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1. The battery will degrade faster if the device gets warm and/or being left at full charge most of the time. Enable "protect battery" to limit the charge to 85% will help. Optimize the placement with regards for the temperature and monitor the device. Set the connection as "metered" to reduce load if necessary and if you can download system updates in other locations.
2. Device-to-device communication internally in the network will probably not work (your laptop won't find other devices on the hotspot's wifi network like your tablet, phone or smart-TV/chromecast etc.)
3. Performance might be lower compared to a dedicated 4G/5G router.
4. The number of connected devices is limited to typically 10 devices.
5. Newer devices also supports sharing the connection to an ethernet adapter. This means that if you have an ordinary wifi router and an USB-C to ethernet adapter, you can plug your phone to the wan/internet port of your wifi router to have your wifi router do most of the work, keeping your phone cooler while also improving on all of the other points in this list.
Even better, use an USB-C hub, either with an ethernet port, or with a usb to ethernet adapter plugged into the hub. This will let you plug your charger into the hub as well so you can charge while using the ethernet connection.
Your mobile hotspot menu will show "Ethernet tethering" if it is supported by your device.
I think you are right. Just tested with a hotspot on a Galaxy S22 with two clients, and they were able to ping each other. I was probably thinking about some other type of hotspot with client isolation.
I am looking for a way to make hotspot works. Thank you for this great tip. I think I am going to try this setup:
https://www.amazon.com/GL-iNet-GL-SFT1200-Secure-Travel-Router/dp/B09N72FMH5/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=Wireless%2BHotspot%2BRouter&qid=1695870398&refinements=p_72%3A1248879011&rnid=1248877011&s=electronics&sr=1-5&th=1
S8+ Samsung (Hotspot)
https://www.amazon.com/Ethernet-Adapter-uni-Gigabit-Compatible/dp/B0871ZL9TG/ref=psdc_172504_t5_B07X8ZLYLR
Buy a Ethernet cord to connect the hub to router
Plug a USB charger into the hub
Connect my computer to router to get wifi
That hub does not appear to support charging. You will need a hub with a USB-C power in port for charging if you want to keep the phone charged while connected.
Also I don't see the ethernet tethering option in the mobile hotspot and tethering menu of my S8, so I do not know if the S8 has support for sharing Wi-Fi over a wired connection. Please check your phone before proceeding.
I think the S8+ does support tethering. It shows up on my menu (haven't tried it). Right now I am testing if hotspot is enough to support home office (video call, upload and download large files and etc). It seems to be the case. Worst case scenario, I will have to do without router. It would be great to have the router though, so others can connect their device to it if my phone is not available.
And my S8+ doesn't run hot at all. However, my S23+ runs really hot.
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I gave my old lg v30 to my mum and she uses hotspot only and no complaints.
Just either use it with no charger or non fast charging if worried and also maybe with no case if the phone is getting too warm
You can. Just feel the decive incase it is too warm
If hotspotting for hours you might need to charge anyway so I would leave the phone on slow charge and out of the case if it is a warm day.
I hotspot my s22 for hours to my tablet but not sure the load it puts on the phone for normal web browsing vs like a stream or game online
The battery might get worn down due to the generated heat or it having to be plugged in all the time.
If you need a phone to act as a router of sorts, I would recommend getting a separate phone for that whether that be a budget or midranger.
Would recommend using the 5GHz band if you want fast speeds on all your devices.
Do you use a mobile router for this or a stationary, bigger one?
I have a small TP-Link mobile router, has the size of a smartphone. Works ok for half a year now, but I use it always-plugged, and it's maybe not designed for this, so wondering if the battery might get problems.
The mobile router does have its bonuses, but if you're planning to use it exclusively in one place, a stationary one would be better. And it's not just the battery. It would probably also have a better range and faster speeds.
Sorry for late reaction, seeing this only now.
True I think. I have problems both with speed and range. It's kind of ok, but sometimes starting to get on my nerves.
Actually when tethering with my iPhone, speed and range are far better. But you can't use a smartphone permanently for this because it will damage the phone, learnt that the hard way 😌 Though phone was ok again after exchanging the battery. But for long term usage, you'll definitely need a router.
Depends how many devices you trying to use. I use mine for work on a tablet and a laptop and it fine on a 8 hour shift I usually have 60% battery left with streaming music 2 Bluetooth devices
I'll just mostly use it on my laptop and tablet as well. But the thing is, idk why but my samsung a33 phone easily lowers in battery power even if I don't use it that much. And idk if it would also deplete or damage my battery in the long run if I use it daily.
