What Is a Hotspot & Do I Need One?

You really can’t turn anywhere now a days without seeing someone on their laptop or on their tablet. Technology on the go has become an important fixture in everyone’s daily life. With this becoming so common, many places like Starbucks, McDonalds, outdoors and more offer free Wi-Fi, because of this, it is easier for everyone to be “connected.”  Others connect via a hotspot, which makes many ask, what is a hotspot?

So what do people do when they are out and about and there is no free Wi-Fi? Yes, a lot of tablets have a 4G LTE cellular data option, which is great.  With most compatible devices, this service is only a couple of extra dollars on your phone bill.

However those compatible devices are often a little more expensive and many first time tablet owners opt for the less expensive version. So how do these people use their tablets without Wi-Fi?

So, What is a Hotspot?

Well there’s an easy answer for that, it’s called hotspot.  I wanted to share some knowledge about how hotspots work. There are a couple of hotspot options, one is a mobile hotspot, something like the Verizon Jetpack. This device is similar in size to a thicker smartphone and it acts like your home wireless modem. The hotspot creates a Wi-Fi hub which connects to multiple devices which allows you to download data just as if they were in a spot with Wi-Fi. There is a cost for this option, and just like phones, you can normally get the mobile hotspot device for a low price if you sign up with a contract with your carrier.

The other type of hotspot is available on most smartphones. A lot of people don’t realize that you can activate your own personal hotspot from your phone just by going into settings and turning it on. This generates your own little secure Wi-Fi network that other devices (like that tablet which may be Wi-Fi only) can sign into with a password. There are two potential issues to be aware of, you will be using data from you plan, so you have to pay attention not to go over your plan. Secondly, your personal hotspot will also drain the battery pretty quickly, so make sure to plug in, or use a portable power supply.

Having this kind of power on the go is a great way to stay connected and as a result, be more productive whenever you need to be. We use our hotspot on our phone all the time and it is an amazing option to have. On road trips we will turn it on and we can use a laptop on the road, the kids can play on their iPads which are Wi-Fi only, and everyone is happy!

Now the question is no longer “what is a hotspot?” but rather, “are you connected?”