According to Forbes, an average adult spends approximately 7 hours online every single day. While our internet usage is spread across different online platforms, one thing remains constant; we all need the internet. Whether you need it for work or entertainment, you constantly feel the need to stay connected even on the go. However, mobile tethering and hotspot-hopping isn’t always a good idea. Public WiFis can sometimes be a lifesaver, but at what cost?
Public hotspots relatively expose you to cybercriminals. You stand to lose your personal details and other crucial credentials each time you hop on a public hotspot. Do I need to also point out how annoyingly slow these WiFi networks can be? We all know how bad it can get. However, what other inexpensive and convenient alternative do you have for staying connected to the internet while out and about? The answer is mobile tethering. But what is mobile tethering, and how does it work? This article gives you a complete guide to mobile tethering, how it works and its benefits.
What is Mobile Tethering?
Mobile tethering is the process of broadcasting your phone’s internet connection with other devices like your tablet or computer. In simple terms, it is a convenient process of converting your phone into a portable WiFi router. Mobile tethering is a more secure and quite convenient way to stay connected to the internet on the go. The connection created by your phone is as secure as your router at home. You can therefore rest easy when browsing.
How Mobile Tethering Works
The concept of mobile tethering is quite simple and straightforward. Essentially, you can create an internet connection with your smartphone in 3 different ways. You can either use WiFi or Bluetooth to create a wireless internet connection. Alternatively, you can use a USB cable to create the connection. Here’s how each of these connections works.
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WiFi Tethering
In this type of mobile tethering, your phone acts as a wireless router. Just like your home router, WiFi tethering allows you to connect as many devices to the connection as you like. This feature also gives you full control over the broadcasted connection. You can limit the number of devices allowed to connect to the network at a time, block unwanted devices, and set or change the login details. To create this connection, you need to turn on your mobile data and the hotspot option on your phone. You then need to create the login details, set the name of the WiFi connection your phone will be broadcasting, and the password.
On the device, you want to connect to the network, turn on the WiFi and choose the name of your phone’s connection, enter the password and you are all set.
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Bluetooth Tethering
Bluetooth tethering pretty much uses the same wireless concept as WiFi tethering. The only notable difference is that the connection created only allows you to connect one device at a time.
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USB Tethering
Though not commonly used as wireless tethering, USB tethering creates a network using a USB cable. The network connection will work just fine, but the only disadvantage is that you can only connect one device at a time. USB tethering is quite straightforward for Android devices. However, for iOS devices, it is a little complicated. You will first need to download iTunes to the computer or device you want to connect to the network with before the USB cable tethering works.
How to Turn on Mobile Tethering
Good thing the tethering setting is built-in and is readily available at any time. A good number of smartphones also supports it. The process of turning on the tethering feature on your mobile phone is solely dependent on your phone’s operating system. The process is different for both Android and iOS users.
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Turning on Mobile Tethering for Android Devices
Head over to the settings menu, and tap on the Wireless and Networks option. This is where you will find the Tethering and the Portable hotspot setting. When you turn this setting on, you will be prompted to set the name of your wireless hotspot and a password. While setting the name and password, be sure to select the WPA-2 security option. This option prevents hackers from stealing your mobile network when you are on the go.
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Turning on Mobile Tethering for iOS Devices
In the settings option of your iOS device, select the Personal Hotspot option and click the toggle located at the top of your screen to turn the hotspot on and Allow Others to Join. Once you turn it on, you will see an auto generated password, which you will use to connect other devices to your hotspot. You can change this password if you want to.
What is Needed for Mobile Tethering?
Here is a list of items you will need to successfully use mobile tethering.
- Broadcasting Device: It could be a smartphone or tablet. This is obviously one of the crucial things that facilitate the use of mobile tethering. Using the smartphone, you will be able to create the hotspot network and broadcast it to other devices.
- Data plan: This is another important part of mobile tethering. The idea behind mobile tethering is sharing your internet with other devices. Therefore, you must have sufficient internet to broadcast it to different devices. This is why you need a stable and reliable data plan. You can shop around for the most affordable and dependable mobile data plan.
- A Receiving Device: This could be a laptop, tablet or phone. It is the device you want to connect to the hotspot with. To connect, you typically need to turn on your WiFi and find the name of the hotspot, enter the password, and you are good to go.
Benefits of Mobile Tethering
- It is the Most Convenient Way to Connect to the Internet in the Absence of a WiFi Network
When on the move or when you do not have a router for internet Supply, mobile tethering may come in handy. It is easy to connect and quite convenient to use at any time.
- Offers a Much more Reliable Internet Connection
This mostly applies when mobile tethering is compared to public WiFis or router devices with no 4G or 5G connection capability. If your router is not quite recent, then you might be limiting yourself to one of the fastest ways to browse the internet. However, a mobile tethering connection will save the day. You only need a 4G enabled sim card and a smartphone, and you are good to go. Again, if your public WiFi is crowded, it may be annoyingly slow, and that’s when you need to turn on your mobile hotspot.
- Very Secure
Connecting to just any broadcasted network can cost you. It is the main gateway to hackers stealing all your information for their fraudulent activities. That is why it is not safe to access the most crucial sites and accounts when using public WiFi. However, should you be pressed to take care of urgent matters while on the move, it would be safe if you simply turned on your mobile hotspot. Your phone’s connection is much safer than the public WiFis.
Disadvantages of Mobile Tethering
- Tethering highly drains your phone battery. You, therefore, need to have a power source near you if you want to tether for a prolonged period of time. Subsequently, you might damage your battery, over time, if you constantly use it while it is connected to the power supply; that is what you will be doing most of the time when using mobile tethering.
- It might not be a sustainable method to connect to the internet if you are on a relatively low limit data plan. You need more internet, which may be quite expensive.
- You cannot connect to WiFi when offering a hotspot network to a different device.
Equip yourself with the best data deals
Within this article, it can be discussed that mobile tethering can be a costly action. When it is essential you need to make sure you are stocked up with a data plan that can cope with you internet surfing requirements. At MovingSorted.com we offer a range of incredible 4G and 5G SIM deals. To stay connected, check out the deals we have to offer.
