Chapter 5
Making Further Connections
In This Chapter
Working wirelessly
Reading about Wi-Fi
Biting into Bluetooth
Using USB and memory cards
In addition to Wi-Fi from your Tab S2 NOOK to the Internet, your handheld wonder can use Wi-Fi Direct to communicate with many other devices in the immediate vicinity. The same handheld wonder can use a different kind of short-range radio system — Bluetooth — to talk to and otherwise enjoy relations with more electronic thingies.
But as a reminder: The Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 NOOK doesn’t have a cellular radio. Your smartphone does, and certain other more expensive tablets do, but not this NOOK. (You can add Skype or other voice-over-Internet-protocol [VOIP] apps to make phone calls if you have a strong Wi-Fi connection.)
This chapter expands your use of wireless non-cellular communication and then gets you wired.
Working without a Wire
Chapter 4 explains how to reach the Internet through a Wi-Fi wireless connection. I put that information there because everything else that follows is dependent upon at least that initial wireless setup.
Here, I discuss Wi-Fi generalities and then look at other options to connect your Tab S2 NOOK.
You can also usually find a Wi-Fi signal at public libraries, some government buildings and public spaces, and at many cafés. And Barnes & Noble, the seller of your Tab S2 NOOK, offers a free Wi-Fi signal in nearly all its stores.
If you need help creating a Wi-Fi network, call your Internet provider or call or visit Barnes & Noble, which promises to provide at least basic levels of support to all buyers of their NOOK devices.
Bottom line: Use the signal that works best with your Tab S2 NOOK. The Wi-Fi utility seeks out the strongest connection it can find, and usually switches to an alternate all by itself if conditions change.
Advanced Wi-Fi settings
The Wi-Fi system should work well as delivered, but you can adjust performance to meet your needs with advanced settings. See Figure 5-1.
Figure 5-1: The Advanced settings for Wi-Fi allow you to keep your radio active, put it on a timer, and control scanning and connection options.
To reach the somewhat hidden screen, do this:
- From any Home screen, tap the Apps icon, and then tap the Settings icon.
- Tap Wi-Fi, and then tap On/Off.
- Tap More to see the advanced Options screen.
- Choose your options:
- Add Network. This is a way to manually add a Wi-Fi network, including advanced configurations.
- WPS Push Button. Many routers or WAP devices let you transmit all their configuration information to a nearby device like your tablet. Enable this option, bring the devices within a few feet of each other, and press the button on the router to automate the process of connecting to a router.
- WPS PIN Entry. View the PIN used by your device to set up a connection to a WAP or router that requires this level of security.
- Keep Wi-Fi on During Sleep. Choose among Always (you get email and notifications while the tablet’s asleep, which is a good thing except that it uses battery power), Only When Plugged In (which deals with the battery issue, assuming an AC outlet is handy), or Never (which shuts off the radio and saves battery power).
- Always Allow Scanning. If you put a checkmark in this box, your tablet lets Google Location Services and other applications scan for Wi-Fi networks even when other radio features are off. This may allow certain mapping programs to keep track of where you are even without a Wi-Fi signal, although full maps features aren’t available without an Internet connection.
- Install Network Certificates. Some websites have their own certificate of authenticity, and certain browsers or browser settings don’t allow you to connect — or will advise against connection — without seeing such a certificate. This option allows you to install certificates on your tablet as needed.
Wi-Fi Direct
Across the relatively short history of personal computers, smartphones, and tablets it has long been common for the latest, greatest new hardware to be way out front of the software needed to use its features. Or to put it another way, we had many many solutions that were in search of a problem. Samsung Galaxy Tab devices have been offering a technology called Wi-Fi Direct for several years, but only now is it becoming possible to use.
Wi-Fi Direct lets your tablet connect directly to another device without going through a WAP or router. Only one of the Wi-Fi devices has to be specifically designed for Wi-Fi Direct; the other needs plain old Wi-Fi capability.
For example, your tablet could connect to your smartphone and use its facilities. Or your smartphone could pick up files from your tablet. And perhaps most intriguingly, you could send a file across the room to a Wi-Fi–enabled printer to produce a hard copy.
Here’s how to turn on Wi-Fi Direct:
- From any Home screen, tap the Apps icon, and then tap the Settings icon.
