Did you know that you can share your internet connection with your friends through your Android phone? Or else make your phone a hotspot.
Many novice users are unaware that today's smart phones have the ability to become portable wireless internet access points. The process is called hotspot and essentially gives internet access via your Android phone's Wi-Fi to friends who don't have a direct connection to it.
The usefulness of such a feature is enormous, as long as you have imagination. The examples of use are many. You can go to your summer house and give internet access to your children, for whom of course you have not yet purchased any kind of connection to a mobile provider.
Your fixed connection at home may also drop and you may need to provide internet access to some of your devices.
But an example is that if your friend who you are having coffee with asks you for your phone to watch something on the internet, because his has run out of units, instead of giving him your device, you can simply give him access to the internet. There are many hotspot applications but they also present risks. Let's see in this article, first of all how to make your Android phone a hotspot and then how to minimize the risks.
First of all, the steps below for setting up a hotspot on a mobile phone may vary depending on the manufacturer of your phone and the version of Android it is running. Our presentation is based on a Xiaomi with Android 7, but if you have a phone from another brand, with a little digging you will be able to get to the correct settings.
The Android operating system has included some form of Wi-Fi hotspot since version 2.2 Froyo, so it should be available on your phone.
Setting Up Hotspot on Android
Step 1: To create a portable Wi-Fi hotspot, go to your device's settings. Usually, the settings have a gear symbol and you just need to tap it once to enter them.
Step 2: The next step varies depending on your device. On Xiaomi, tap “Portable hotspot” under the Wireless & Networks group, then “Set up portable hotspot.”
On a Samsung device, tap “Connections,” then “Mobile Hotspot & Tethering,” then “Mobile Hotspot.” On other phones, tap “Network & Internet,” then “Hotspot & Tethering,” then tap “Set up Wi-Fi Hotspot” under “Portable Wi-Fi Hotspot.”
Step 3: On most Android devices, all the hotspot settings are in this menu. Choose an appropriate network name (where it says SSID), a password, a Wi-Fi security option, and then tap the check mark (v) to Save.
If you’re using a Samsung device, tap the hamburger menu in the top-left corner, then tap “Configure Mobile Hotspot” to access these settings. You can then further customize the network name, password, and Wi-Fi settings. When you’re done, tap “Save.”.
Enabling Hotspot on Android
After setting up the hotspot, you now need to enable it. On Xiaomi, tap the “Portable hotspot” switch. On most Android devices, you might find it as “Portable Wi-Fi hotspot” or “Portable hotspot” (on Samsung).
Android may warn you about increased data and battery usage. Tap “OK” to confirm. The Wi-Fi hotspot is now active and ready to connect.
Your hotspot should now appear on a third Wi-Fi device, just like any other Wi-Fi network in your area. Use the password you chose during setup to connect.
You can also turn your hotspot on or off with a single tap from the quick actions that you’ll find by swiping down from the top of the screen. The switch is usually labeled “Access Point” or “Wi-Fi Hotspot” or “Mobile Hotspot” (depending on your device). Each click on it turns it on or off.
If you plan to connect multiple devices to your phone, you should be mindful of your data usage. On Android, you can monitor and limit your data usage so that it doesn't exceed a certain limit. If you apply a data cap to your device, Android automatically turns off your data connection when you reach that limit.
You can also disconnect devices connected to your hotspot and add them to a list of blocked devices. You can set up to how many devices you want to connect to your hotspot.
Finally, let's say that this way you can only share the data connection you have from your provider. You cannot, for example, make another Wi-Fi connection that provides you with internet access a hotspot.
Connection security
First of all, do not open your hotspot without having set a serious security code. The code 12341234 that we set in the previous photo cannot be serious.
Secondly, if you have the option, choose the type of security “WPA2.” Do not use “WEP” because it is easily cracked.
And finally, regularly check the limits you have set. If you want to give access to 2 devices, set the corresponding switch to 2. Don't leave it at 4 because that's how it was from last time.
Check the names of the devices connected to you and if you don't recognize any name, throw it out without a second thought.
Alternative Solutions
You can also create a Wi-Fi hotspot with third-party apps available in the Google Play Store, but Android's built-in method works well for most users who want to create a Wi-Fi network for use with other devices.
However, if your carrier doesn't allow you to connect other devices to your phone, or places restrictions on data usage for devices connected via hotspot, then the built-in feature may cause you problems.
Apps like PdaNet+ offer a similar task, but you may need to root your phone to completely bypass your Android phone's restrictions. And keep in mind that this will likely void your phone's warranty.
