Setting up your iPhone as a mobile hot spot by tethering to a wireless data internet can give you faster speed and more security than public Wi - Fi networks ( which are n’t always thesafest choicesfor your personal data point ) , asCNBCnotes . And if you already have unlimited data , it can also be hassle - free since it ’s likely that your architectural plan includes tether . Other plans may reserve you to add the hotspot functionality for an extra fee , so you ’ll definitely require to check in with the fine photographic print of your particular plan before you go using up all your data point .

On both iPhones and Androids , it ’s relatively unsubdivided to set up a hot spot . For an iPhone , go to configurations > Personal Hotspot and turn it on . go under up your own password so that no random Wi - Fi skulker can log on , then just find your phone ’s name in the Wi - Fi drop - down menu on your phone . Click connect , enter the watchword , and you ’re in .

For Android , the process is like . Go to preferences > Connections > Mobile Hotspot and Tethering . Turn on the “ Mobile Hotspot ” function , then set a name and password for your net . Log on to your earphone ’s Wi - Fi through your computer and enter in the password you just made .

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There is a bit of catch . You might have an unlimited data plan , but formost carriers , you only get a certain amount of data to use for a roving hot spot . Many , admit AT&T , Verizon , Sprint , and T - Mobile , only give   you 10 GB of high-pitched - upper tethering , slow up your connection down if you use more .

However , if you have T - Mobile , feel free to employ your hot spot to see as much streaming TV as you want — if you have T - Mobile ’s unlimiteddata program , you’re able to tether to your earpiece and watch Netflix , Hulu , HBO , and other streaming platforms without it counting toward your hotspot data boundary .

Hotspot Wi - Fi is n’t always lightning tight . The telecommunications search siteWhistleOutnotes that for inexhaustible plans , many carriers “ deprioritize ” tether data point if there ’s heavy data usage in your expanse , temporarily slowing down speeds to deal with internet congestion . So you probably are n’t going to be capable to pullulate TV through your hot spot in the midsection of a concert or at a football game biz . In an uncrowded coffee shop , on the other mitt ? Go right ahead .

[ h / tCNBC ]