- How To Connect WIFI Hotspot Or WIFI Connection On Mobile Devices
- Types of Hotspot
- Free Wifi hotspot
- Commercial Wifi hotspot
- What is Mobile Hotspot?
- How to turn Mobile Hotspot on in Self Care?
- What Is Tethering a Cell phone?
- What Are The Benefits of Tethering?
- How do I turn on tethering if I have an Android phone?
- How do I turn on tethering if I have an iPhone?
- Connect Another Device to Your Phone’s Hotspot
- Use your PC as a Mobile Hotspot
- How to Use Your Android Phone as a Wi-Fi Hotspot
- In This Article
- What to Know
- How to Make a Hotspot on Your Samsung Smartphone
- How to Make a Hotspot on a Google Pixel or Stock Android
- Find and Connect to the New Wi-Fi Hotspot
- Enable Wi-Fi Hotspot for Free on Carrier-Restricted Plans
- Tips and Considerations
How To Connect WIFI Hotspot Or WIFI Connection On Mobile Devices
A hotspot is a physical location where people can access the Internet, typically using WIFI, via a wireless local area network (WLAN) with a router connected to an Internet service provider. Most people refer to these locations as WIFI Hotspots or WIFI connections. Simply put, hotspots are the physical places where users can wirelessly connect their mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, to the Internet.
A hotspot can be in a private location or a public one, such as in a coffee shop, a hotel, an airport, or even an airplane. While many public hotspots offer free wireless access on an open network, others require payment. Later in the article, you’ll learn how to connect a mobile device to a WiFi hotspot.
Types of Hotspot
There are two types of Hotspots you need to know.
Free Wifi hotspot
This is essentially a Wifi router with no password requirements. It allows all users in range to access the Internet from the same network.
Commercial Wifi hotspot
These access points provide wireless coverage for a fee. When using a commercial hotspot to connect to the Internet, a user usually redirects to a screen requesting login information or payment details.
Hotspots provide convenience to millions of Internet users, but they are rife with security issues. For example, free public hotspots are often the target of hackers and identity thieves. The attackers create rogue or fake hotspots that look identical to legitimate hotspots. If users unknowingly connect to these rogue access points and use their sensitive data for login or a similar purpose, the attackers can then easily retrieve the sensitive data using different techniques.
What is Mobile Hotspot?
A mobile hotspot is an ad hoc wireless access point that is created by a dedicated hardware device or a smartphone feature that shares the phone’s cellular data, a bit different from Wifi hotspot.
Mobile hotspots are famous as portable hotspots. The hardware devices are created them, officially popular as pocket or travel routers. And we sometimes call as mobile hotspots as well.
They are also often generically known as MIFIs, although that name is owned by Novatel in the United States and many other countries.
Pocket routers access cellular signals and convert 3G and 4G signals to WIFI and vice versa, creating mobile WIFI networks that can be shared by multiple users within about 10 meters of the device.
Most wireless carriers offer mobile hotspot devices and the wireless data plans required to enable them. Another option is using a smartphone to connect other devices. Many smartphones enable the creation of a mobile hotspot through tethering, accessing the phone’s existing cellular data connection.
Please note that Mobile Hotspot is not available on feature phones. Mobile Hotspot is available to use for most smartphones. Below are instructions on how to turn your Mobile Hotspot on in your Twigby Self Care account and how to turn the Mobile Hotspot on in the settings of your smartphone.
Mobile Hotspot can turn on in both Self Care and your phone’s settings in order to work correctly.
How to turn Mobile Hotspot on in Self Care?
Step 1 ====> Log into your Self Care account
Step 2 ====> Click on ACCOUNT SETTINGS
Step 3 ====> Scroll down to Line Settings and Select the Line that is needed
Step 4 ====> Next to Mobile Hotspot, click Turn On to activate Mobile Hotspot
How to turn Mobile Hotspot on in your phone settings
Firstly ====> Go to the Settings of your smartphone
Secondly ====> Locate the Hotspot or Tethering option
Thirdly ====> Turn on Hotspot or Tethering from there
What Is Tethering a Cell phone?
