How does a hotspot work?

Are you looking for internet connectivity on various devices while on the go? Your mobile phone could just be the answer.

Despite Wi-Fi connectivity being available in most areas, there are certain places where there is no Wi-Fi connectivity. It is normal for your cell phone to provide internet access using mobile data, but it can also function as a portable Wi-Fi hotspot. Whether you are working from a remote area without internet access or waiting for a flight and do not want to pay for a premium connection, if your cell phone allows it, you can easily turn on your mobile hotspot, allowing other devices to connect to the internet using your cellular data.

When using your cell phone as a hotspot, you are availing your cellular data bundle to other devices via Wi-Fi, allowing the phone to act as a data broadband source. Wi-Fi-enabled devices within range can, then, seamlessly connect and use the data signal. Without further ado, let us find out more about portable mobile hotspots and how to activate them.

How do you use a hotspot?

Mobile hotspotting involves creating internet access points to allow various devices to connect to the internet using your smartphone’s cellular data. Most modern cell phones have a feature, buried in their settings, that will enable users to activate their hotspot to allow fast, powerful, and stable connections.

Whether you are using an Android or an iPhone, you can connect to your mobile data network and make that particular network available to other devices using various Wi-Fi frequencies. As a result, your smartphone acts as a router or modem as it allows other devices to access the internet without any additional equipment.

How do you activate mobile hotspot?              

Before going any further, you have to make sure that your mobile has an active cellular data network. You can often view the status of your mobile data network by viewing the status bar at the top of the screen. Check for signs that show your data network is operational, such as 2G, 3G, or 4G, as well as the network’s strength for fast and reliable connections.

Once you have activated your cellular data network, proceed to open your smartphone’s settings. If you have an iPhone, click on personal hotspot, but if you have an Android device, click on Mobile hotspot and tethering. Often, it merely requires you to turn the setting on.

Proceed to configure your mobile hotspot by setting a preferred Wi-Fi connection name, choosing a security level, and creating a password. Experts recommend choosing WPA2/PSK as the preferred minimum security level as it is more reliable than the other options. By setting a password, you prevent unauthorized users from accessing your data, and it also helps in encrypting the data transmitted between your device and any other connected device.

After configuring your mobile hotspot, use the device you want to tether on your smartphone’s hotspot and open its Wi-Fi settings. Select the Wi-Fi name you set up previously and enter the password you created.  Upon completion of the setup, you should be free to browse the internet using your smartphone’s cellular data network.

What you need to know about phone based hotspot connections

Creating a mobile hotspot is one of the most efficient ways to share internet with other devices, especially when there is no reliable Wi-Fi connection within range. Mobile hotspots are very safe to use by the connected devices as long as there are adequate security measures put in place while configuring it. For instance, 4G networks have the Snow Stream Cipher that comes with a 128-bit encryption key while the latest 5G networks come with a 256-bit encryption key and the capability to block stingrays fake mobile transmission sites. It is definitely much safer than using a public hotspot as it is accessible to anyone.

Furthermore, most mobile networks come with VPN security that provides an AES 256-bit encryption that builds a strong wall around your communications. Despite a mobile hotspot providing fast and stable connections, it is likely to chew through your phone’s battery life quickly. Since you are using your monthly cellular data plan, it is common for the speed to drop once you reach your specified data limit.

Any Wi-Fi enabled device can connect to a mobile hotspot provided you have the proper Wi-Fi name and password. The smartphone with the enabled mobile hotspot serves as a router or modem and can connect laptops, other phones, gaming consoles, desktops, tablets, and even smart TVs.

Furthermore, most Android devices can connect up to ten devices simultaneously, while iPhones from the 4S model to the iPhone 11 model can accommodate a maximum of five connections at a time, depending on the network. It is also worthy to note that the more users connected to the mobile hotspot, the lesser the throughput speed for each device.

Since you are using your cellular data to connect other devices to the internet, hotspot data usage primarily depends on the connected devices’ activities. Depending on your mobile data plan and overall limit, here are some everyday data activities and the approximate data they may use

Conclusion

As long as your cell phone has a hotspot feature, you can easily turn it into a mobile hotspot at no extra costs. It is a fast and reliable connection alternative when you have no other options, or the available option is ineffective. However, due to the probability of incurred high costs and the nature of the devices involved, it is essential to use mobile tethering as a backup plan, and not a primary means of connection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it wrong to use your phone as a hotspot for a long time?

It is advisable to plug in your cell phone to charge while using it as a mobile hotspot as it tends to run through the battery charge. Avoid streaming movies for hours or downloading large files to prevent chewing through your cellular data plan.

What is the difference between Wi-Fi and mobile hotspot?

Wi-Fi is a wireless communication technology used for Local Area Networks (LANs), while a mobile hotspot is a means of providing internet access to wireless devices by the use of Wi-Fi connectivity.