A hotspot is a physical point where people can access internet connections using WiFi technology. Usually, WiFi hotspots rely on a wireless local-area network (WLAN). A device known as a router usually links to an Internet service provider, allowing users to connect to the hotspot. Sometimes the connections may be poor due to some issues. This article teaches you how to make your hotspot faster if you experience slowness.
We have two types of hotspots in terms of accessibility. We have public hotspots and private ones. The public hotspots are open to many people within a place. Usually, the connections are availed by a business, organization, or institution for use by people related. You can find hotspots in colleges, universities, government offices, etc. Despite being public, there is usually a control center that makes the regular subscriptions for the target users to continue benefiting.
On the other hand, a private hotspot, usually called tethering, is configured on a smartphone or tablet to connect to other devices through the RNDIS protocol over USB, Bluetooth pairing, or WiFi technology. The smartphone or tablet connecting to others usually has an active internet plan from a service provider. Generally, you can connect devices such as computers, smartphones, tablets, laptops, printers, and security cameras using a hotspot.
How to connect to a hotspot
Connecting to a hotspot is usually straightforward. When connecting to a public hotspot, you only need to search the hotspot name among the various networks available in your locality. That means you must know the hotspot name. To connect your smartphone or tablet, tap the WiFi icon, search the available WiFi connections, and connect. Some public WiFis may have passwords; you must enter them to access the connections.
Suppose you are connecting to a private hotspot using your smartphone or tablet. In that case, you must first enable data connection on your device, navigate your phone’s settings, and find the hotspot and tethering option. You can connect to other devices through Bluetooth, USB, or WiFi. The other devices may need a password to access the connection in the case of WiFi connectivity. Bluetooth requires the device to connect with another device as the internet source.
For USB, you will need to choose the USB tethering option on your device to connect your desktop, laptop, or printer to the hotspot.
What makes hotspots slow
You might experience poor connections for your hotspot due to various issues with your connectivity. There are various reasons why your hotspot may suddenly become slow. They include the following.
i) Having surpassed the data limits
Most companies that offer hotspot services usually have some limits on your plan. However, we have companies that have unlimited hotspot access throughout the month. If your service provider has data caps on your plan, it reaches a point where your data slows down.
Service providers can allow you to connect to 4G or 5G internet for a certain amount of data, then shift to 2G when you exhaust the allocation. 2G is usually very slow, and you will surely see slow connections, downloads, and uploads.
ii) Too many devices connected to the hotspot
When you connect many devices to a hotspot, you will experience slow connections for the various devices. That is because the devices compete for the same space to remain connected to the internet. Every router usually has the maximum number of devices that can connect.
iii) Broadcast setting on your phone or router
We usually have two types of broadcast frequencies that you can use for your connections. They include 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. The 2.4 GHz is ideal for long-range connectivity but is usually slow. Therefore, your devices may experience slow connections because you have set the frequency to 2.4 GHz. The 5GHz frequency allows speedy connections.
How to make your hotspot faster
There are various ways you can make your connections faster. They include the following.
1) Purchase an additional bundle
Suppose you have reached your limit and your connections are slowed by your service provider. In that case, you can solve the issue by purchasing an additional bundle to resume your strong connection. As I mentioned earlier, you can experience a slow connection because your allocated data is no more, thus ending up with a 2G connection.
2) Reduce the number of connected devices
As I mentioned, connecting too many devices may lead to slow internet connections. However, you may see an increased connection speed when you reduce the number of connected devices to a few. If intruders are in your network, you can kick them out to restore the glory of your hotspot.
3) Change your broadcast frequency from 2.4 GHz to 5 GHz
If your source of the hotspot is near you, you can change the broadcast frequency to 5GHz. As I said earlier, the 5GHz frequency offers faster speeds than 2.4GHz.
For android devices, you can open the setting app, tap on Hotspot, and Tethering. After that, enable the WiFi hotspot and go into your Hotspot and Tethering options, then hit the three dots for more options. After that, tap on Configure Mobile Hotspot then hit Show advanced options. Select to use the 5Ghz band when available. Finally, tap on Save.
For iPhones and iPads, you can open the Settings app, navigate to the Personal Hotspot and tap the Maximize Compatibility toggle to enable or disable the 5GHz broadcast frequency.
Are hotspots secure?
Hotspots may be secure to some extent. If you are the owner of the device broadcasting the connections signals, then you are safe. However, the hotspots can turn out to be insecure if you get the connections from a device controlled by someone else.
If they are hackers, they can use the connection to access your details. You may end up losing your money via online banking platforms. It is therefore essential to connect to trusted hotspots to prevent fraud.
Bottom line
A hotspot is a physical point where you can access internet connections using WiFi technology. Usually, WiFi hotspots rely on a wireless local-area network (WLAN). We have public and private hotspots. Where applicable, you can create a private hotspot using your phone or tablet and connect devices through Bluetooth, WiFi, or USB. Public hotspots are present in organizations, institutions, and government offices, among other places.