# Best mobile hotspot for car?



## Urbanappalachian (Dec 11, 2016)

Not sure how much a month it cost but I was curious about having a mobile hotspot in my car. Couldn't my phone's data function as a mobile hotspot so my tablets can connect to the wifi?


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## CarpeNoctem (Sep 12, 2018)

Urbanappalachian said:


> Not sure how much a month it cost but I was curious about having a mobile hotspot in my car. Couldn't my phone's data function as a mobile hotspot so my tablets can connect to the wifi?


Depends on your phone and carrier but most do work as a hotspot.

You can get mobile hotspot devices from the different carriers. Some are OBDII dongles that allow you to monitor your car as well as offering 4G LTE. Sometimes the data plans can be crazy expensive though.


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## Melika (Jul 8, 2019)

Urbanappalachian said:


> Not sure how much a month it cost but I was curious about having a mobile hotspot in my car. Couldn't my phone's data function as a mobile hotspot so my tablets can connect to the wifi?


I have Hum from Verizon and the new Hum has it.


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## Urbanappalachian (Dec 11, 2016)

So my phone is the hotspot, I just need the dongle? I have Simple Mobile.



CarpeNoctem said:


> Depends on your phone and carrier but most do work as a hotspot.
> 
> You can get mobile hotspot devices from the different carriers. Some are OBDII dongles that allow you to monitor your car as well as offering 4G LTE. Sometimes the data plans can be crazy expensive though.


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## CarpeNoctem (Sep 12, 2018)

If your carrier and phone allows it to be used as a hotspot and you have a data plan on your phone, you don't need anything else. You turn on the settings in your phone and then people can connect to your phone as a hotspot. It is under settings Mobile Hot Spot and Tethering (for example). Some carriers wont allow it and have the phone locked down so you can't change or add it.

As to the dongle, it is like a separate phone that only does data and will require a separate data plan. It will also have it's own phone number.

I have T-Mobile and I can use the phone as a hotspot if I wanted. My truck has a hotspot built-in that has a data plan from AT&T.


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## OldBay (Apr 1, 2019)

Just use your phone as a hotspot and connect your tablet to it.

If your carrier doesn't let you do this, either need another plan or another carrier!


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## DriverMark (Jan 22, 2018)

Some carriers charge extra for hotspot. Check your plan. I flip the backup phones hotspot on when I need it.


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## Urbanappalachian (Dec 11, 2016)

If people were to connect onto my hotspot, do they need a password and would this also allow them to hack me? Like view sites I surfed etc?



CarpeNoctem said:


> If your carrier and phone allows it to be used as a hotspot and you have a data plan on your phone, you don't need anything else. You turn on the settings in your phone and then people can connect to your phone as a hotspot. It is under settings Mobile Hot Spot and Tethering (for example). Some carriers wont allow it and have the phone locked down so you can't change or add it.
> 
> As to the dongle, it is like a separate phone that only does data and will require a separate data plan. It will also have it's own phone number.
> 
> I have T-Mobile and I can use the phone as a hotspot if I wanted. My truck has a hotspot built-in that has a data plan from AT&T.


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## doyousensehumor (Apr 13, 2015)

Urbanappalachian said:


> If people were to connect onto my hotspot, do they need a password and would this also allow them to hack me? Like view sites I surfed etc?


Yes you can set a password to your hotspot tethering . It should take less than two minutes to do

It's not that hard to do.

Turn on your tablet find that hot spot you created.

I kept my old phone (to use as a tablet) and use it to watch YouTube and use uberpeople. That way I don't accidentally except a ping that I don't want, that is on my main phone


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## Urbanappalachian (Dec 11, 2016)

So your old phone that's no longer in service could be used to connect to the hotspot of the new phone currently in service?



doyousensehumor said:


> Yes you can set a password to your hotspot tethering . It should take less than two minutes to do
> 
> It's not that hard to do.
> 
> ...


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## doyousensehumor (Apr 13, 2015)

Urbanappalachian said:


> So your old phone that's no longer in service could be used to connect to the hotspot of the new phone currently in service?


Yeah. And I am typing my reply to you on it as we speak.

Old phone doesn't even have a sim card in it. See?


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## Urbanappalachian (Dec 11, 2016)

How do you do that highlight stuff?



doyousensehumor said:


> Yeah. And I am typing my reply to you on it as we speak.
> 
> Old phone doesn't even have a sim card in it. See?
> 
> View attachment 337010


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## doyousensehumor (Apr 13, 2015)

Do you have a android or apple phone?

NVM I have a fare. Have to go.


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## DriverMark (Jan 22, 2018)

Urbanappalachian said:


> How do you do that highlight stuff?


When you snap a screen shot, there is an edit feature on your photo viewer. You can do most of that stuff there.


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## Fozzie (Aug 11, 2018)

Urbanappalachian said:


> If people were to connect onto my hotspot, do they need a password and would this also allow them to hack me? Like view sites I surfed etc?


Password protect your hotspot and don't give it out.

People DO NOT need to burn your paid for hotspot data, because they already have their own data access on their phone. (If they didn't, they wouldn't be able to order a ride)


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## ANT 7 (Oct 14, 2018)

In my experience, cell phone hotspots eat your data like crazy. If you do it, keep careful track of your usage.


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## rkozy (Apr 5, 2019)

Fozzie said:


> People DO NOT need to burn your paid for hotspot data, because they already have their own data access on their phone. (If they didn't, they wouldn't be able to order a ride)


People can also buy their own [email protected] bottled water and mints. That doesn't stop Uber from insinuating to paxholes it should be an expected perk from every driver in the ride share industry.


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