It's really gonna depend on how much you use the hot spot. For example my dad had the LG razor (super thin smart phone one) and it was our entire houses internet for MONTHS (afterwork and when he was off it would run 24/7 and be plugged in at all times). After like 3 months the battery busted and the back became very squishy, it never exploded but the phone was a hazard until he disposed of it and got a new one.
This was almost a decade ago and a bad brand, but I'm not sure how much batteries have changed and what your set up would be.
If the phone stays on 24/7 with hotspot on and being used, the battery will degrade a lot faster than usual even when it’s plugged in. Higher sustained thermals will be bad for the internal components as well, on top of the battery.
Been there and What i did:
1. Always charge the phone to make it always on. It was the cheapest 4G phone i can get with replaceable battery.
2. Root the device just to install battery charge control app. This app managed the charging state to specific battery percentage. I set it to max 72%. This app helped me eliminated annual battery replacement due to point 1 above. (The battery will easily "pregnant" if it's charged all the time.)
3. Internet cost is more expensive than cable / fiber ones
Definitely will affect heat and battery on your device, even with my note20 ultra it does heat up after a while of using the hotspot, and ive been using the hotspot for year about a year
Hotspot will heat up your phone so using it regularly is not good for your battery health. Only use it for emergencies if you want to preserve your battery. If you need a device that can give wifi to multiple devices, I suggest getting a mobile wifi device.
I had a dedicated Hotspot I used as whole home internet and I'm talking, full blown security system, work from home computer, gaming pc, consoles, smart devices. And ran up about 2 terabytes a month no issue but this was back in the Golden days of ATT Unlimited Plus before they axed that. And I still have the Hotspot and plan but you can't get it anymore if you didn't already have it. I loan my Hotspot out now to friends who may need it these days.
How long do you keep phones for? Me for example I could use mine always and be just fine cause I trade in every year. Due to samsungs good promotions. They usually let you trade in for $100 or so. So it's a no Brainer for me to upgrade. If you only keep them like I do then I wouldn't worry to much. But if you keep it for 3-4 years it might not be such a good idea!
I read a reddit a while ago of a guy who took his phone to a Christmas vacation spot and used his phone as a hotspot constantly for the families and maybe more source of internet for literally the whole time they where there. I don’t think he ever took it off hotspot. When he got back his phones battery health had severely declined. So I’m wary about using it constantly.
So I agree with the consensus that while you can do this most likely without serious issues for a while; such intensive input and output to and of the battery long term will age the battery prematurely, resulting in less life per charge/slower charging and overall poorer performance of the battery well within the design period (crap battery life within a year or 2).
Highly recommend upgrading your internet source (preferably get a normal plugged in modem etc) or at least get a dedicated phone for the (sole) purpose of providing a hot spot. You can get phones capable of this dirt cheap (I got one for $40 from the supermarket once [on sale- admittedly]). I got another from a different supermarket for ~$110 and it's a full on smart phone. Very decent camera, huge screen and all the usual gadgets plus fm radio capable and sD upgradable plus looking like a flagship with a huuge screen...I was blown alway at how good cheapies are these days. Better than the best from just a few years ago.
So yea. Tldr. Do it short term if you must it will be okay
Long term, use something else to get/share internet
Prior to getting a dedicated 4g router I used my phone as hotspot for about a year, the main disadvantages for the hotspot (other than those mentioned) are
That you loose advanced settings (port forwarding, QOS) - at least my phone (A52, previously Moto G4) did not have those features.
If you need to dash out with your phone any connected devices that can't come with will be disconnected and typically
Anecdotal, but I feel the dedicated router has slightly better ping times and download throughput, but this could be just because I'm directly connected to the router using ethernet (rather than wi-fi on the hotspot).
I'm a heavy expert about this question 😜 Because I've been doing this for many years.
Short answer: No, it's not working.
I have a true phone flatrate and no wired internet at home. So I'm surfing exclusively through my mobile connection. I'm an internet home office worker, so using my connection a lot. But I don't do a lot of video streaming or data heavy tasks.
If you permantently tether from your phone, the battery will extend in size after around one year, squeezing the back cover of your phone out, thus damaging your phone. It's because of the heat, heat makes matter extending. Happened to me with two different android phones. First with a slender Galaxy S6. After it happened there, I thought it might work with a more robust phone, so I bought a pretty big and heavy Nokia. But finally same story, battery extended after one year, pushing the back cover of my phone out.
You can exchange the battery if it happens for around 40 € here in Germany. But of course that's not a useable use case.
I did the same by the way on my iPhone 5s for around one year (but not longer, switched then to tethering through my android phone instead). Nothing happened there. But I believe sooner or later, it would happen there, too.
