If you’re traveling and you need to have instant Internet access while you’re on the road, you can tether your smartphone or use a mobile hotspot. Tethering your phone can be expensive and can also be a big drain on your battery. Using a hotspot device instead of turning your phone into one has a number of advantages. Here’s why it’s a better option.
Why Not Tether Your Phone
- Expense: Most smartphones are locked into a particular network. If you’re traveling outside of your service provider’s network, roaming can be costly.
- Drainage: Using your phone as a hotspot is a big drain on your battery, so if you’re committed to a long day of online meetings or research this can be inconvenient, to say the least.
- Unavailability: If your phone is tethered, you may not be able to receive phone calls or messages. If you do answer, your Internet connection may disappear.
- Limitations: It’s not always possible to tether multiple devices to your phone. If you add more than one device, it will probably impair the performance of your Internet connection and it will exceed your data plan.
Advantages of Using a Mobile Hotspot
There are a number of benefits of using a mobile hotspot. If you want to find out more about different types of unlocked hotspots, check out mraberthon.com.
- Cost-effectiveness: If the expense is a concern, a mobile hotspot is a good choice because it does not come with rental fees or a contract. You can purchase a pay-as-you-go mobile hotspot that is convenient and will provide you with uninterrupted service while you roam.
- Connectivity: Unlike tethering your phone, when you use a mobile hotspot you can connect as many as ten devices without it impairing your connectivity. You will also get a better connection because a mobile hotspot has a bigger antenna than your mobile phone.
- Energy: Because you’re not using the battery on your phone, it will keep its charge longer. When fully charged, a mobile hotspot will give you several hours of uninterrupted connectivity.
- Convenience: You can keep your phone with you at all times, rather than having to leave it with your devices which need to maintain Internet connections. This means you will always be available for calls and messages even when you’re online.
- Versatility: You can take your mobile hotspot everywhere you go and you will always have Internet access, even if you’re traveling overseas.
- User-friendly: With many mobile hotspots you don’t even need to install any software. All you need to do is turn the device on and it will locate the Wi-Fi network. Simply follow the prompts and you’ll be connected to the Internet within minutes.
- Shareability: Your friends and family are free to use your mobile hotspot device. You can connect to game consoles, laptops, and tablets all at the same time.
- Flexibility: Depending on which mobile hotspot you opt for, you may be able to choose from a number of different payment plans, so you can choose one that suits your need and your budget.
- Speed: A mobile hotspot provides a much faster Internet service than you can get from tethering your phone.
Mobile Hotspot Security
As you can see, a mobile hotspot connection has many advantages over a tethered phone. One thing you need to be aware of when using a mobile hotspot is security issues. Often hotspot security is considerably weaker than when you use your Internet at home. For this reason, you should probably avoid transmitting personal information online via a mobile hotspot.
To maximize your security, make sure you have the most up to date encryption type in place. You can do this by enabling the WPA2 as the encryption type. Another security measure you can take is to change the default mobile hotspot’s name (SSID) to a random combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. Avoid sharing your password unless it’s with a person you can trust and if you do let someone else use your hotspot make sure you keep an eye on how much bandwidth they’re using.
Remember, a dedicated hotspot device will save you energy. It will have a more powerful battery than your phone and will also have an AC power adapter, so you can plug it in. You can get a reliable service for a flexible price, or you can choose unlimited data. It’s a better option for a constant connection.
Lawrence Michaelson joined Mr. Aberthon in April 2016 and has already merged perfectly into the business. Known for his expertise in the technology sector, Lawrence feels most at home when surrounded by hotspots and mobile devices.
Using his experience at his previous technology company, he has since helped launch Mr. Aberthon further into the world of advanced technology. A regular speaker at technology conferences and the official writer for Mr. Aberthon Blog, Lawrence is the one-stop location for any questions related to troubleshooting your device.
