Have you ever been stuck in a situation where your internet gave up on you and you were desperately in need of a Wi-Fi connection? Or perhaps you need to connect your laptop while out and about to sign some official documents?
Well, we’ve all been in a similar situation where we were in dire need of a Wi-Fi connection. If you didn’t know, your smartphone can provide you with an internet connection in such situations.
This is done by setting up a hotspot through a USB cable or Wi-Fi, and you can turn your smartphone into a source for the internet that your tablet, laptop, or any other phone can use to get online. Wi-Fi hotspot won’t be as fast as fiber internet, but it’ll do for the moment.
All of this may sound complicated, but in reality, it’s really simple. With just a couple of steps, you can be connected to the internet through your mobile phone’s hotspot. Most of the big carriers offer hotspot services, although the ability to have a Wi-Fi hotspot ultimately lies on the type of service plan you’re under and data allowance.
That said, you need to be mindful of the fact that tethering consumes a good amount of your battery life, apart from the data as well. Hence, why you should consider investing in a portable charger if you plan on using your phone as a Wi-Fi hotspot frequently.
Turning On Hotspot on iOS Devices
If you own an iPhone or iPad and want to enable a hotspot, the steps are in fact rather straightforward. Here are the steps to follow:
- Go to Settings
- Click on Personal Hotspot
- Enable Allow Others to Join
Do take note of the Wi-Fi hotspot password. If you want, you can change it as well. Now, you’ll need to open the Wi-Fi menu of the device you wish to connect to your mobile hotspot. Simply choose the iOS device, and click on it.
You’ll then need to put in the hotspot password to connect. Once your chosen device is connected to your mobile’s hotspot, you should then be able to browse the internet. Once again, do be mindful that you’ll be consuming your mobile data more quickly.
Moreover, your iPhone can also connect through a direct USB cable or Bluetooth. If you wish to connect over Bluetooth, you need to ensure that it’s turned on, on both devices. You can simply follow the manufacturer’s step-by-step guide on how to set up a Bluetooth connection.
The quality of the connection, however, depends on the device itself. You can also choose the Family Sharing option. In other words, when you do so, family members can connect to your hotspot without a password.
All you need to do is enable the family sharing option on to select the name of the family members you want to share your hotspot with. Do remember to turn off the hotspot the same way you turned it on when you’re using it. Otherwise, your mobile data will finish without you even realizing it.
Turning On Hotspot on Android Devices
In all honesty, the way you access hotspots on your Android device depends entirely on the type of smartphone you’re using, and the Android version installed on it. Typically, you should be able to on your mobile hotspot on your android phone by opening its pull-down shade and finding an option somewhere in there to turn it on.
Know where exactly the option is and what’s it titled under, depending on the phone’s manufacturer. For instance, if you’re using a Samsung smartphone, you can find it in the Connections option. On the other hand, Google Pixel has the mobile hotspot option located in the Network & Internet option.
If you’re one of the few people using a Motorola phone, you can find the option in its settings, followed by the Network & Internet option. That said, you should be able to find it much faster by searching hotspot or tether in the search option.
Once you have successfully turned on the mobile hotspot option, you should be seeing a network name and password on your settings screen. Simply enter these credentials on the device you want to connect to your mobile’s hotspot and get on online!
How Else Can You Connect to the Internet?
Let’s face it. The internet has become a necessity in today’s world.
In fact a lot of internet service providers offer hotspots that users can enjoy in certain states. If you’re a Rise Broadband Internet user, you can always call their customer hotline to inquire more about their offerings.
If you need to be connected to a mobile hotspot but are unable to use your phone, you can also turn your laptop into a WI-FI hotspot, considering that it’s connected to an internet source.
Another option is that you can always try cafes and restaurants, as some of them have free wireless options for you to enjoy. Moreover, there are internet cafes and gaming cafes that allow you to connect to the internet, so you could try those out as well.
Final Thoughts
Well, there you go!
Our day-to-day life now revolves around the use of the internet, and if you were to lose the internet connection for some reason or another, you’ll be looking for a way to get back online as soon as possible.
Therefore, you need to know that there’s the option for you to connect to a mobile hotspot, whether you’re an iPhone or Android user. We have shared how this can be done and also shared alternative ways for you to connect to the internet.
Feel free to share with us other ways to connect to the internet if your Wi-Fi failed.
Happy surfing!