- Tap Wi-Fi and then tap On/Off.
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Tap Wi-Fi Direct.
Your NOOK automatically scans for nearby Wi-Fi Direct devices.
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Select a device and then follow prompts to complete the connection.
You’ll see a special version of the Wi-Fi icon in the status bar: a set of arcs or dishes and below that a pair of arrows pointing toward each other.
To disconnect from Wi-Fi Direct, tap End Connection or return to the Wi-Fi configuration panel and turn off Wi-Fi Direct.
Special Networks from Samsung
Samsung also offers two special types of networking: SideSync and QuickConnect. They each fall in the category of “If you’ve got exactly the right combination of hardware in exactly the right situation, this is the greatest thing since the invention of the electric plug.” If all is not exact, they are temptingly out of reach.
SideSync from tablet to phone
SideSync allows your Tab S2 NOOK tablet to work as an extension of your smartphone: You can control the phone from the tablet, make or receive calls, send and receive text messages, and even drag and drop files between the two devices.
Provided, of course, that the smartphone in question is a current model Samsung device. SideSync doesn’t work with Apple phones, nor with Android phones from other makers. You may have to install a SideSync app on your Samsung smartphone, depending on how current it is. I needed to do that for my Samsung Galaxy Note 4; it was available at no cost from Google Play. On the Tab S2 NOOK side, I needed to update the SideSync app. See Figure 5-2.
Figure 5-2: Samsung offers apps from the Google Play Store. You may need to update the SideSync app on your Tab S2 NOOK.
There are no details on using SideSync in the Samsung manual either, but you can learn more about the feature by exploring the Samsung website or by calling the Samsung support desk or the support professionals at your cellphone provider … providing your cellphone is supported by this feature.
When you have the component installed on a smartphone or other device and enabled it there, you launch SideSync on your Tab S2 NOOK. Then you’re able to share resources. See Figure 5-3.
Figure 5-3: My Galaxy Tab S2 NOOK is connecting to my Galaxy Note4 smartphone. The link works at short distances.
QuickConnect from tablet to TV
Here’s another nifty new idea — a way to use both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi wireless system to stream content from your tablet to a large-screen TV or from a TV to your tablet. You can tune into a show and view it on the tablet, or project videos or pictures from the Tab S2 NOOK to the TV.
Sounds (and looks) good, if not great, depending on the resolution of the image and on the proper combination of hardware. QuickConnect works with the latest Samsung TV sets (and a handful of other TVs that have licensed the technology). And there’s the prospect of QuickConnect apps or utilities that can be added to PCs or Macs.
Clearly, SideSync is still being developed. I can see a not-too-distant future in which your Tab S2 NOOK will serve as a relatively large-screen extension of a compatible smartphone leveraging the best features of each device: cellular and data connection from the phone, the NOOK’s higher-quality camera and screen. See Figure 5-4.
Figure 5-4: I’m viewing the Gallery of photos stored on my smartphone on the larger screen of the Galaxy Tab S2 NOOK. The screen of the phone overlays a portion of the tablet.
Virtual Private Networks
Some institutions, businesses, and advanced individual users may insist on setting up a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to exchange sensitive information over the Internet. The nuts-and-bolts of setting up such a system is beyond the scope of this book, but your Galaxy Tab S2 NOOK is perfectly capable of working with one.
One extra step, although I recommend that all NOOK users do this anyhow — in order to use a VPN you must set up a screen lock, PIN, or password and unlock your tablet before use.
Here’s how to set up your Tab S2 NOOK to use a VPN:
- From any Home screen, tap the Apps icon and then the Settings icon.
- Tap More Connection Settings.
- Tap VPN.
- Tap Add VPN.
- Follow the onscreen instructions.
After you configure your tablet to work with a VPN, here’s how to connect to it:
- From any Home screen, tap the Apps icon and then tap the Settings icon.
- Tap More Connection Settings.
- Tap VPN.
- Tap the VPN you want to use to select it, and then enter your login information.
- Tap Connect.
To edit or delete a VPN, do this:
- From any Home screen, tap the Apps icon and then tap the Settings icon.
- Tap More Connection Settings.
