How to Use Your Mobile Phone for Home Internet

The important thing to know about unlimited mobile plans is that they don’t offer truly unlimited hotspot data. Even if the plan is called unlimited, it probably restricts data (99% guaranteed). With most plans, after you use 20 GB (or some other amount) of data, your speed will slow to less than 1 Mbps. Ouch.

When it comes to providers, there are only a few exceptions to the not-truly-unlimited rule—such as Visible, which is why it's in our recommended plans above. Visible doesn’t offer the fastest data (4G and up aren’t available for hotspotting), but it does give you a truly unlimited amount of hotspot data, which is a rare find. It also doesn’t require a contract and offers great prices.

But barring a beautiful unlimited data plan, the best you can do is go for fast data, which is why we’re also recommending Verizon and AT&T. These  carriers offer wide coverage and a strong network, so you can get some work done at the park or watch movies at the beach.

A mobile hotspot is usually either a physical hotspot device or a cell phone that can be turned into a hotspot you use to share mobile data with other devices. For example, if you have cell service while you're out of town but no access to Wi-Fi, you can turn your cell phone's hotspot on, connect your laptop to the hotspot, and then access the internet via your laptop instead of just your cell phone.

Hotspots have more restrictions in speed, data amount, and data prioritization than typical home internet options like HughesNet or T-Mobile's full 5G Home Internet. You might experience lower speeds than other customers, for one, (particularly if you're a heavy data user) when there's network congestions. We think data hotspots can certainly be worth it, especially if you like to travel, as we mentioned above. But you have to make sure you can work within your chosen hotspot's device and plan parameters. 

Alongside Verizon, we highly recommend T-Mobile, which does slow data after you reach a certain threshold but not as much as other carriers do. That means both the T-Mobile hotspot and T-mobile phone plans should keep you connected for longer.

T-Mobile’s slowest data speeds are still 3G speeds—which are fast enough for social media—but it also has the largest 5G network in the US.

But before you dive in head-first to the mobile-only internet life, you'll want to keep in mind the limitations of mobile hotspots.

• Data: Most people will run out of data. Mobile plans offer 10–20 GB per month for hotspotting, but the average household uses 344 GB per month.
• Slowing: Some mobile carriers will slow your connection to dial up speeds once you use 10–20 GB of data in a month while hotspotting.
• Risk of termination: Some mobile carriers will flag you for data overage and/or terminate your service.

Data limits are the biggest problem with using your mobile phone for home internet.

For example, it takes just 20 hours of Netflix streaming to use up an entire month of Verizon’s hotspot data. And after you hit those 20 hours of streaming (which, let’s be real here, it will probably happen on the first rainy weekend you try this), you will be stuck with speeds of 600 Kbps for the rest of the month. Google search is about all you can do with speeds that slow. 

Let’s take a look at which cellular plans will work best as a substitute home internet plan. We’ll also cover some additional internet options that might work better for you.

So, should I rely on my hotspot for WiFi?

Using cellular data for home internet as hotspot wifi can work in a pinch, like when you're moving or traveling. It can also be a solution for some really low data use. But a better long-term option is combining your hotspot with a home internet plan from a cell phone provider or a plan without a phone line.

Yup, that’s a thing now! If you can get a mobile phone signal, there’s a good chance you can get a home plan that delivers a connection using cellular data.

T-Mobile, Verizon, and many smaller carriers offer fixed wireless or even portable internet plans outside of their mobile hotspot wifi plans. Check out our recommended favorites below.

Cell phone providers differ in the data and speeds they offer for a mobile hotspot. But remember that not all cell phone plans allow you to create a mobile hotspot, and some providers charge extra for it.

If you want to use your phone as hotspot wifi, check out these three things on your phone plan.

1. Look at the total data limit. Unless you want accidental overage fees, get an unlimited data plan. But remember that the total data limit (even if it is unlimited) is different from the hotspot data limit.
2. Check out the hotspot data limit. When you reach this monthly data limit, your hotspot data will be deprioritized to slower data speeds.
3. Know what the slowing speed is. Learn how slow the data speed will be after you reach your hotspot data limit.

Using your cell phone as a mobile hotspot is handy while traveling and might be able to save you the cost of home internet service. But before you cancel your home internet plan, consider the lifestyle changes you’ll need to make, starting out by saying goodbye to weekend binge-watching. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of creating a mobile hotspot from your phone.

Using a mobile hotspot for home internet can work well for people with very light internet use. If you just use the internet at home to check email, shop online, and browse the internet, it might be a good idea for you.

Maybe you primarily use your phone for internet, and you only crack open the old laptop occasionally. A mobile hotspot could be a good option for you if you fit into this category.

But if you’ve already cut cable, and you rely on the internet for all your movies and TV, you’ll probably be better off sticking with home internet service. People who work from home uploading or emailing large files will also be frustrated by the limitations of a mobile hotspot.

Of course, having a great hotspot plan or cell phone plan doesn't help if you don't know how set up your phone as a hotspot in the first place. We'll walk you through how.

