I'm running a laptop off my cell phone hot spot!

[underpants]

How cool is that?
Our phone service just switched over to T-Mobile. We now have hot spots on our phones that we can tap into. I’m actually teleworking on a work laptop from outside a medical appointment (routine) for my daughter.

This is amazing at least to me anyway. 😁

[Miguelito Loveless]

1. Technology

when it works, is so cool.

[underpants]

2. Not killing the battery as I expected

Hot spots have been “where available” from what I’ve normally seen. This works like a charm.

[Miguelito Loveless]

11. Battery consumption may be issue

But can be rectified with a small, portable battery if you find it eating into your available use time.

[MiHale]

3. Had it on the phone for a while...

Never used it ... THEN we moved and for a couple days we had no internet connection. Used the phone as a hotspot to watch a couple movies on the iPad, did our normal surfing it was pretty cool. Had to watch data limits but we’re on Spectrum by the gig $14 a month (no unlimited) going over wasn’t really expensive still less than going to a theater. This was all before covid.

[underpants]

9. As I said I've had it promised

but never saw that it actually worked. My wife did this last week and I thought I’d give it a try. Zoomed into the morning meeting. My boss is cool but it saved me from having to take time off so ✅.

[Nictuku]

4. Keep an eye on your Data Usage

You don't want to get surprised with a huge bill. This will depend on what kind of contract you have with your cell service provider for your smartphone.

Data usage goes waaay up when you are viewing video/audio, and when you are connected with a laptop to your phone, all of that connection is using your cell data plan.

If you laptop decides to do major Windows updates, all that downloading will be added to your data bill. One way to avoid that is to make sure everything is as up to date as possible while you are connected to Wifi. You can also pause Microsoft Updates.

Just a few considerations. Other than that, yes, using your phone as a hotspot is great technology! Especially if you have good reception to cell towers. Mine is faster than my home wifi! (but I have no cell coverage at home, so I am not even tempted to use it when I'm not traveling).

[underpants]

8. It's part of the monthly fee

I don’t want to be accused of advertising but so far I’m pretty impressed by the whole operation. Got $400 back on a 6S trading up to a 12 mini which is actually smaller than a 6S.

[unblock]

5. Ah, but have you done that in a moving car!

I've done that -- mrs unblock driving, me on conference call on my cell phone, also using it as a hotspot for my laptop (literally on top of my lap) while mini-unblock plays his games through my cell hot spot as well.

[underpants]

7. I was driving.

No but that would be cool.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

6. I wish I could. I have a Tracfone for my service.

Tracfone does not allow me to use my smartphone, an iPhone 6S, as a hot spot.

I've checked. I can't do it.

I don't know why not.

The only thing Tracfone about the iPhone is the SIM. Take that out and replace it, and it could be used for anyone's servce.

Maybe with iOS 14.5, which I upgraded to yesterday afternoon, but I doubt it. The restriction was put in place by Tracfone, not by Apple.

[underpants]

10. I'd look into it

The service (don’t want to repeat it less be advertising). We have three phones unlimited everything including this hot spot thing for just over $200 a month (auto pay discount - screw it we’ll all get hacked eventually). I got $415 trade in on my 6S for a 12. I got a mini which is actually smaller than the 6S. No interest on buying the phone - just the remainder divided by 24 months. I was told that in a few months some other offers were coming out so ...????

[mahatmakanejeeves]

12. It's not possible in the Settings. I called Tracfone months ago about this. No can do. NT

[getagrip_already]

13. with covid, this is getting much more expensive and difficult....

For people in locations without wifi or land line internet, it is becoming very difficult to get high bandwidth/unlimited plans at all. Most of the major carriers have dropped them completely and only grudgingly support pre-existing contracts on a short term basis.

Sure, if you only go over a monthly plan by a few gb, it's not too painful. But use 30-50 gb/month and meowch! Not to mention after 12gb or so they throttle you down to a crawl wrt bandwidth.

Starlink may help here, but it is rolling out very slowly. And at $500 initial cost and $100/month it isn't cell phone plan cheap but it isn't crazy either. Still, if everyone jumps on it, it will be crawling. Sat service is best used by few people spread out over a large area, not by every rooftop on long island.

I sometimes work from the shore in RI and have to rely on cell data plans. It is painful now that my new employer doesn't cover it. I may have to go starlink 6 months of the year just to get by if they let me do that.

[FoxNewsSucks]

14. I thought that kind of thing was cool,

until I realized it means people became expected to work anywhere and everywhere, all the time.

I would have dumped my home internet and just used the hotspot, but Verizon slows the speed after a certain amount of data.

[Maxheader]

15. fantastic!

I had v. Mobile for 5, 6 years. Used a cell from hell. No txtg,

No internet. Now have at&t with your type of setup. So I

can drink coffee and chat!....