- Touch and hold the VPN you want to edit or delete.
- Follow the onscreen instructions.
King Bluetooth Lives
Another technology for direct wireless connection of devices is Bluetooth. It connects devices at a maximum distance of about 30 feet for simple tasks, a process called pairing. On the Tab S2 NOOK, you can use the Bluetooth radio to share photos, contacts, music, and other files and to connect to devices like wireless earphones and speakers, and to wireless physical keyboards. See Figure 5-5.
Figure 5-5: The Tab S2 NOOK found the Bluetooth signal from the desktop computer on which I’m writing these words; I can make a screen capture on the tablet and move it wirelessly to a folder on the PC for editing.
The technology is, of course, named after Harald Bluetooth, the tenth-century king who united ragtag Danish tribes into a single kingdom, apparently with the aid of a wireless tablet of some sort. True — at least the name part.
To protect your tablet from receiving unwanted pairing requests, don’t let it be found by other devices until you agree to let it be discovered.
Understanding Bluetooth
Here’s how to establish a Bluetooth pairing. These steps deal with turning on the Bluetooth radio in the Tab S2 NOOK; make sure the equivalent radio is turned on and made discoverable on the other device.
Take these steps:
- From any Home page, tap the Apps icon, and then tap the Settings icon.
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Tap the Bluetooth icon (an angular B) and tap On/Off to enable it if necessary.
When the Bluetooth radio is on, you’ll see the angular B icon in the status bar.
- Tap Scan to manually perform a new scan.
Pairing Bluetooth devices
Both sides of the Bluetooth equation need to agree to communicate, although the process only has to be done once. When two devices are paired, they should automatically recognize each other and connect any time they’re both on and within range.
Here’s how to pair the devices:
- From any Home screen, tap the Apps icon, and then tap the Settings icon.
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Tap Bluetooth, and then tap On/Off.
The device you want to connect with must be discoverable, which is the opposite of saying that it mustn’t be set to hidden. Consult the instruction manual for the other device for the steps to make it discoverable.
Your Galaxy Tab S2 NOOK should already be set up to be visible, which is another way to say discoverable. If not, place a checkmark next to the option that offers to make it Visible to Other Devices.
- Tap Scan.
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When you see the name of the device with which you want to communicate, tap it.
Your tablet should connect to the other device. In certain combinations, the target device may require you to enter a passcode or PIN; get that information from the owner of the target device or from its instruction manual. In some situations, each device will transmit a code to the other, and you need to verify the connection by entering the code you see on the screen.
Bluetooth is a very helpful technology — when it works — but in my experience there are still too many variants of the pairing process to provide a single set of instructions here. Don’t hesitate to seek get help from the maker of the Bluetooth device or to contact Barnes & Noble or Samsung.
Unpairing Bluetooth devices
To remove the automatic connection or pairing function between two Bluetooth devices, do this:
- Make sure your Bluetooth radio is turned on.
- From the Bluetooth settings page, tap the Settings icon next to the paired device.
- Tap Unpair.
Bluetooth radios use a lot of battery power. Turn off that function when you aren’t using it.
Bluetooth limitations
Once again, the hardware capabilities of your Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 NOOK may not be equaled by the software or operating system on your tablet or on a computer or other device to which you connect.
Some but not all computers, smartphones, or other devices let you transfer files in either direction with a tablet. Check the settings of Windows, Android, Apple’s OS X on its computers, or Apple’s iOS on mobile devices to see what’s allowed.
I could write a sentence here that says transferring files using Bluetooth is easy-peasy anywhere, anytime, and in any combination of devices. But that would be wrong. In fact, I recommend using Bluetooth only for simple tasks like beaming music to an external speaker or headset.
You can usually find a way to perform certain other tasks like syncing contact, calendar, and task information from one device to another, but in truth I think Wi-Fi or direct USB cable connection is easier for transferring files.
Getting Physical: USB and Memory Cards
This section steps away from wireless communication and details actual physical contact for data transfer. I’m calling it part one if by wire, and two if by microSDHC card.
To me, the simplest way to transfer a bunch of files from a desktop or computer to your tablet, and the simplest way to manage files on your tablet, is to use a USB cable between the two devices.
