year of broken bluetooth-tethering.

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