Almost any cell phone can be used to turn a phone into a hotspot without a plan for a MiFi device. Setting up a hotspot on your Android device takes a couple of quick swipes. Just make sure you create a secure password for your new network, particularly if you’re in a public place.

1. Go to Settings.
2. Click More > Tethering and Wi-Fi Hotspot > Mobile Hotspot.
3. Turn on Mobile Hotspot.
4. Create a password.
5. On your other device, select your phone’s hotspot on the list of Wi-Fi options.
6. Enter the password you created for your phone’s network.
7. You’re connected!

Setting up a mobile hotspot on an iPhone is simple. Once you’ve done it a few times, you can set it up in seconds.

1. Go to Settings.
2. Click Personal Hotspot.
3. Turn on Personal Hotspot.
4. Create a password.
5. On your other device, click on the Network icon and select your phone’s network.
6. Enter the password you created for your phone’s network.
7. You’re connected!

Although it’s possible to turn a phone into a mobile hotspot without a plan, there are data and privacy issues associated with prolonged mobile hotspot use from your cell phone.

Stand-alone mobile hotspot devices like the Verizon Jetpack go with you anywhere. Just know when you fire up the Jetpack, your flights will be fueled by a limited supply of high-priced data (starting at $20 per month for 2 GB and going up to $710 per month for 100 GB).

The Verizon hotspot device, Jetpack, allows multiple devices to access the internet at the same time, and it doesn’t use data from your phone plan. Bear in mind that you’ll need a separate data plan for a mobile hotspot device and you’ll also have a $20 per month line access fee for your Verizon Jetpack.

If you’re just using the mobile hotspot feature a few times per month, it’s usually more cost-effective to use the hotspot feature on your phone. However, if you travel frequently or work on the road, adding a Verizon Jetpack to your Verizon mobile plan can save you the bother of looking for free Wi-Fi zones everywhere you go.

There are some low-data households who like portable hotspots so much they’ve started using the Verizon Jetpack for home internet. This can be a good solution for people who work on the road, college students, or RVers. Some plans allow you to pay only for the months you’re using data.

If you’re using a Verizon Jetpack for home internet, remember to keep an eye on data usage. Keep high-data activities like video streaming and gaming to a minimum to save on data fees. Going way over on data every month could cost more than a home internet plan.

If your phone mobile hotspot is slower than usual or than you expected, it's most likely one of these three reasons.

1. You're in a low-speed area (weak cellular signal)
2. You've used up your high-speed data for the month
3. Your phone needs an update

The idea of getting free home internet with your phone’s mobile hotspot feature sounds appealing until you face the data and speed limitations. For most households, using a mobile hotspot isn’t a workable solution. Mobile hotspots don’t give you enough data and speed to run a home business, work remotely, stream entertainment, or make video calls.

However, many locations in the US don’t have access to high-speed cable or fiber internet because they lack the infrastructure. If you’ve recently moved to a small town, you might be wondering, “Is a mobile hotspot my only option in rural areas?”

So, here’s some good news—if you can get cell phone service at your home, that means you have other internet options.

• Satellite internet service from Viasat or HughesNet is available to almost all the US. As long as you have a clear view of the sky from your home, you can get satellite service.
• LTE home internet service from Verizon, T-Mobile, UbiFi, Ladybug Wireless, and other carriers can connect rural homes to the internet without all the fiber, cable, and wires. Learn more about 4G LTE internet service in our review.
• Dial-up internet from NetZero might be too slow to stream video, but it’s hard to beat the price: the basic plan is free for up to 10 hours a month. NetZero also offers a DSL plan with speeds up to 6 Mbps for $26.95 per month, which meets Netflix’s recommended speed requirements.

If you’re looking for plenty of internet data in an area where fiber isn’t available, LTE home internet might be the right choice. This wireless broadband option connects your home to the internet through cell phone towers. As long as you have good cellular service at your home, there’s probably a carrier that can deliver this kind of service for you. 

• Big-name carriers like T-Mobile and Verizon offer home internet in select areas. These plans are relatively inexpensive and offer a lot of data. 
• MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators—think of Cricket, Red Pocket, StraightTalk, and many others) offer home internet plans using cellular data to many other areas where the big names haven’t reached. 

With this type of service, your speeds will be affected by your proximity to cell phone towers. Typical download speeds for LTE home internet are around 25 Mbps to 50 Mbps—about the same as you’d get on a cell phone.

Now that you’ve got the scoop on how to create a mobile hotspot, you can try it out next time you’re away from Wi-Fi. You also know the pros and cons of using a mobile hotspot for home internet and the best rural internet options so you can stay connected from anywhere.

While we don’t recommend using a mobile hotspot for home internet as a long-term solution for most households, it can work for people who don’t use much data and are serious about saving money.

For the rest of us, we recommend a steady home internet connection to keep your home humming.

Whether you’re after satellite, mobile, or DSL, find the best internet speeds in your area using our search tool.

