Plaintext
Set up and use mobile hotspots
How to set up a mobile hotspot on iOS or Android and how to use it wisely?
V1.0 02-2022 | Lars Thoms | DL.MIN | Universität Hamburg
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International License
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Table of Contents & Navigation
Below you will find a chapter overview. You can jump directly to the corresponding chapter by clicking on the
individual tiles or go to the next section by clicking on the ᐅ arrow at the top right. For an explanation of the
other navigation and menu bar elements, click on the ❔ help icon at the top right.
Creation of a mobile hotspot
Android Apple iOS
Use of a mobile hotspot
Android Apple iOS Microsoft
Windows
Linux / GNOME
Desktop
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Creation of a mobile hotspot
A mobile hotspot, also known as a personal hotspot or tethering, is a good way to pass on the (mobile) Internet
connection from your mobile device to other devices. This is especially useful if, for example, a tablet or
notebook is carried along that does not have an Internet connection at your location.
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From a technical point of view, there are several ways to share Internet access:
1. you can connect your smartphone with a suitable cable (e.g. USB-C or Apple Lightning) to your tablet or
notebook. This allows you to provide only one device with Internet access, but this connection is faster
depending on the amount of radio traffic in your immediate vicinity.
2. you create a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot. This is quickly set up and several devices can connect at the same
time. Typically, the maximum number should be between three and five devices so that the network
remains stable.
On Android, you still have the option of sharing the Internet connection via Bluetooth. Unfortunately, the data
rate via Bluetooth is not too high for technical reasons and only one device can be supplied at a time.
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Android
To create a hotspot, go into the settings of your Android
operating system and select the menu item Network &
internet.
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.
On this subpage you will see all the settings that are in
some way related to your Internet connection. Select the
Hotspot & tethering menu item there.
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There are several ways to allow other devices to access the
Internet, such as through a cable or Bluetooth. In this
tutorial, we deal with the connection via Wi-Fi, so select the
item Wi-Fi hotspot.
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Once you activate the slider under Use Wi-Fi hotspot, a Wi-
Fi hotspot is set up. On the page are still the data, which
you need for a successful connection, such as the name
and password. You can change these to your liking.
.
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Apple iOS
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To create a hotspot, go into the settings from your iOS
operating system and select the Personal Hotspot menu
item.
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Once you activate the slider under Allow Others to Join, a
Wi-Fi hotspot is set up. The page still contains the data you
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need for a successful connection, e.g. the name and the
password. You can change the password to your liking.
.
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Use of a mobile hotspot
If you want to connect another device to a mobile hotspot, there is one small thing to keep in mind if you want
to conserve the data volume. Most operating systems come with a data-saving mode.
This mode disables, for example, the automatic update of apps or the operating system itself. Also, depending
on the system and app, scheduled downloads of large files are not performed.
Apple macOS unfortunately does not support this functionality yet.
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Android
For the configuration of the Wi-Fi network, go into the
settings of your Android operating system and select the
menu item Network & internet.
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.
On this subpage you will see all the settings that are in
some way related to your Internet connection. Select the
Internet menu item there.
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In the list you will see, among other things, the connected
Wi-Fi network. Select the gear icon to make further settings
on this connection.
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This subpage displays various properties of the connected
network. Now select the menu item Network usage.
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The drop-down list shows three options. Select Treat as
metered. By doing this, you are signaling to the operating
system that this is a network with limited data volumes.
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Apple iOS
For the configuration of the Wi-Fi network, go to the
settings of your iOS operating system and select the menu
item Wi-Fi. In the list you will see, among other things, the
connected Wi-Fi network. Select the info icon to make
further settings on this connection.
.
Once you enable the slider under Low Data Mode, you are
signaling to the operating system that this is a data-limited
network.
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Microsoft Windows
To configure the Wi-Fi network, select Quick Settings in the
lower right corner. For the Wi-Fi icon, then select the arrow
pointing right.
.
In the list you will see, among other things, the connected
Wi-Fi network. Select the info icon to make further settings
on this connection.
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Once you enable the slider under Metered connection,
you are signaling to the operating system that this is a
network with limited data volumes.
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Linux / GNOME Desktop
To configure the Wi-Fi network, select Quick Settings in the
upper right corner. With the Wi-Fi symbol you select
afterwards the arrow pointing to right. There you can open
the Wi-Fi Settings.
In the list you will see, among other things, the connected
Wi-Fi network. Select the gear icon to make further settings
on this connection.
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Once you check the Metered connection checkbox and
click Apply, you are signaling to the operating system that
this is a data-limited network.
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