How to Turn Your Mobile Phone into a WiFi Hotspot

Owned by Matthew Rutigliano (Deactivated)
Jul 10, 2020
2 min read

Summary

If you're stuck in a situation where you need a Wi-Fi connection, but can't get it anywhere else, chances are your smartphone can give you the boost you need. By setting up a Wi-Fi hotspot, you can turn your phone into a source of internet that laptops, tablets, and other phones can use.

Step-by-step

Lemieux Library, Information Technology Services (ITS), and the Campus Store are collaborating on the purchase of materials to support students who do not have a laptop or adequate access to the Internet at home. Mobile devices with unlimited high-speed data, and Chromebook laptops capable of running Zoom, Canvas, and connecting to the campus virtual lab computers, are being lent from the library to support students' online coursework. Students who are interested in learning more about the program can contact library@seattleu.edu with their name and contact information, and the subject line “Internet Access.”

Turn on Wi-Fi Hotspot With iOS Devices

  1. To set up a personal hotspot on your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Personal Hotspot and toggle it on. Make note of the Wi-Fi password.

    • If you don't see Personal Hotspot in Settings, tap Cellular > Personal Hotspot.

  2. Open the Wi-Fi menu on the device you need to connect to the internet. Look for your iOS device, tap it, and enter the password that appears on your iPhone's Personal Hotspot screen.

     

  3. Your secondary device should now be able to surf the web (and consume mobile data). To disconnect, toggle Personal Hotspot to off on your iOS device.

Turn on Wi-Fi Hotspot With Android Devices

How you access Wi-Fi hotspots on Android phones will depend on which device you have and which version of Android you're running.

  1. Depending on the android device, there may be several ways to use your mobile phone as a Hotspot.

    • You can pull-down and tap the Mobile Hotspot option in the menu to activate. 

    • Or navigate to Connections > Mobile Hotspot and Tethering > Mobile Hotspot and toggle it on. A pop-up window will appear, where you can find the Wi-Fi password for devices that want to connect.

    • Or, if you navigate to Settings and search for "tether," it should appear.

       

  2. To deactivate hotspot mode, navigate back to these settings and toggle them off.

Need additional help? Submit a ticket in our new portal here: IT Service Desk Help Center