Using a MacBook on an iPhone Hotspot - where does software go?

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1

Firstly I'm not even sure I'm on the right Norton Forum. Please excuse me If I'm not.  

I work from a business centre which has fast broadband (including upload speed - I'm a photographer so it's great for uploading large RAW files for archiving).  The issue is when I work at other locations or cafès.  They very often have unsecured WiFi and are usually quite slow.  I tend to use the Personal WiFi Hotspot available on my iPhone.  This is always faster than the in-house broadband.  

The issue I have is - I have the Norton VPN software loaded on both devices.  This leads to a number of options

1.Use the VPN Software on my iPhone but not on the MacBook Pro

MacBook Pro    <-- WiFi -->   iPhone [VPN Enabled]   <-- 4G -->  CLOUD

My issue is that the WiFi connection isn't secure and information can be captured locally

2.Use the VPN Software on my MacBook Pro but not on the iPhone

MacBook Pro  [VPN Enabled] <-- WiFi -->   iPhone   <-- 4G -->  CLOUD

My issue is that the 4G isn't connection isn't secure albeit much less of a target

3.VPN Software on both devices.

MacBook Pro  [VPN Enabled] <-- WiFi -->   iPhone   [VPN Enabled] <-- 4G -->  CLOUD

My issue is that will the VPN software on both devices ( Norton Secure VPN software) work together

I'm not a spy or hold lots of personal data on the individual devices as I access this from my iCloud but if someone captured my logon details then personal data could be accessed.  I also carryout 95% of my banking online.  

I have tread the Norton article - "How safe is surfing on 4G vs. WiFi?" and I understand the issues for each case but its the connection and interaction of devices that really confuses me.

Can someone give me a clue please

 

Thanks 

Paul

 

 

 

2

Sorry I forgot the link to the article. I have edited my post to add that.

I do hope I am close to being right.   wink

3

Thinking about it this way makes sense.  I thought I was overthinking it.  Actually this is how I have set it up at the moment.  I have been involved in IT for 30 years upto 2008, predeominantly as a systems designer.  My last 8 years was spent as Head of IT Operations which included Communications.  I must confess its an area which I head a great team leader who took care of this for me.  Mind you we didn't use VPNs and the MacBook Pro working on a personal hot spot was at very early days.  

I think if no-one else can spot something I think you have solved it for me.

4

Reading to the bottom of this article from MacWorld, your connection to the phone should be secure as long as you have a strong password for that connection.

So I would suggest connecting through your iPhone would be the same as connecting from your MacBook to the router in a public place. So if you have the VPN on the MacBook, everything leaving the MacBook will be encrypted until it reaches the VPN servers on the internet. This is the same as if you were connecting through your router at home. If you were to have the VPN also active on the phone, it would slow your connection even more as it tried to encrypt the already encrypted data.

Others with more networking experience may correct me if I am off base here.