Do you need internet on your computer or tablet and there is no Wi-Fi connection nearby? In these cases, you can use Hotspot technology.
What is a Hotspot?
The telecommunications company TeamVox defines a Hotspot as “an internet access point, through a wireless local area network and through the use of a router connected to an Internet service provider”.
For example, if you have data on your cell phone, you can share it to be used with another phone, tablet or computer. Some phones also allow Wi-Fi connection sharing.
mentions that there are different types of Hotspots:
- Public WiFi hotspots: As the name implies, they are usually in public places such as libraries, cafes or shops and are usually free. They may also be offered in some cities by municipal governments. They do not usually have an additional cost.
- Mobile WiFi Hotspots: If you have data on your iPhone or Android, you can activate this feature and your cell phone data will generate a WiFi hotspot. However, it should be noted that this can only be done if your data plan allows it, since it is not available in all.
- Prepaid hotspots: These are similar to mobile hotspots, but limit the amount of data that can be shared. You pay in advance for the amount of data you want, and when it’s over, you can pay again for more. This is an alternative if you don’t want to maintain a long-term cellular data subscription.
Is it safe to use hotspots?
Like almost everything in the digital world, private and prepaid hotspots are usually safe, but in the case of public ones they are not always.
If you access a public hotspot, it is recommended that you do not carry out any activity that could put your personal data at risk, such as browsing banking apps, making purchases or revealing sensitive information.
How to activate a Hotspot on your cell phone?
To begin with, it is important that you verify that your cell phone provider allows you to share your cell data without generating an additional charge or, in any case, that you are aware that it could have an extra charge.
On the other hand, for Android users, it will only be shareable for users running Android 9 and later.
shows the step by step to share a connection using a hotspot or a mobile device on Android.
On the other hand, it shows how to share the internet on iOS.