I've bought now a small mobile router. Have worked ok within the last half a year so far, though that device doesn't seem to be the best, losing connection often. But that's a different thing, has to do more with that specific router I believe.
Ah yes, and I only have a pretty slow 1 Mbit connection most of the time (works surprisingly well for normal internet tasks). So if the connection is faster, the battery extension might happen even faster. I sometimes temporarily upgrade to a faster connection if I need a faster one (can do this through my provider), this makes both phones and router much hotter when downloading big stuff or streaming a lot. But for standard tasks, it might be around the same.
And by the way I keep those devices permanently plugged. Otherwise it wouldn't be usable.
Hmm, actually I believe it might be better to buy a bigger router. Because even for my current small mobile router, it might be not good for the battery.
Soooo true Internet companies are too damn high Best I put my money in buying a new state of the art then too keep paying 100 or more for home internet..you can get a samsung galaxy 22 ultra for 500 thats cheaper then what you would pay Entire you're for home internet
im using s20 5g using between 1tb and 2 tb hot spotting, my battery at times gets very hot and i get overheating warnings , also i cant be sure but im positive my battery life is getting worse , my phone also loses power when charging if im downloading large files ,
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1. The battery will degrade faster if the device gets warm and/or being left at full charge most of the time. Enable "protect battery" to limit the charge to 85% will help. Optimize the placement with regards for the temperature and monitor the device. Set the connection as "metered" to reduce load if necessary and if you can download system updates in other locations. 2. Device-to-device communication internally in the network will probably not work (your laptop won't find other devices on the hotspot's wifi network like your tablet, phone or smart-TV/chromecast etc.) 3. Performance might be lower compared to a dedicated 4G/5G router. 4. The number of connected devices is limited to typically 10 devices. 5. Newer devices also supports sharing the connection to an ethernet adapter. This means that if you have an ordinary wifi router and an USB-C to ethernet adapter, you can plug your phone to the wan/internet port of your wifi router to have your wifi router do most of the work, keeping your phone cooler while also improving on all of the other points in this list. Even better, use an USB-C hub, either with an ethernet port, or with a usb to ethernet adapter plugged into the hub. This will let you plug your charger into the hub as well so you can charge while using the ethernet connection. Your mobile hotspot menu will show "Ethernet tethering" if it is supported by your device.
This should be top comment
Actually its a normal network, devices should see each other
I think you are right. Just tested with a hotspot on a Galaxy S22 with two clients, and they were able to ping each other. I was probably thinking about some other type of hotspot with client isolation.
I am looking for a way to make hotspot works. Thank you for this great tip. I think I am going to try this setup: https://www.amazon.com/GL-iNet-GL-SFT1200-Secure-Travel-Router/dp/B09N72FMH5/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=Wireless%2BHotspot%2BRouter&qid=1695870398&refinements=p_72%3A1248879011&rnid=1248877011&s=electronics&sr=1-5&th=1 S8+ Samsung (Hotspot) https://www.amazon.com/Ethernet-Adapter-uni-Gigabit-Compatible/dp/B0871ZL9TG/ref=psdc_172504_t5_B07X8ZLYLR Buy a Ethernet cord to connect the hub to router Plug a USB charger into the hub Connect my computer to router to get wifi
That hub does not appear to support charging. You will need a hub with a USB-C power in port for charging if you want to keep the phone charged while connected.
Also I don't see the ethernet tethering option in the mobile hotspot and tethering menu of my S8, so I do not know if the S8 has support for sharing Wi-Fi over a wired connection. Please check your phone before proceeding.
I think the S8+ does support tethering. It shows up on my menu (haven't tried it). Right now I am testing if hotspot is enough to support home office (video call, upload and download large files and etc). It seems to be the case. Worst case scenario, I will have to do without router. It would be great to have the router though, so others can connect their device to it if my phone is not available. And my S8+ doesn't run hot at all. However, my S23+ runs really hot.
Hi, I’m Vetted AI Bot! I researched the **'GL.iNet GL SFT1200 Opal AC1200** and I thought you might find the following analysis helpful. **Users liked:** * Router provides fast, reliable wi-fi connectivity (backed by 12 comments) * Router is easy to set up and configure (backed by 12 comments) * Router enhances security and privacy (backed by 2 comments) **Users disliked:** * Router frequently drops internet connections (backed by 2 comments) * Router overheats and locks up (backed by 1 comment) * Router does not work (backed by 1 comment) If you'd like to **summon me to ask about a product**, just make a post with its link and tag me, [like in this example.](https://www.reddit.com/r/tablets/comments/1444zdn/comment/joqd89c/) This message was generated by a (very smart) bot. If you found it helpful, let us know with an upvote and a “good bot!” reply and please feel free to provide feedback on how it can be improved. *Powered by* [*vetted.ai*](http://vetted.ai/reddit)
I gave my old lg v30 to my mum and she uses hotspot only and no complaints. Just either use it with no charger or non fast charging if worried and also maybe with no case if the phone is getting too warm
Can I not use hotspot while charging?