Tethering is the use of your cell phone or another mobile device that is connected to the internet as a modem for yet another device, usually a laptop or a WIFI-only tablet. This approach offers internet access on the go, wherever you are. You connect your phone to your laptop or tablet either directly with a USB cable or without wires through Bluetooth or WIFI.
What Are The Benefits of Tethering?
Tethering offers internet connectivity to devices that lack a built-in 3G or 4G mobile data plan. It is especially helpful in situations where no other means of internet access are available. when there is no WIFI hotspot like a Starbucks around, for example, or your cable modem goes on the fritz, or you are on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere and need an online map.
You can also browse the web more securely using a tethered cell phone, because your information is being sent directly through the phone versus, for example, over a public open wireless hotspot.
If you are already paying for data service on your cell phone and your wireless provider does not require any extra fees for using your cell phone as a modem for your laptop, tethering can also save you money since you will not have to pay for separate mobile broadband service or buy additional hardware just to get your laptop connected. No need to find a Wifi Hotspot!
How do I turn on tethering if I have an Android phone?
Turning on Tethering on an Android phone is easy, here is what you need to do.
Step 1 ====> Head into the Settings app
Step 2 ====> Now tap Wireless and Networks
Step 3 ====> Then the More tab. In here you will find a Tethering and
Portable Hotspot option.
Step 4 ====> Turn it on and name your personal hotspot then choose a password.
Step 5 ====> Make sure you pick the WPA2 security option, this makes it very hard for people to steal your mobile network while out and about.
How do I turn on tethering if I have an iPhone?
Turning on Tethering on your iPhone is easy, here is what you need to do.
Step 1 ====> Open the Settings app on your iPhone
Step 2 ====> Then tap Personal Hotspot.
Step 3 ====> Press the toggle at the top of the screen to switch it on.
Step 4 ====> On the same screen you will see a password that is required the first time you connect your laptop or tablet to your phone. You will also be given the option to tether your phone via Bluetooth or USB.
Step 5 ====> Once connected, choose your iPhone from the list of available WIFI networks, enter the password and you are good to go.
Share a mobile connection by tethering or hotspot on Android
You can use your smartphone data to connect another phone, tablet, or computer to the internet. Sharing a connection this way is called tethering or using a hotspot. Most Android phones can share mobile data by WIFI, Bluetooth, or USB.
Tether by WIFI hotspot
Turn on your phone’s hotspot
Here we shall be leading you through the steps on turning on Hotspot on your phone, though, it was mentioned above.
Step 1 ====> Open your phone’s Settings app.
Step 2 ====> Tap Network & internet
Step 3 ====> Hotspot & tethering
Step 4 ====> WiFi hotspot.
Step 5 ====> Turn on WiFi hotspot.
Step 6 ====> To see or change a hotspot setting, like the name or password, tap it. If needed, first tap Set up WiFi hotspot.
NB: If you don’t want your hotspot to require a password, pick None under Security.
Connect Another Device to Your Phone’s Hotspot
1 ====> On the other device, open that device’s list of WiFi hotspot options.
2 ====> Pick your phone’s hotspot name.
3 ====> Enter your phone’s hotspot password.
4 ====> Click Connect
Use your PC as a Mobile Hotspot
Turn your Windows 10 PC into a mobile WIFI hotspot by sharing your Internet connection with other devices over WIFI. You can share a Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or cellular data connection. If your PC has a cellular data connection and you share it, it will use data from your data plan.
Step 1 ====> Select the Start button
Step 2 ====> Then select Settings
Step 3 ====> Network & Internet
Step 4 ====> Mobile hotspot.
Step 5 ====> For Share my Internet connection, choose the Internet connection you want to share.