You can use the same USB cable that connects your tablet to its AC adapter for recharging to move data.
Making the USB connection
USB (Universal Serial Bus) is, simply said, a wiring scheme that carries data and electrical power. About the only thing you need to know is which end is up, and which end is micro.
The USB cable that came with your tablet is standard. If you need a replacement, you can get one from a computer store or an online seller.
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Plug the micro end of the USB cable into your tablet.
The micro end of the cable is the small connector. It fits in only in one way. Don’t force it. - Remove the larger end of the cable from the AC adapter.
- Put the small adapter somewhere where you’ll be able to find it again.
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Attach the larger end of the USB cable to a port on your current desktop or laptop computer.
It, too, only goes in a particular way. At the computer end, you need to match the open side of the connector to the block side on the port. Open to block; block to open and you’re in like Flynn.
If you’re one of the lucky ones, that’s all that needs be done. If not, you should see a message on your computer (not on the tablet) telling you that it needs to install a driver to recognize this new piece of hardware now attached. The desktop or laptop computer should be able to do this all by itself if it has an active Internet connection. If you run into trouble, call Samsung or Barnes & Noble for help.
When you make the USB connection, you should see a message on your tablet. For a closer look, swipe down from the top to display the notification panel.
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Tap the Media Device option.
See Figure 5-6. This option is best for moving files to or from your Tab 4 NOOK. Mac users may need to install a small, free utility on their computer.
- Find your tablet in the File Explorer (on the PC) or the Finder (on a Mac).
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On the computer, click to open the tablet.
You’ll find one top level for the tablet and one for the card you may have (should have) installed in the expansion slot.
On a Windows machine, you can right-click a folder or virtual drive to read more about its properties and how much data is stored within. You might see the tablet referred to by its model number; the first edition of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 NOOK is the SM-T710.
Figure 5-6: Use the Media Device (MTP) option for easy file transfer to or from your NOOK.
If you’re going to add files from the PC to the tablet, in most cases you’ll want to install them on the card; it has more space. You can create any folder you want; I suggest leaving the folder names of the device alone. Create new ones on the external memory card instead.
The Android operating system organizes itself based on file type:
- Any PNG or JPG file goes in the Gallery.
- Photos you take with your tablet’s built-in camera are stored in the DCIM folder. Other folder names are more obvious: Music, Movies, Documents. See Figure 5-7.
- NOOK eBooks are stored in the NOOK folder.
- Files you’ve downloaded to the tablet are in Downloads.
- Files created using some apps are in Documents.
- Some apps create their own folders, including Overdrive for library eBooks and Kindle for reading material from Amazon’s store.
Figure 5-7: I used the USB cable to transfer photos. I stored them in a new folder that I placed within the Pictures folder on the tablet’s memory card.
Use the same basic file operations of the computer to copy or move files from one device to the other, in either direction. You can:
- Open a folder on the tablet or its card and rename or delete files.
- Drag and drop files from the PC to the tablet, or the other direction.
- Copy files on a PC or Mac, move the cursor to a folder on the tablet, and paste them there.
- Drag and drop entire folders in one direction or the other.
If you’re connecting your Tab S2 NOOK to a Macintosh computer, you must eject the tablet’s Disk icon before you can turn off USB storage on the Tab and remove the cable. Windows users can simply unplug the cable without any extra steps.
Using USB to Go
Another fairly recent new product line is called USB to Go, and it has devices that can connect to any other device with a form of USB port.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 NOOK has a microUSB port — the same one used to charge the battery and to connect by cable to a desktop or laptop computer.
If you buy a USB to Go device, you can use the same cable that goes to the tablet’s battery charger; connect the large end to the new device. Without any further need for pairing or security codes, you should be able to attach flash memory sticks and external low-power hard disk drives.
It’s a wonderful prospect but still in its infancy as this new NOOK comes to market. Check with the manufacturer of USB to Go devices to see if they certify compatibility with the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 NOOK.
It’s In the Cards
Another way to transfer data to and from your tablet is to treat the microSDHC card as if it were a floppy disk. You can remove the tiny sliver of memory from its slot on the side of the Tab S2 NOOK and bring it to a desktop or laptop computer and install it there.
