How to use your Android phone as a WiFi Hotspot?
Ever been out and about and the stroke of fate would have it you needed to get your laptop online? Ever had that snooze moment where a laptop connection would save your sanity? I think we all did.
Sometimes there are no coffee places or bars with free WiFi around. Sometimes we find ourselves in a neighbourhood we don’t know well enough to find one. Sometimes the matter at hand just cannot wait.
What to do then?
Well, if you got a smartphone happily dangling in your pocket, it’s your lucky day!
Yes, you can use your phone as a router and easily connect your laptop or tablet to the internet.
Most of the smartphones today enable you to turn your mobile phone into a portable WiFi hotspot by using a 3G connection to access the internet. This process is called ‘tethering’.
Tethering became an option with the introduction of FroYo 2.2 version, so if you are using an Android OS 2.1 or lower, you will need to download a third-party hotspot app.
How to enable hotspot on your smartphone?
1. Check the terms and conditions of your contract with your carrier. While a lot of carrier plans these days include mobile hotspot usage for free, some of them still charge a small fee for it. Also, you might want to check your data allowance to prevent running up your bill to skyscraper heights.
2. Once you are sure tethering will not ruin you financially, click ‘Settings’
3. Select ‘Wireless & Networks’ then tap ‘More…’
4. Click ‘Tethering & Portable Hotspot’
5. If you are activating the hotspot for the first time on this device, select ‘Configure Portable Wifi Hotspot’ where you can set up the following details:
- Network SSID – this is the name of your network that will appear on the list of available WiFi connections in the area
- Security – unless you are connecting a particularly old device, you should always select WPA2 PSK
- Hotspot frequency band – the default setting will be at 2.4 GHz, which is usually OK but you can lover the range of the WiFi by setting it to 5 GHz
- Password – Always set a password and a good one! 1234 might not do in this case, so make it strong and memorable. Remember if some random person connects to your hotspot you will end up with no connection and a big bill.
6. After all is set, tick the box next to ‘Portable Wifi Hotspot’ to enable it.
7. Now you can open your laptop and find your hotspot on the list of available WiFi connections.
8. Optional: Click ‘Data Usage’ on your Android to keep an eye on how much data you are burning as tethering will eat your data more quickly than regular 3G usage.
9. Do not forget to disable the hotspot once you are done!
We hope you found this article helpful and if you have any questions or remarks do not hesitate to leave a comment!
