Mobile phone with wifi hotspot

Use your Samsung smartphone as a Wi-Fi hotspot

Stuck on the go and in desparate need of internet connection? Here we show you how to enable Wi-Fi hotspot functionality on your Samsung Galaxy mobile in a snap. We know that, iPhone users can set up personal hotspot on iPhone to share internet connection. You can achieve it with your Android smartphones as well. You can turn your Android device into a portable WLAN hotspot or wifi router, to share your Android device’s Internet connection with one or more computers, mobile phones or tablets, like HTC mobile, Motorola smartphones, Huawei mobiles, LG, Lenovo, etc.

With Wi-Fi hotspot enabled on your smartphone, there are many things you might accomplish. Other than sharing internet connection between mobile phones, between mobile phone and laptops, you can also easily exchange or share files and documents between mobile phones and computer over Wi-Fi hotspot. When your device is serving as a Wi-Fi hotspot, you can’t use your phone’s applications to access the Internet via regular WiFi network connection (but of course you remain connected to the Internet via your mobile cellular data network). Anyway, to set up and turn on a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot on your Samsung Galaxy mobile, follow the steps below.

Turn on Wi-Fi hotspot on Samsung smartphone

1. Open Settings on your Samsung smartphone.

2. Tap on Wireless and Networks option.

3. Tap Tethering and Mobile hotspot setting.

Now you will be taken to a menu list, with Portable WLAN/Wi-Fi hotspot, USB tethering and Bluetooth tethering below it. Different Samsung mobile models may differ slightly in appearance. You can refer to this guide to set up WiFi hotspot on Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime mobile phone. In this Samsung phone model, you can easily find mobile hotspot option from Settings >> Tethering and Mobile hotspot.

4. Make sure you aren’t on Wi-Fi before you go to activate Wi-fi hotspot on your Samsung mobiles. Slide to enable Mobile Hotspot or Portable Wi-Fi Hotspot (You may see different names on various Android or Samsung versions or models). Now the mobile hotspot will be activated on your smartphone.

5. To maximize the most out of the feature, you can configure the hotspot with the WiFi hotspot settings. Tap on the Portable Wi-Fi Hotspot to access its settings menu. In the settings you can name your mobile with a Network SSID, so other device can recognize it in the network. You can set a password and even make your mobile hotspot private. You can change the security mode of your portable Wi-Fi Hotspot, you can choose from Open, WPA PSK, WPA2 PSK. By default, your Samsung Galaxy smartphone may use the WPA2 PSK.

Note: The mobile hotspot feature on your Samsung smartphone will consume lot of battery energy, when it is not in use, remember to turn off this feature in time to save power.

How to Connect Portable Wi-Fi Hotspot from Android, iPhone, other mobile or computer?

When you the Portable Wi-Fi Hotspot is active on your Samsung Galaxy mobile, you can connect the hotspot from other devices, like another Samsung smartphone, iPhone, Windows phone or computers. You can follow below steps.

1. Find your device under the Network SSID name in WLAN or Wi-Fi network list.
   Remember? We have given it a name in above steps.
2. Choose the hotspot name and connect to your WiFi Hotspot on Samsung Galaxy mobile phone with the Hotspot password we have set above.
3. Access the Internet with Samsung portable Wi-Fi hotspot from other devices.

Share files and documents between Samsung and other phones or computers

When you have set up Wi-fi hotspot on Samsung mobile phones and connect other phones or computers to Samsung phone via Wi-Fi hotspot, you can also exchange data between them through Wi-Fi hotspot. This works similar as data exchange between mobile phones and computers via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. You can refer to this guide to transfer data between Samsung phone and computer via Wi-Fi hotspot.

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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:

1. 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.

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How to Turn Your Old Phone Into a Mobile Hotspot

If you have an old cell phone sitting around in a drawer just gathering dust, don’t throw it out yet. You can actually use it to create a mobile hotspot that lets you connect other devices to WiFi. Here’s everything you need to know about what a hotspot is and how to use your iPhone or Android phone as a mobile hotspot.

What Is a Mobile Hotspot?

A hotspot is an internet access point that lets you connect your devices to WiFi. A “mobile” hotspot is just a portable access point that lets you take the internet with you. While you can buy a dedicated mobile hotspot device, most modern smartphones come with hotspots built-in.

How Does a Mobile Hotspot Work?

A WiFi hotspot uses a cellular network signal and turns it into a WiFi signal. Basically, a mobile hotspot works like a traditional WiFi modem and a router in one device. This allows you to create a WiFi network anywhere that you can get a mobile signal.

Can You Use a Hotspot on Your Phone Without Using Data?

Unfortunately, you can only use a mobile hotspot on your phone if you have a data plan. Otherwise, it won’t be able to convert the cellular signal into a WiFi signal. That means your phone also needs to have a working SIM card, or you can use a pre-paid SIM card.

It is important to note that the speed and range of the WiFi network you create will depend on the signal strength and cellular network your mobile hotspot it connected to. So, a 5G smartphone will typically create a stronger WiFi signal than a 4G smartphone.

However, mobile providers are currently in the process of shutting down 3G networks, so you might not be able to use an older phone as a hotspot later this year.

Once you have set up a hotspot on your iPhone, you can then connect to it from another device in the same way that you would connect to a regular WiFi network. The name of the WiFi network will be the same as your iPhone, but you can change it by going to Settings > General > About and selecting Name at the top of your screen.

You can also tap Wi-Fi Password and change it to anything you want. Or tap Family Sharing to allow up to five users to automatically access your hotspot without using a password. You can invite users to your family by going to Settings and taping your name at the top of the screen. Then select Family Sharing and tap Add Member.

How to Turn an Android Phone into a Mobile Hotspot

To use your Android device as a mobile hotspot, open the Settings app and select Network & internet. Then go to Hotspot & tethering > Wi-Fi hotspot and enable Use Wi-Fi hotspot. Finally, connect another device to the WiFi network using the Hotspot name and password.

1. Open the Settings app on your Android device. To do this, swipe up from the middle of your home screen tap Settings from the list of apps.
2. Then tap Network & internet. This might have a different name, depending on your Android device. On Samsung phones, this will be under Connections, while LG users will find this option under Tethering, and Huawei users will have to go to Wireless & Networks.
3. Next, select Hotspot & tethering.
4. Then tap Wi-Fi hotspot.
5. Finally, turn on the slider next to Use Wi-Fi hotspot.

Then you can tap Hotspot name or Hotspot password to change your login credentials.

Mobile Hotspot Tips & Tricks

• Once you set up a hotspot on your phone, it will disconnect from any WiFi network automatically. In order to reconnect your phone to WiFi, you will have to turn off the hotspot.
• Make sure to turn off the WiFi hotspot feature on your phone after you’re done using it. Otherwise, it will use up a lot of data and quickly drain your battery.
• Some cell phone companies might charge you extra for using your phone’s hotspot. Take time to learn about the data restrictions on your data plan before you use it as a Wi-Fi hotspot.

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