A mobile hotspot is a shared internet connection you can temporarily turn on between your mobile phone and another device. In this way, your smartphone can function as a router that broadcasts your phone’s internet to a tablet, laptop, or a friend’s phone. Creating a mobile hotspot with your phone (which is known as tethering when you do it with a USB cable) lets you share your phone internet and data plan with other devices.

There’s also something called a mobile hotspot device (or MiFi), which is different from using your phone as a mobile hotspot. You can learn more about buying a dedicated mobile hotspot device and setting up service on our post about the best mobile hotspots.

If you’re wondering if mobile hotspot data is unlimited, the answer is tricky. Data is the biggest obstacle to using a mobile phone for home internet. A lot of people get confused about unlimited data plans, thinking that this means that mobile hotspot data is also unlimited. But, this isn’t the case. Even on cell phone plans with unlimited data, there will be a cap for how much data you can use as a mobile hotspot.

Once you reach that limit, the data will be deprioritized, which basically means your data speed will slow way down until your limit starts over the following month. So, technically, your data is unlimited—even after you hit your limit, you can use as much slow-speed data as you want. But the slower speeds don’t support video streaming or gaming. These slower speeds will support basic email and browsing functions.

If you’re wondering what your mobile hotspot data limit is, you’ll want to check your cell phone plan, because every plan is different. Some plans don’t allow mobile hotspot at all, while others have limits. There aren’t any mobile plans that offer unlimited, full-speed data for mobile hotspot. If they did, we’d all cancel home internet.

Many cell phone carriers have monthly caps of 5 to 15 GB of data per month before they start slowing things down (throttling data) or charging you for data overage. Check out the details of your mobile plan and look for info about mobile hotspot or tethering. The mobile hotspot data limit is different from other data limit amounts. You can check with a customer service representative if you’re having trouble finding out the correct information on your plan.

You can get a rough estimate of how much hotspot data you’ll need each month by using T-Mobile’s Smartphone Mobile Hotspot Data Calculator. For an exact calculation of how much data you use each month at home, log in to your Internet Service Provider account and check your monthly data usage.

As a general guideline, streaming Netflix uses 1–3 GB of data per hour, which means that 5–15 GB of monthly mobile hotspot data won’t last long if you’re streaming video.  Video streaming, file transfers, and gaming use up a lot of data. Sending emails and browsing the internet use very little data by comparison.

If you want to know how much internet speed you need for your favorite online activities, use the HighSpeedInternet.com recommended internet speed quiz. This will give you an idea of how fast of an internet connection you need for your everyday activities. If you’d rather not take a quiz, the chart below is also good reference for data speed.

A mobile hotspot can replace home internet service if you’re a light data user. Light data users use the internet at home just to check email, shop occasionally, and browse websites, a mobile hotspot can work for you.

If you like playing games online, streaming videos through YouTube, Netflix, or Hulu, or if you work remotely and transfer large files, a mobile hotspot isn’t the answer. All of these activities use up a lot of data. Due to data caps, heavy-internet users and video streamers may max out data plans in the first few days of the month and end up with data overage fees, which will be much more expensive than paying a home internet plan.

A mobile hotspot is a protected network because it’s through your cell phone number. Your phone should prompt you to set up a password, which you will then enter on your other devices to access the internet. This makes a mobile hotspot safer and more secure than using free public Wi-Fi.

Some cell phone plans don't allow you to create a mobile hotspot at all. You can find out quickly if your phone plan allows it by going to Settings and trying to turn on the personal hotspot. If you don’t see the option for Personal Hotspot or Wi-Fi Hotspot, or it’s greyed out, your plan does not support this feature. You can learn specifics about your plan by contacting your cell phone provider or reviewing details about your phone plan on their website.

The main limitation of using a mobile hotspot is the data usage. Anytime you’re using a mobile hotspot from your phone, you need to pay attention to how much data you’re using. Streaming videos, gaming, and transferring large files are all activities that use a lot of data. Unless you want to pay for extra data, you’ll have limited access to these online activities while using a mobile hotspot.

A mobile hotspot could replace home Wi-Fi only for people with extremely low data usage. If you ever stream Netflix, scroll through social media, or watch TikTok, you’ll probably run out of data just relying on your phone's mobile hotspot. And if you have a mobile hotspot device and try to use it for full-time home internet service, you could end up paying a lot more in service and data overage fees ($400 or more per month) than you would by just signing up for a home internet plan.

So, the bottom line is that if you don’t use much data at home, it’s possible to use the mobile hotspot feature for home internet, but it doesn’t work well for most people. Data is just too expensive.

If you want to share your mobile phone’s internet connection with another device (like a laptop or tablet), go to the settings in your phone. Look for “personal hotspot” and switch it to “on.” You may need to set a password and enter it on your other device if you haven’t used the hotspot setting before. After you finish, make sure you turn off your hotspot setting so you don’t accidentally waste data.

Although you can occasionally stream video from Netflix or TikTok with your mobile hotspot feature, remember that video streaming uses a lot of data. So, watching too many episodes of Umbrella Academy might push you over your data limit and slap you with sluggish speeds of less than 1 Mbps for the rest of the month.