Topics Map > Networking > Wireless
Remote Access, Turning your mobile phone into a wireless hotspot for your computer
Your computer checklist:
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Does the computer you want to share your mobile phone’s data with have a wireless network option?
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Most laptops and tablets do have wireless capabilities built in.
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Many desktops don’t automatically have one, but you can find USB wi-fi adapters for desktops. (Tech Services is not recommending any specific models here, but this Amazon search will show you a range of options. You do want “wireless” or “wi-fi” rather than “Bluetooth” for these purposes.)
Your mobile phone checklist:
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Does the data plan you have with your service provider permit you to create a hotspot?
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(If you’re not sure whether your plan offers hotspot support, you can try the instructions from your provider; however, they may or may not work for you.)
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Different mobile providers’ plans have different restrictions, and not all plans allow a hot spot to be created. Here’s where to find information about existing plans:
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If your plan does permit you to create a hotspot, here are instructions from providers on how to create a hotspot with your phone:
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iPhone users will have different setting locations than Android users. This PC Magazine article demonstrates where to find the hotspot settings for iPhones and several Android models.
After you’ve turned on your hotspot
Your newly created hotspot will have a network name -- it might or might not include your wireless provider or phone model; it might involve some random numbers and letters.
On your computer, click on the wireless symbol (usually in the bottom right for Windows and on the top bar for Macs) to see which wireless signals your computer detects.
Select your phone’s newly created hotspot network name from the list of available networks.
If you don’t see your computer’s hotspot network name listed, here are some troubleshooting resources.