You have ever found yourself in the situation in which you needed one Internet connection Stable, maybe on your laptop or tablet, but wasn’t there a Wi-Fi network available? It is likely that in such a situation will be resorted to the tetheringa function that allows you to share the smartphone cellular data connection with other devices. This technology allows you to transform the phone into a sort of “Portable Wi-Fi router”distributing the Internet connection via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or USB cable. The most used method is the Wi-Fi Tetheringwhich creates a mobile hotspot to which other devices can connect nearby.
Speaking of the terms tethering and hotspot: although they are often used interscambiously, we want to clarify that they are not exactly the same thing, not always at least. In particular, “Tethering” is the generic term to indicate the sharing of the internet connection of a device (usually a smartphone) with other devices (PC, tablet, etc.), which can take place in various ways. It is when the connection is shared via wi-fi that we can use the term hotspot. In other words, all hotspots are tethering, but not all types of tethering are hotspots. Put the “dot” on this “I”, we deepen the mechanism that makes this technology possible, the different ways in which it can be used and how to use it practically.
What is tethering and how it works
Regardless of the fact that your smartphone supports the 4G or 5G network, the operating principle at the base of the hotspot is always the same: a combination of software, hardware and network infrastructure that transforms the phone into a real “mobile router”. When you activate the hotspot function, your device Take advantage of the mobile network data connection to generate a Wi-Fi signalto which other devices can connect. Alternatively, some phones allow you to take the tethering via Bluetooth or USB cable, but these modalities are less widespread than Wi-Fi due to their lower transmission and practicality speed, so we will neglect them in this context.
The function of tethering It is, conceptually, quite simple: when the phone is connected to the mobile network, converts the 4G or 5G signal into a Wi-Fi connection local using the Protocol 802.11AXthe same employed by the most modern domestic routers. In this way, the devices that are present within the range of the device that will act as a router recognize the hotspot signal exactly like a very normal Wi-Fi network. Unlike a traditional router, which rests on a wired broadband connection, however, the smartphone takes the data directly from the mobile network and distributes it to the connected devices.
One of the positive aspects of tethering is that does not interfere with the normal use of the smartphone: while the phone shares the connection with other devices, it can still be used to navigate, make and receive calls and send sms.
Another interesting aspect, this technology offers a greater level of security Compared to public Wi-Fi hotspots, such as those found in bars, airports and hotels, which are often vulnerable to IT attacks. The latest phones protect the connection with the standard WPA3an advanced security protocol that prevents unauthorized access to the network. The 5G networks also offer an additional level of protection thanks to AES cryptography at 256 bitwhich helps to defend themselves from sophisticated IT attacks, such as those who exploit false signal repeaters to intercept communications.
Side performancewhat will the navigation speed depend on? Essentially from number of connected devices and from the Quality of the mobile network: the more users connect, the more the available band will be divided, slowing down the connection for each device; The greater the quality of the connection, the better the performance to the same connected users will be.
Another aspect to consider is the Wi-Fi signal coverage generated by the smartphone. Although a “traditional” router can cover an area up to several tens of meters in closed environments, a mobile hotspot has a lower capacity, generally around 10 meters. This means that all devices that want to connect will have to find themselves close enough to the phone to receive a stable signal.
How to activate Tethering on your smartphone
This explains in simple steps how to activate tethering on your Android or iPhone smartphone.
If you have Android
To activate Tethering on Androidfollow these simple steps (taking into account that they may vary slightly based on the device in their possession):
- Open the app Settings.
- Follow the path Connections> Mobile hotspot and tethering.
- In the screen opened, you can customize the Name of the Networkchange the password and choose between the Band 2,4 GHz or 5 GHz, depending on the desired performance.
- Call the Android notifications curtain and activate the option Hotspot/Tethering pressing the relevant button.
If you have iPhone
On iPhoneon the other hand, to activate tethering you have to proceed in this way:
- Open the app Settings.
- Follow the path Mobile phone> personal hotspot.
- Move on On the switch Allow others to access and, if necessary, personalized the password.