Step 6 ====> Select Edit ====> enter a new network name and password ====> Save.
Step 7 ====> Turn on Share my Internet connection with other devices.
Step 8 ====> To connect to the other device, go to the WiFi hotspot settings on that device, find your network name, select it, enter the password, and then connect. Contact Hyperlink InfoSystem review by software companies for software development.
How to Use Your Android Phone as a Wi-Fi Hotspot
Former Lifewire writer Melanie Uy has 5+ years’ experience writing about consumer-oriented technology and is an expert telecommuter.
Ryan Perian is a certified IT specialist who holds numerous IT certifications and has 12+ years’ experience working in the IT industry support and management positions.
In This Article
What to Know
- On Samsung, go to Settings >Connections >Mobile Hotspot and Tethering and turn on Mobile Hotspot.
- On other Androids, go to Settings >Network & Internet >Hotspot & tethering >Wi-Fi hotspot.
- When the hotspot is activated, connect your other devices to it as you would any other Wi-Fi network.
This article shows how to enable and use the Android hotspot feature on Samsung and Google Pixel smartphones as examples. The instructions should apply to most current Android phones and software versions.
How to Make a Hotspot on Your Samsung Smartphone
To turn on the Wi-Fi hotspot on a Samsung smartphone, follow these steps:
On some Samsung devices, go to Settings > Wireless & networks > Connections > Mobile Hotspot and Tethering.
Turn on the Mobile Hotspot toggle switch. The phone becomes a wireless access point and displays a message in the notification bar when it’s activated.
Be selective when sharing your Wi-Fi hotspot with other people. Also, data processed through this Wi-Fi feature counts against your monthly allotment of mobile data.
How to Make a Hotspot on a Google Pixel or Stock Android
Follow these steps to enable a hotspot on a Pixel or stock Android:
Tap Hotspot & tethering >Wi-Fi hotspot.
Turn on the Wi-Fi hotspot toggle switch.
Find and Connect to the New Wi-Fi Hotspot
When the hotspot is activated, connect your other devices to it as you would any other Wi-Fi network:
- On your device, find the Wi-Fi hotspot. It might notify you that new wireless networks are available.
To find the wireless networks, use your Android phone and go to Settings > Wireless & networks > Wi-Fi settings. Then, follow the general Wi-Fi connection instructions for most computers.
Enable Wi-Fi Hotspot for Free on Carrier-Restricted Plans
You might not get internet access on your laptop or tablet after you connect because some wireless carriers restrict Wi-Fi hotspot access only to those who pay for the feature.
In this case, download and use an app like Elixir 2, which toggles the Wi-Fi hotspot on or off on your home screen. This makes it possible to access the hotspot feature directly and without adding extra charges from your wireless provider. If Elixir 2 doesn’t work, try the FoxFi app; it does the same thing.
Be aware that, in many cases, bypassing carrier limitations constitutes a terms-of-service violation in your contract. Use these apps at your discretion.
Tips and Considerations
When using the Wi-Fi hotspot, follow these recommendations:
- Turn off the Wi-Fi hotspot feature when you no longer need it. Leaving the feature activated drains the cellphone battery.
- By default, portable Wi-Fi hotspots are set up with WPA2 security and generic passwords. If you use a hotspot in a public place or are concerned about hackers intercepting your data, change the password before broadcasting your signal.
- Devices and carriers use different methods to activate the mobile hotspot feature. Some carriers require the use of a standalone app. Check the specific instructions for your device and service provider.
It depends on your plan. Some carriers charge $10-$20 per month for a hotspot. With other carriers, a mobile hotspot uses your data plan.
To connect your Android to your computer wirelessly, use AirDroid from Google Play, Bluetooth, or the Microsoft Your Phone app.
Your phone creates a hotspot by turning the cellular network signal into a Wi-Fi signal, essentially functioning like a modem and a router in one device.