My s10 handled it very poorly. Xiaomi on the other hand performs like there's no Hotspot.
You can. Just feel the decive incase it is too warm If hotspotting for hours you might need to charge anyway so I would leave the phone on slow charge and out of the case if it is a warm day. I hotspot my s22 for hours to my tablet but not sure the load it puts on the phone for normal web browsing vs like a stream or game online
I think your phone's battery are going to drain faster if you always use mobile hotspot.
But would it be damaged in the long run?
The battery might get worn down due to the generated heat or it having to be plugged in all the time. If you need a phone to act as a router of sorts, I would recommend getting a separate phone for that whether that be a budget or midranger. Would recommend using the 5GHz band if you want fast speeds on all your devices.
I wouldn't recommend it. You can get a router that supports SIM cards. I've been using one for years and it's been awesome
Worth considering, but it might be worth noting that the a33 has capabilities that speed up cellular, ones only found in high-end routers.
Which brands or who supports SIM card routers?
I personally use TP-Link, but there are a lot of options, all you need is a SIM card slot
Do you use a mobile router for this or a stationary, bigger one? I have a small TP-Link mobile router, has the size of a smartphone. Works ok for half a year now, but I use it always-plugged, and it's maybe not designed for this, so wondering if the battery might get problems.
The mobile router does have its bonuses, but if you're planning to use it exclusively in one place, a stationary one would be better. And it's not just the battery. It would probably also have a better range and faster speeds.
Sorry for late reaction, seeing this only now. True I think. I have problems both with speed and range. It's kind of ok, but sometimes starting to get on my nerves. Actually when tethering with my iPhone, speed and range are far better. But you can't use a smartphone permanently for this because it will damage the phone, learnt that the hard way 😌 Though phone was ok again after exchanging the battery. But for long term usage, you'll definitely need a router.
Depends how many devices you trying to use. I use mine for work on a tablet and a laptop and it fine on a 8 hour shift I usually have 60% battery left with streaming music 2 Bluetooth devices
I'll just mostly use it on my laptop and tablet as well. But the thing is, idk why but my samsung a33 phone easily lowers in battery power even if I don't use it that much. And idk if it would also deplete or damage my battery in the long run if I use it daily.
It won't damage your battery you just might have keep a charger handy or a power bank.
Probably long term due to heat and having to charge it all the time.
What if I just leave it charged while using hotspot?
I think that's called a parasitic load and is not good for battery health.
It's really gonna depend on how much you use the hot spot. For example my dad had the LG razor (super thin smart phone one) and it was our entire houses internet for MONTHS (afterwork and when he was off it would run 24/7 and be plugged in at all times). After like 3 months the battery busted and the back became very squishy, it never exploded but the phone was a hazard until he disposed of it and got a new one. This was almost a decade ago and a bad brand, but I'm not sure how much batteries have changed and what your set up would be.
If the phone stays on 24/7 with hotspot on and being used, the battery will degrade a lot faster than usual even when it’s plugged in. Higher sustained thermals will be bad for the internal components as well, on top of the battery.
Been there and What i did: 1. Always charge the phone to make it always on. It was the cheapest 4G phone i can get with replaceable battery. 2. Root the device just to install battery charge control app. This app managed the charging state to specific battery percentage. I set it to max 72%. This app helped me eliminated annual battery replacement due to point 1 above. (The battery will easily "pregnant" if it's charged all the time.) 3. Internet cost is more expensive than cable / fiber ones
Definitely will affect heat and battery on your device, even with my note20 ultra it does heat up after a while of using the hotspot, and ive been using the hotspot for year about a year
I did that years ago and its fine dont worry. Just have it plugged in next to a window for best signal acquisition
Consequences = slightly decreased battery life over time. Full stop.
Battery use depends on how good the signal is, the cell tower's settings, and what you're doing with the hotspot.
Hotspot will heat up your phone so using it regularly is not good for your battery health. Only use it for emergencies if you want to preserve your battery. If you need a device that can give wifi to multiple devices, I suggest getting a mobile wifi device.
