Wi-Fi is almost as basic a need as electricity – you usually notice it is there when it’s not working – and then panic ensues.
If you’re stuck in a situation like this, probably because the Wi-Fi connection keeps dropping, no device can connect, or the network goes down completely, you have nothing to worry about. There are several ways to fix these problems.
One of the fastest ways is to connect your computer to a mobile hotspot, such as a smartphone, and share your internet connection. In this way, your phone acts as a router, creating an access point, while using your cellular data.
While there are several dangers associated with connecting to a mobile phone to access the internet, sometimes you just need to get connected to the internet urgently, and this is where a mobile hotspot comes in handy.
We’ll show you how to connect your computer to your smartphone’s hotspot, whether you are using an Android phone or an iPhone.
How to connect your computer to an Android mobile hotspot
Your Android smartphone can be used as a Wi-Fi hotspot thanks to built-in WiFi data sharing and wireless connection to multiple other devices, including your computer.
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You can also share your cellular data via Bluetooth or USB, but check with your mobile operator before using monthly data limits or charging additional modem fees.
Note. The steps in this guide are for Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus running Android 9 (Pie). If you have a different phone, the processes and interfaces may differ depending on the device manufacturer.
- Turn on the Wi-Fi hotspot by going to Settings and clicking Connections.
- Scroll down and click Mobile Hotspot & Tethering.
- On the next screen, tap the switch to the right of Mobile Hotspot to turn it on.
- If the switch is disabled, you need to disable traffic saving mode to enable it. To do this, return to the Connections screen and click Data Usage.
- Then click on “Save Traffic” and toggle the toggle to turn it off if it is on.
- Tap Mobile Hotspot & Tethering again, and then turn on the Mobile Hotspot switch. Your phone is now a wireless hotspot and you will receive a notification when this feature is activated.
- You can now connect your computer like any other Wi-Fi router to your Android phone’s hotspot. Tap the Mobile Hotspot notification to get the hotspot name and view the password
Note. Be selective about who you share your password with when using your phone as a mobile hotspot, mainly because the data processed uses your monthly mobile traffic.
- If you want to change your password, click “Password” and enter a new one.
- For Google Pixel phones or standard Android smartphones, turn on the Wi-Fi hotspot feature by going to Settings> Network & Internet, and then tap Hotspot & Tethering> Wi-Fi Hotspot.
- Toggle the switch to turn on the Wi-Fi hotspot and connect your computer like any other Wi-Fi router to access the Internet.
Connect your computer to Android Mobile Hotspot via Bluetooth
You can also pair your computer to your smartphone via Bluetooth and connect to the Internet.
Connect both devices and then set up your computer to receive a network connection via Bluetooth. Instructions may vary, so please follow the instructions that came with your device.
- On your phone, go to Settings> Connections and tap Mobile Hotspot & Tethering. Click “Bluetooth tethering”.
Connect PC to Mobile Hotspot via USB cable
If you are using a Mac, you cannot connect to an Android phone using a USB cable. On Windows computers, you can use a USB cable to connect to your phone.
- After connecting the two devices, open Settings on your phone, tap Connections> Mobile Hotspot & Tethering, and then tap USB. modem.
Note. Linking your computer to your smartphone can drain your phone’s battery, so make sure both devices are plugged into a wall outlet while in tethering and disconnect connections when you’re done.
Some phones have a setting that turns off the hotspot when not in use or when no devices are connected to it. If yours is one of them, enable this option.
How to connect your computer to an iPhone Mobile Hotspot
If your iPhone has a 3G or 4G data connection, you can share your Internet connection with the Personal Hotspot Sharing Tool and go online.
Personal Hotspot allows your iPhone to connect and share cellular data with other devices nearby via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or USB. In this way, the iPhone acts as a wireless router for your computer and other devices.
To use the Personal Hotspot feature, you need an iPhone 4 or later with iOS 4.3 or later and a data plan that supports Personal Hotspot or Modem. If you want to connect via USB, you need a USB cable.
The first step is to make sure you add Personal Hotspot to your plan. Most major carriers turn it on by default, while some charge for it or offer it as part of their unlimited data plans.
- You can check with your carrier or go to Settings on your iPhone and click Personal Hotspot under Cellular to see if it’s turned on.
- Then turn on iPhone Personal Hotspot by going to Settings> Personal Hotspot.
- Toggle the Personal Hotspot switch to enable this function, and then write down the Wi-Fi password as you will use it to connect your computer to this hotspot. You may be prompted to turn on Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or both when you turn on your personal hotspot.
- If you are using a Mac, you can use Instant Hotspot and access the Internet through Personal Hotspot without entering a password. Before doing that, make sure your iPhone is also signed into iCloud using the same Apple ID as your Mac computer and turn on Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
- To do this, connect your Mac to the iPhone’s hotspot. by selecting WiFi status from the menu and choosing your iPhone’s name.
- Go back to iPhone Settings> Personal Hotspot and tap the Allow Others to Connect switch so you can connect to the iPhone’s hotspot without entering a password.
- For other computers, find the iPhone name in the list of networks and select it, then enter the password displayed on the iPhone’s Personal Hotspot screen.
When your computer is connected to an iPhone hotspot, you will see a blue bar on the lock screen and at the top of your phone screen. For iOS 7 or later, the blue bar will display an interlocking hinge icon or a number next to the lock showing the number of devices connected to it.
As with the Android hotspot, the Personal Hotspot on your iPhone also consumes data from your monthly data limit, whether you use it with one or more devices.
- Make sure Personal Hotspot is turned on, then make your iPhone discoverable by going to Settings> Bluetooth. From this screen, go to your computer and set up a Bluetooth network connection.
Connect your computer to iPhone Mobile Hotspot via Bluetooth
- Make sure Personal Hotspot is turned on, then make your iPhone discoverable by going to Settings> Bluetooth . While on that screen, go to your computer, and set up the Bluetooth network connection.
- On a Mac, click Menu> System Preferences> Bluetooth to turn Bluetooth on. You can also click the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar.
- Select your iPhone and click Connect, then follow the instructions to go online.
- On a Windows PC, right-click the Bluetooth icon in the notification area next to the taskbar to enable it. Select Add Bluetooth Device and follow the instructions to create a connection and access the Internet.
- If a connection already exists, click Join Personal Area Network, right-click the iPhone and hover over Connect Using, and then click Access Point
- Connect your computer to iPhone using the USB cable supplied with your device. If you are connecting to a Mac, you may see a warning that says “Trust this computer?” Click Trust this device, but if your computer doesn’t recognize your device, try a different cable.
- Click Menu> System Preferences> Network and select iPhone USB. If it’s not there, click the + icon to add it.
Connect your computer to iPhone hotspot via USB
- Connect your computer to your iPhone using the USB cable included with the device. If you are connecting to a Mac, you might see an alert that says Do you trust this computer? Click Trust Device , but if the computer does not recognize the device, try a different cable.
- Click Menu> System Preferences> Network and select iPhone USB . If it doesn’t exist, tap the + tag to add it.
- Click the gear icon and select Make Service Inactive> Apply, then click it again, then select Make Service Active> Apply.
- For Windows PC: Connect your computer to iPhone and tap Trust this device. Find your iPhone in the list and click to connect.
- To disconnect devices, turn off Personal Hotspot, Bluetooth, or disconnect the USB cable.
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