What The Tech: What is the safest way to connect to a hotspot?
BY JAMEY TUCKER, Consumer Technology Reporter
Two weeks without internet pass very slowly. Due to an ice storm, my home internet went down.
I spent two weeks doing some of my work at a nearby coffee shop, but at home, I did what most people do. I connected my laptop to the internet through my phone’s WiFi hotspot.
It was slower. Once during a Zoom meeting, the video froze and the connection was reset. Hotspot WiFi works but it isn’t always great. I honestly had never noticed an alternative option and when I asked others, they didn’t know
about it either. It’s called USB tethering. And it’s one of the easiest tech tricks you can learn.
Why USB Tethering Is Better Than a WiFi Hotspot
When you connect your laptop to your phone over WiFi, you’re creating a small wireless network. That works fine in many situations, but it has limitations.
The same is true if you’re connecting to public WiFi in a coffee shop or airport. A wired connection offers some real advantages: It’s faster and more stable. There’s no wireless interference. It doesn’t matter if there are two people or twenty trying to connect at the same time.
And, most importantly, it’s more secure.
When you use a WiFi hotspot, your phone is broadcasting a network that other devices nearby can see. Even if it’s password-protected, it’s still visible. With a wired connection, nothing is being broadcast. It’s private.
It’s also better for your battery. Running a wireless hotspot drains your phone fast. When you use a USB cable, your phone charges while it’s connected to your laptop.
How to Set It Up on an iPhone
1. Turn off WiFi on the computer so it doesn’t automatically connect to a known network.
2. Plug your iPhone into your laptop using a certified USB cable.
Your Mac or PC should automatically recognize the phone as a wired internet connection. If
your laptop tries to connect over WiFi instead, turn WiFi off so it uses the wired connection.
How to Set It Up on an Android Phone
1. Plug your phone into your laptop using a USB cable.
2. Open Settings.
3. Tap Network and Internet.
4. Tap Hotspot and Tethering.
5. Turn on USB tethering.
That’s it. No WiFi network to search for. No password to type into your computer.
When This Is Especially Useful
This trick is helpful any time your home internet goes down. It’s also great in hotels, airports, or coffee shops where public WiFi may be slow or less secure.
Instead of connecting your laptop to public WiFi, you can use your phone’s cellular connection through a wired connection.
You may not need this today. But when you do need it, it can save you a lot of frustration.