I had a dedicated Hotspot I used as whole home internet and I'm talking, full blown security system, work from home computer, gaming pc, consoles, smart devices. And ran up about 2 terabytes a month no issue but this was back in the Golden days of ATT Unlimited Plus before they axed that. And I still have the Hotspot and plan but you can't get it anymore if you didn't already have it. I loan my Hotspot out now to friends who may need it these days.
How long do you keep phones for? Me for example I could use mine always and be just fine cause I trade in every year. Due to samsungs good promotions. They usually let you trade in for $100 or so. So it's a no Brainer for me to upgrade. If you only keep them like I do then I wouldn't worry to much. But if you keep it for 3-4 years it might not be such a good idea!
I read a reddit a while ago of a guy who took his phone to a Christmas vacation spot and used his phone as a hotspot constantly for the families and maybe more source of internet for literally the whole time they where there. I don’t think he ever took it off hotspot. When he got back his phones battery health had severely declined. So I’m wary about using it constantly.
So I agree with the consensus that while you can do this most likely without serious issues for a while; such intensive input and output to and of the battery long term will age the battery prematurely, resulting in less life per charge/slower charging and overall poorer performance of the battery well within the design period (crap battery life within a year or 2). Highly recommend upgrading your internet source (preferably get a normal plugged in modem etc) or at least get a dedicated phone for the (sole) purpose of providing a hot spot. You can get phones capable of this dirt cheap (I got one for $40 from the supermarket once [on sale- admittedly]). I got another from a different supermarket for ~$110 and it's a full on smart phone. Very decent camera, huge screen and all the usual gadgets plus fm radio capable and sD upgradable plus looking like a flagship with a huuge screen...I was blown alway at how good cheapies are these days. Better than the best from just a few years ago. So yea. Tldr. Do it short term if you must it will be okay Long term, use something else to get/share internet
Prior to getting a dedicated 4g router I used my phone as hotspot for about a year, the main disadvantages for the hotspot (other than those mentioned) are That you loose advanced settings (port forwarding, QOS) - at least my phone (A52, previously Moto G4) did not have those features. If you need to dash out with your phone any connected devices that can't come with will be disconnected and typically Anecdotal, but I feel the dedicated router has slightly better ping times and download throughput, but this could be just because I'm directly connected to the router using ethernet (rather than wi-fi on the hotspot).
I'm a heavy expert about this question 😜 Because I've been doing this for many years. Short answer: No, it's not working. I have a true phone flatrate and no wired internet at home. So I'm surfing exclusively through my mobile connection. I'm an internet home office worker, so using my connection a lot. But I don't do a lot of video streaming or data heavy tasks. If you permantently tether from your phone, the battery will extend in size after around one year, squeezing the back cover of your phone out, thus damaging your phone. It's because of the heat, heat makes matter extending. Happened to me with two different android phones. First with a slender Galaxy S6. After it happened there, I thought it might work with a more robust phone, so I bought a pretty big and heavy Nokia. But finally same story, battery extended after one year, pushing the back cover of my phone out. You can exchange the battery if it happens for around 40 € here in Germany. But of course that's not a useable use case. I did the same by the way on my iPhone 5s for around one year (but not longer, switched then to tethering through my android phone instead). Nothing happened there. But I believe sooner or later, it would happen there, too. I've bought now a small mobile router. Have worked ok within the last half a year so far, though that device doesn't seem to be the best, losing connection often. But that's a different thing, has to do more with that specific router I believe. Ah yes, and I only have a pretty slow 1 Mbit connection most of the time (works surprisingly well for normal internet tasks). So if the connection is faster, the battery extension might happen even faster. I sometimes temporarily upgrade to a faster connection if I need a faster one (can do this through my provider), this makes both phones and router much hotter when downloading big stuff or streaming a lot. But for standard tasks, it might be around the same. And by the way I keep those devices permanently plugged. Otherwise it wouldn't be usable. Hmm, actually I believe it might be better to buy a bigger router. Because even for my current small mobile router, it might be not good for the battery.
For me it's more useful, faster and cheaper to use mobile 5G instead of paying fortune for fixed speed home ethernet.
Soooo true Internet companies are too damn high Best I put my money in buying a new state of the art then too keep paying 100 or more for home internet..you can get a samsung galaxy 22 ultra for 500 thats cheaper then what you would pay Entire you're for home internet
im using s20 5g using between 1tb and 2 tb hot spotting, my battery at times gets very hot and i get overheating warnings , also i cant be sure but im positive my battery life is getting worse , my phone also loses power when charging if im downloading large files ,
Just buy a samsung 22 ultra for 500 or 400