In 2019, we are no longer tethered to our office and our desks. Most professionals entering the workforce right now expect mobile and remote working options to be available at their jobs right out of college. This used to be a luxury that only the higher ups would get to enjoy, because most of their work was more strategic in nature, so they didn’t have to sit and work on teams, but could lead from their phones wherever their yacht could take them. Working remotely is not as widely available in corporate offices across the country as paid time off.
Sometimes when you are on the move and need the internet for a quick call, or to shoot a quick pitch deck to someone, you need WiFi. Now, before I even dive into this tutorial I should say that if you travel frequently and need the internet in far reaching places and for it to be reliable, a cell phone hotspot is not for you. You should go with a company like Skyroam that offers reliable and high-speed internet all over the world for all of your devices. Your cell phone is not really meant to be a hotspot although it can perform its duties… I think you understand.
iPHONES
Most iPhones running the new operating system have the option to turn your cell phone into a hotspot. So what does that mean? Well, it essentially means that your phone will take the 5G cellular data signal that it gets from the carrier towers and convert that to a network, with a passcode of your choosing, and turn itself into a wireless internet router for any devices you may have. Of course, this relies heavily on you having good signal for your phone, and it also depletes your phone of its battery in like five minutes, so I hope you don’t need your phone for much after you’re done.
Anyway, this setting is really easy to access. Just open your “Settings” app, click on “Personal Hotspot” and turn it on. Your network name and password will appear and a blue bar will remain at the top of your screen to indicate the hotspot. You can still use your phone during this time, but just know… the battery clock is ticking FAST.
ANDROID
Of course, because there are so many different brands of phone with different user interfaces that run Android, it’s not easy to just say how to turn on the mobile hotspot, but here’s where you will probably find it. On Samsung phones, the mobile hotspot feature might just be in the pulldown menu, otherwise it’s in “Connections” then “Mobile Hotspot & Tethering”. This feature is also called “Tethering” on LG and Motorola phones. Google Pixel and the OnePlus both call it “Mobile hotspot & Tethering” so pretty much no matter what phone you have, you’ll most likely find this feature in your “connections” or “cellular network & internet” settings.
Check out this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXRlR9WUduU if the above was not clear enough.
You are armed and ready digital nomad. Go forth and work remotely from wherever you may be, and know that you have WiFi anywhere you go. Just make sure you stay in your data network, otherwise you might have to upgrade to a dedicated WiFi device.
Either way, enjoy your travels and happy surfing!