Access point vs station mode
AP mode vs STA mode
In access point mode the camera creates its own Wi-Fi network for a phone to join; in station mode the camera joins an existing network, alongside the phone.
Camera Wi-Fi works one of two ways. In access point (AP) mode the camera is the router: it broadcasts a network and your phone joins it. In station (STA, or infrastructure) mode the camera joins a network someone else provides — a phone's hotspot, a travel router or a studio router — and the phone joins the same network.
Both work for tethering; they suit different situations.
How it works
In AP mode the phone's Wi-Fi is taken up by the camera's network, which has no internet, so the phone must upload over mobile data. In station mode both devices sit on one network, the phone can keep internet through it, and several cameras can join at once. Menus name the modes differently — Nikon's Z bodies, for example, label it Wi-Fi connection (STA mode).
An example: two cameras at a reception
A photographer wants two bodies tethered wirelessly to one phone. In AP mode the phone could only join one camera's network. Switching both cameras to station mode and joining them to the phone's hotspot puts all three devices on one network.
Network modes and CloudTether
CloudTether supports both set-ups. The help centre recommends the same network or the phone's hotspot first, because the phone keeps its internet connection and it's the only practical way to run two wireless cameras. With the camera's own network, tell the phone to stay connected when it warns there's no internet — CloudTether uploads over mobile data. Canon uses the camera's Remote control (EOS Utility) function either way. See wireless tethering.
Which to choose
One camera and good mobile signal: either works, and AP is quick to set up. Two cameras, or a venue with Wi-Fi you control: station mode on a shared network.
Tips and common mistakes
- Don't mix the two set-ups — it's the commonest reason a camera never appears.
- Avoid guest networks that isolate devices from each other.
- Note the camera's IP address in case discovery fails.
See also
Put it into practice
CloudTether tethers your camera to your phone and delivers every shot to the cloud, live as you shoot — no laptop.