Check out our Guide to Internet Speed. Customers on certain Verizon Fios plans also used to get access to Wi-Fi hotspots, but Verizon no longer offers this service. Some mobile network operators offer access to free hotspots for their customers with data plans. For example, Spectrum Mobile offers access to over half a million mobile hotspots across the United States. There are several ways to generate a personal Wi-Fi hotspot using a portable or mobile device.
Several types of device can generate personal Wi-Fi hotspots, that will be available whenever 3G, 4G, or 5G mobile data networks are in range:. To set up a Wi-Fi hotspot on your Android device and share your mobile data, follow these steps:. With newer versions of Android, you can also access the Mobile Hotspot function from the draw-down menu of the notifications bar.
One way to find Wi-Fi hotspots is to simply open up the Wi-Fi settings on a mobile device or laptop, and see what public networks are available. However, this is a risky tactic — certain unknown public Wi-Fi networks can be unsafe. There are several hotspot finder mobile apps for Android and iOS that can help locate secure Wi-Fi hotspots.
Here are two examples:. How to Find Wifi Hotspots. You need a Wi-Fi hotspot. Mobile Network Operator Wi-Fi Hotspots Some mobile network operators offer access to free hotspots for their customers with data plans. Some mobile network operators, such as Verizon , only allow this at an additional cost. The best place to find reliable Wi-Fi is a coffee shop, restaurant, or public library.
In these places, the Wi-Fi is usually more reliable and there are places to sit so you can study or work. Coffee shops make great spots for a couple hours of studying or work outside the office. Small mom-and-pop coffee shops have them too. Public libraries usually maintain Wi-Fi hotspots that are free for public use and relatively fast. Not sure if a public hotspot will give you fast-enough speeds? Government buildings and offices, of course, have Wi-Fi for local staff, and you can probably get the password for the guest network by asking a receptionist.
But there may not be proper seating to let you use the internet for an hour or more. So long as your cellular plan allows it, you can use your phone as a Wi-Fi hotspot. Read our phone Wi-Fi tethering explainer to learn how to set it up, or get the details farther down on this page. You can find free Wi-Fi hotspots by searching online for businesses that advertise free Wi-Fi.
You can use a Wi-Fi hotspot—finder app like WeFi. Or, consult your local government to see if it maintains public Wi-Fi hotspots. In the Wi-Fi menu of your phone, look at the names of all the networks available.
Many national chain restaurants and fast-food places give you free Wi-Fi. You may need to sign in to a separate window, or enter a code printed on your receipt. You might even be able to stand outside the store and access the free Wi-Fi on the street.
See below for our list of the most popular national food and retail chains that give you free Wi-Fi. This includes most of the big names, like Cox, Spectrum, and Xfinity.
There are tons of these public hotspots—Xfinity claims there are millions of hotspots in its network. Xfinity even offers a convenient app to locate hotspots near you, available for iOS and Android. Enter your ZIP code to see available plans near you. There are a number of smartphone and web apps that can be used to help find hotspots. These apps use crowdsourced data to build global hotspot maps. Wi-Fi Map is especially impressive, with over million hotspots in its database. Since Wi-Fi hotspots are easily accessible to the public, that also makes them easy to target by hackers, malware, and other security breaches.
If you have to do anything involving sensitive personal data such as tax documents or online banking , we highly recommend not doing this over a public Wi-Fi network. See our guide to the best VPNs. The upside to using a mobile hotspot on your phone is that you have a secure hotspot with you pretty much wherever you have cell service—no need to hunt down a good connection.
However, many cell providers limit hotspot usage and charge additional fees to get more. It also uses up your battery power and data, so this works better as a quick fix than a long-term option. Read our guide to the best hotspots to learn more. Internet hotspots are Wi-Fi access points that are generally available to the public. Many hotspots are free, including those in restaurants, shopping malls, airports, and other public places.
If you want, you can just make one up to avoid the spam. In other words, this is your chance to finally put wizardchipmunk yahoo. Just be aware that free hotspots also sometimes come with a higher security risk. So take extra precautions and avoid doing anything too sensitive on your computer if you can. This seems to be most common on flights and hotels, and the prices can get downright ridiculous.
There are dedicated Wi-Fi hotspot devices that function like portable routers Huawei makes a nice one and use a SIM card for service. See full disclaimer.
Hotspots are basically public Wi-Fi networks, so they work just like your home or office network. With your phone, you can usually find available networks through your Settings page. Once you find the network list, select the one you want and enter the password if required.
Many places will have a sticker or other sign advertising free Wi-Fi in the window. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.
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