After installing the card, use the same drag-and-drop or copy-and-paste technique you’d use if your tablet were connected to a computer by the USB cable.
You can attach a microSDHC card to a computer two ways:
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Insert it into the slot in your laptop/computer that accepts the card. Be sure to match the type and size of card to the proper slot. See Figure 5-8.
If your computer has a slot for the larger (matchbook-sized) SD card, you can use a microSDHC-to-SD converter; you may have received one with your microSDHC card when you bought it. Slide the micro version into the larger converter and then plug the converter into your computer. - Buy an external memory card reader that accepts various card sizes. Make sure it works with your microSDHC either directly or indirectly. You may need to use a converter, as discussed in the previous method. Card readers plug into a standard USB port on your laptop or desktop.
Figure 5-8: On the Storage tab you can see the total space you have left on the tablet as well as on the SDHC card. I added an 8GB card, and after formatting by the system, it has 7.40 GB of room.
Be careful handling the somewhat fragile microSDHC memory card. Don’t touch the gold contacts. Also, properly eject or unmount the microSDHC card from the computer before physically removing it. If you don’t know the procedure on your particular computer, shut down the entire computer in the normal way and then remove the microSDHC card.
Sending Air Mail
Email and the cloud are two last means of transferring files to and from your tablet. They both require an active Wi-Fi connection.
Sending yourself email
You can send or receive emails with attachments and then download the files for storage.
For example, to move a copy of a photo or a text file from your desktop to your tablet, do this:
- Send yourself an email with the files attached.
- Open the email on your tablet and download the files.
- Later, use a file manager to move the file from the Downloads folder to another folder within the device or on the memory card.
The same process works the other direction. Send files from your tablet to yourself, and open the email on your desktop or laptop computer. That’s how I transferred most of the screenshots you see in this book: Grab a shot, go to the Gallery, and share the image by email.
Using the cloud
Another solution, especially good for large files, is the cloud. What do I mean by the cloud? It’s a storage system that exists out on the Internet — anywhere — that you can get to with your tablet. You use it for uploading and downloading files. It exists as a storage place of its own, not directly attached to your tablet or computer.
One of the beauties of the cloud sort of system is that it’s (to use an old computer word) asynchronous. Both sides of the equation don’t need to be online or connected at the same time.
Dropbox is one example. Another is Microsoft’s OneDrive, which offers free storage and services. You may be able to get by with the basic amount of storage, or you can buy more. To use these services, you either
- Get them using an app on your tablet.
- Use the web browser to reach their site from a tablet or a computer.
After logging in with a password, you upload files to the site or download ones already stored there.
I use this sort of service to store a full set of my most important files when I travel. In that way, if my tablet or smartphone or laptop fails or goes missing, I can sign in from another device. Be sure to use a secure password to protect any sensitive material you store in the cloud.
Printing from the Tablet
The idea of a tablet, of course, is to have the world in your hand: digital versions of books, magazines, newspapers, documents, and the Internet. But sometimes you need — or at least want — something in print. How can you get a document or file from your Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 NOOK to a printer?
You can accomplish this three ways:
- Send a copy of a file as an attachment to an email. Open that attachment on a desktop or laptop computer that’s connected to a printer.
- Send a file to a service bureau, like those offered at a number of office supply stores, and have them do the printing for you. (I’m hesitant to do this with any document containing sensitive personal or financial information.)
- Use apps and plug-in adaptations to the operating system that allow the Tab S2 NOOK to transmit a file over Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, or Bluetooth. This technology is still developing; check with Samsung about its own printers, some of which have this capability. Check with other printer manufacturers that have wireless capabilities for information on availability and configuration of plug-ins.
Here’s how to adapt your Tab S2 NOOK for this purpose:
- From any Home screen, tap the Apps icon and then tap the Settings icon.
- Tap More Connection Settings.
- Tap Printing.
- Tap a print service and follow the onscreen instructions.
- Tap Download Plug-In (if necessary).
From within the Settings page, you can go to a page of apps that you can download to your Tab S2 NOOK for wireless connection. See Figure 5-9.
Figure 5-9: Many major printer companies are offering plug-ins that adapt the Tab S2 NOOK to broadcast files to printers with built-in Wi-Fi or other wireless systems.