Mobile Hotspots

Having internet on the go for all your devices seems like more of a necessity than a luxury these days. Whether you’re travelling for business, getting work done at a coffee shop, or enjoying e-books and music on the beach, a mobile hotspot means you can access the internet on your laptop or tablet without needing a nearby Wi-Fi signal. With a hotspot, Wi-Fi is available for any devices you give permission to, so as long as you have a cellular signal for your hotspot, it’s like having your own personal portable Wi-Fi.

Something to keep in mind is that if you aren’t going to use your mobile hotspot often, many phones with plans can be used as a Wi-Fi hotspot. But since this will tap into your current data plan, you may not want to use a smartphone as your primary hotspot (unless you have an unlimited plan) if you need to use it often or for heavy internet use. Also remember, using phones as hotspots will use up battery power much faster than simply accessing the internet directly through your Galaxy phone, iPhone, or other cell phone.

If you plan on only using your mobile hotspot for connecting a computer to the internet, a USB stick may serve you best. These plug directly into your laptop and provide a faster connection than separate Wi-Fi hotspots. They are also more portable.

If, on the other hand, you plan on connecting lots of different devices and some of them don’t have USB ports, a standalone Wi-Fi hotspot is the way to go. These will let you connect multiple devices at the same time. Plus, they usually work without loading any software onto your devices so they’re ideal for sharing internet with others while away from other Wi-Fi sources.