Whether you’re working remotely, trying to stay connected with family and friends or just looking for important news updates, you need a reliable way to get online.
The major strain on internet networks right now means your home connection may not be as strong as it once was. What can you do if your internet is spotty?
Turn your phone into a wireless hotspot. It can be a lifesaver when you’re working on a laptop and in dire need of a connection. Keep reading and we’ll show you how.
3 reasons for a mobile hotspot
A stable internet connection isn’t a luxury anymore — it’s a necessity.
What if you need to make an important conference call and another in your house is online, eating up all your bandwidth? Your boss doesn’t care if someone else is streaming in 4K all day long — but he or she does care when you can’t join a meeting because your connection is weak.
Or you might be working from home and want to take advantage of the beautiful weather outside. Soaking up Mother Nature is a great way to give yourself a break from your new home office. If your Wi-Fi won’t cut it outside your house, but you have a wireless connection on your smartphone, connect via hotspot.
And while it will be some time before you take your next road trip, you might still want to get out of the house for a while and take a drive. If you’re the passenger and need to finish a quick work assignment, a mobile hotspot can make that possible. Handy!
How to set up a hotspot
Before we get to set-up steps, here’s a friendly reminder: Check with your mobile provider first and find out how much data you’re allowed to use for a hotspot and what comes with your plan.
Kim’s pick for wireless? T-Mobile. The Un-carrier’s plans for customers aged 55 and up offer the best wireless value in the nation. With T-Mobile’s Essentials Unlimited 55 plan, get unlimited talk, text and data – with no annual service contract – for less than $30 per line for 2 lines plus tax with AutoPay. The plan includes 3G mobile hotspot data at no extra charge.
Or get even more with Magenta Unlimited 55 including 3GB of high-speed hotspot data for just $70 a month for two lines. Call 1-800-T-Mobile or visit T-mobile.com/55 to make the switch.
Now, let’s dive into how to set it up. Don’t worry, the process is simple.
How to set up mobile hotspot for Android devices
There are multiple manufacturers for Android devices so the instructions to set up a hotspot with your model may be different than the ones we’re providing here. Check with your phone’s manual for those instructions. Can’t find it? Tap or click here for thousands of free online user manuals.
- On your Android phone, open Settings > Wireless & networks.
- Tap Tethering & portable hotspot.
- Tap Set up Wi-Fi hotspot.
- Customize your Network name and add security with a strong password. Tap or click here for ways to create great passwords.
- Now, scan available Wi-Fi networks for the device you’re connecting, like a laptop. You should find the network of your Android phone that you just named.
- Connect to the Android phone by entering the Wi-Fi password.
That’s it — you’re now connected to your Android phone’s hotspot. You can also tether your phone via Bluetooth or USB cable. Tethering is sharing your phone’s internet with another device through Bluetooth or a USB cable.
To turn it on, go to your phone’s Settings > Wireless & networks. Tap Tethering & portable hotspot, then Bluetooth tethering to turn it on. Now, pair your device to your Android phone via Bluetooth to start tethering.
To connect via USB, go to your Android’s Settings > Wireless & networks. Tap Tethering & portable hotspot, then USB tethering to turn it on. Now, connect your device to your Android phone via USB cable to start tethering.
Outages and delays happen. Don’t let lagging internet ruin your day. Now you can use your wireless network in a pinch.
With T-Mobile, you can rely on the network that covers more people and places than ever before to keep you connected. T-Mobile covers 327 million people — that’s 99% of Americans. Try out its 4G LTE network free for 30 days. Tap or click here to see how easy it is to switch.
During congestion, Essentials customers may notice speeds lower than other customers and further reduction if using > 50GB/mo. Video typically streams at DVD quality (480p). Essentials 55: Max 2 voice lines. Credit approval, deposit, $10 SIM card, and, in stores & on customer service calls, $20 assisted or upgrade support charge may be required. Without AutoPay, $5 more/line. During congestion the small fraction of customers using >50GB/mo. may notice reduced speeds until next bill cycle due to data prioritization.