Make a Wi-Fi Hotspot with your Cell Phone
by Chris Guld, www.GeeksOnTour.com
If you’ve been reading my posts here – you probably know that you can tether your cellphone (if it’s the right model with the right service) to your computer. Tethering your cellphone to your computer will give you Internet Access on that computer. What you may not know is that you can tether it to a router as well.
The Cradlepoint cellular router is very popular among RVers. Most people use it for their Data Cards. Plug the data card into the router and configure the router for your hotspot. Now several computers can use that same Internet connection. The router that we have will accept a Data Card, an Ethernet cable from DSL or Cable Internet, or a cell phone USB connection.
While we are parked for the season at Paradise Island RV Park in Fort Lauderdale, Florida – we decided to spoil ourselves and get a month-to-month DSL Internet connection. The telephone cable comes in from the post outside (the yellow cable) and plugs into the modem and then to our Cradlepoint router. The Cradlepoint creates a wireless network called ‘GeeksOnTour.’ We can both connect to that network and we have Internet supplied by the DSL cable.
We’re on the road right now, headed toward Holiday Travel Resort in Leesburg, Florida where we are presenting some computer classes. Then, on to the FMCA Southeast Area Rally in Brooksville, Florida. As we pulled into our overnight site at Thousand Trails, Orlando – I felt a bit of panic. I don’t have my DSL Internet here! I called Verizon before we left Fort Lauderdale and asked that they turn on the Mobile Broadband Connect feature for the two weeks we’ll be gone ($49/mo) but I was wondering if I would remember how to get it set up. I knew I had to plug the special cable into the phone, and then into the USB port on the Cradlepoint – but there must be something more?
Amazing! As soon as I plugged the phone into the router – the phone started sending and receiving data. I turned on my computer – it automatically connected to the GeeksOnTour network – and I was browsing away. Every once in a while, technology just works, and it is good! Of course, I’m sure I owe this simplicity to the real geek of the house, my husband Jim, who decided which router to buy and set it up in the first place.
Jim recently got the Droid phone from Verizon and he has successfully tethered it to his computer via something called PDANet. But, it doesn’t work to tether it to the Cradlepoint. He’s still working on it. I’m holding out for the Palm Pre Plus or Pixi Plus which will have the ability to be a Wi-Fi Hotspot without plugging into anything!
More Computer Education for Travelers at www.GeeksOnTour.com.
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Will the CTR 350 router work also?
Excellent post. I’ll be buying one of these.
Chris has it right. We recently got a Cradlepoint 350 that accepts both wired and wireless connections, and with our Verizon “air card” connect it to the ISP. The cradlepoint works as a hotspot. We think that we have excellent neighbors in the campgrounds we visit, but one can never be confident that campers and nearby neighbors won’t hitch a free ride, or worse, invade your system, so you can use the security features to make the cradlepoint router safe.
Both of us now access the ‘net simultaneously.
Harris
Thanks Chris. We have a Cradelpoint but didn’t know it was that versatile. Good post!
We just got a Verizon Mi-Fi $60 a month and you can carry with you and commects to laptop and no wiring needed. The size of a fat credit card. Plan on taking it camping with us.
This is a great post, I use my cell phone to hook up to the internet when camping and get the unlimited internet service from my cell phone company for and additional $9.95 a month. There is only 1 catch, if you use too much band width you will get caught and they will terminate your internet service on you cell phone. Myself and my wife has had no problems, just when the children get on the internet via cell phone they like to play games and download different applications. The cell phone companies know that people are using there cell phones to connect to the internet via laptop or desktop, however I do not think the know how to eliminate the use. Just for your info I have US Cellular with a motorola phone and attach my cell phone via usb cable, then add it as a modem, then have the computer dial *99# with no password or user name. I hope this info helps someone out, just do not abuse the service. The new 3g network is decent speed also with the cell phone.
HAPPY CAMPING/RVING
Hey Bill Toon,
Hey Bill Toon,
I purchased one of those plug in modules from Verizon, they issued me a cell number, and now I have unlimited, yes UNLIMITED internet usage for about $55 a month. It is a great peace of mind to be able to just log on and your good to go.
What a great posting, with the Olympics coming up many people are going to want to do something like this when they come up to Canada. Whistler RV Park and Campground is expecting a lot of RVer’s to fill the park and this might help to get some extra bandwidth to the those who want to stay connected to the internet while they are on site.
Still time to make an Olympic reservation: http://www.whistlerrvpark.com
J. McCartney
I used tethered Alltel cell phone last year all over AZ and NV with no problems. This year Alltel is Verizon and tethered phone works half the time at best in same locations. Apparently Verizon is not interested in keeping up that capability. Plus, the price of tethering the phone doubled from $30 to $60. I dropped the tethering capability from my phone service.
Hi… I have been using a CradlePoint CTR350 which is low cost and a very small router package ~(3″x2.5″x3/4″). We use it in the MH as well as the car when traveling by car. It supports upto 16 wi-fi connections although if your on the 3G network it’s best to keep it down to a few connections. It also has a Ethernet jack so you can use it in a location where you have Ethernet but no wi-fi to create a wi-fi hot-spot. All the router security functions work great. I have a Moto R3v phone and it connects directly to the router via USB without any additional setup. Plus I can place and answer cell phone calls while others are surfing the web. I guess this is more of an AT&T feature. I pay a $9.95 monthly fee for unlimited data usage. So far we have been very pleased. The kids can play their stuff and I can check email etc. Works well even when driving — depending on your 3g coverage area of course.
WMWiFiRouter turned my ATT HTC PURE into a HOT SPOT ROUTER and a TETHER of any sort. WAY COOL…. Just keep it plugged into the ELECTRICITY grid.
thats very interesting. You can use Superbox for any android phone thats 2.2 or above. I’ll explain.. I have been tethering for awhile. My metroPCS doesnt offer 3G service, only 4G but theres a special phone thats too expensive. Otherwise I would make my cell a wifi hotspot. You seem like you want to do that. The phone may matter but mostly any android before 2.2 can’t do it. I think 2.1 can with an app called Barnacle. Otherwise if you have android 2.2 you can go into settings and the option should be there to create a hotspot. If it isn’t, you can use an app called Superbox and you can go into its settings and create a password protected wifi hotspot for your computer to use your cell’s internet. Another alternative to Superbox is quick settings I believe. I don’t know if any of this will help you or not. Or if I didn’t read through well enough.
bit costly