Looking to buy phone to use as hotspot

[csaba81]

I don't want to use a dedicated portable hotspot. My only restriction is I'm not going to buy a Chinese owned brand phone (Huwawei, Xiaomi etc). Made in China is fine (let's face it, most brands are).

 

Aside from this I guess compact size and ruggedness are a plus. Strong transmission of the WiFI signal is obviously important but there's no way to know which phone is better.

 

 

[bignok]

Can't you use your existing phone? I suggest Samsung.

[KannikaP]

Why a dedicated phone.

Why not Huawei or Xaomei. My Huawei has been faultless for 5 years.

If dedicated, why do size, compactness and ruggedness matter?

As Bignok says, use the one youve got.

[scubascuba3]

Just use existing or old phone or tablet

[scottiejohn]

Using a phone as a hotspot on a semi permanent basis will kill it's battery in no time.   

Why "I don't want to use a dedicated portable hotspot."  They are cheap and easy to use!

[JoseThailand]

Some phones, like Xiaomi, simply can't be used as a hotspot. I couldn't make mine work as a hotspot with a True sim card.

Edited June 4, 2023 by JoseThailand

[Mickeymaus]

Not sure for what you need the Internet for other devices. But if it is for instance for a notebook it is a better idea to use USB Tethering instead of a Hotspot if your devices allow this. What is this? You can find information for instance here:

 

https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/difference-between-usb-tethering-and-mobile-hotspot/

[csaba81]

16 minutes ago, scottiejohn said:

Using a phone as a hotspot on a semi permanent basis will kill it's battery in no time.   

Why "I don't want to use a dedicated portable hotspot."  They are cheap and easy to use!

Exactly. Don't want to wear out my s21 doing hotspot duties.

 

Don't like dedicated hotspots because you have to pull the Sim out every time you want to renew your plan. 

 

 

[scottiejohn]

4 minutes ago, csaba81 said:

Exactly. Don't want to wear out my s21 doing hotspot duties.

 

Don't like dedicated hotspots because you have to pull the Sim out every time you want to renew your plan. 

 

 

Buy a one year sim!

 

PS;  it might help if you say how much data per day/month and where and how you intend to use it!

Edited June 4, 2023 by scottiejohn
PS Added

[ozimoron]

2 minutes ago, csaba81 said:

Exactly. Don't want to wear out my s21 doing hotspot duties.

 

Don't like dedicated hotspots because you have to pull the Sim out every time you want to renew your plan.

In AIS at least they have terminals that you can just enter the phone number and feed it money to top up.

[csaba81]

36 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Just use existing or old phone or tablet

Now I understand why you have 20,000 posts

[csaba81]

43 minutes ago, bignok said:

Can't you use your existing phone? I suggest Samsung.

I have an expensive Samsung phone and using it as a hotspot all the time isn't good. Better to use a cheap phone.

[csaba81]

7 minutes ago, scottiejohn said:

Buy a one year sim!

I would if i hung around TL all the time ????

[csaba81]

44 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Why a dedicated phone.

Why not Huawei or Xaomei. My Huawei has been faultless for 5 years.

If dedicated, why do size, compactness and ruggedness matter?

As Bignok says, use the one youve got.

I don't buy anything from a Chinese owned company if i can avoid it.

[KannikaP]

3 minutes ago, csaba81 said:

I don't buy anything from a Chinese owned company if i can avoid it.

Chinese food?

There's most of your electrical goods as well. 

Edited June 4, 2023 by KannikaP

[Celsius]

Xiaomi is overheating garbage, but why not Huawei?

[Olmate]

2 minutes ago, Celsius said:

Xiaomi is overheating garbage, but why not Huawei?

He,s an Ozzie? 

[HappyExpat57]

Research a pocket wifi.

[Mickeymaus]

The question is why not buy something like a SIM card router? But if you do be careful. There is a lot of scrap on the market. Somebody wrote a very long story about SIM card routers here in this forum. The topic was if I remember correctly "Your experience with SIM card routers". 

[Fat is a type of crazy]

When covid happened I used a work iphone or ipad as a hotspot for the work computer and all online needs that can be used at the same time as well as making calls if necessary and it has been fine. 

Edited June 4, 2023 by Fat is a type of crazy

[recom273]

29 minutes ago, csaba81 said:

I have an expensive Samsung phone and using it as a hotspot all the time isn't good. Better to use a cheap phone.

Why not buy a decent sim router

 

I like this company https://www.gl-inet.com they are based in HK, Its run by an English guy. Support and products are spot on and intuitive.

[scubascuba3]

39 minutes ago, csaba81 said:

Now I understand why you have 20,000 posts

just common sense which you seem to be lacking 

[sungod]

13 minutes ago, Mickeymaus said:

The question is why not buy something like a SIM card router? But if you do be careful. There is a lot of scrap on the market. Somebody wrote a very long story about SIM card routers here in this forum. The topic was if I remember correctly "Your experience with SIM card routers". 

Bought a TP link router (1500 THB) which took a sim card (DTAC 1500 THB for 1 year, max speed 30mbps)

 

3 grand all in, cheap as chips, streams TV.

 

Fast enough for what I want in a second condo.

Edited June 4, 2023 by sungod

[Mickeymaus]

4 minutes ago, recom273 said:

Why not buy a decent sim router

 

I like this company https://www.gl-inet.com they are based in HK, Its run by an English guy. Support and products are spot on and intuitive.

There is a lot on Shopee and Lazada.

[Mickeymaus]

1 minute ago, sungod said:

Bought a TP link router (1500) which took a sim card (DTAC 1500, max 30mbps)

 

3 grand all in, cheap as chips, streams TV.

 

Fast enough for what I want in a second condo.

Yes, if possible look for something with a brand name. But even then you have to understand things like CAT 4, CAT 6 or whatever and the frequency bands it can handle. 

[scottiejohn]

1 minute ago, Mickeymaus said:

even then you have to understand things like CAT 4, CAT 6

He is talking MOBILE Wi-Fi not ethernet cables!!

[recom273]

13 minutes ago, scottiejohn said:

He is talking MOBILE Wi-Fi not ethernet cables!!

Are you serious? 

[recom273]

20 minutes ago, Mickeymaus said:

Yes, if possible look for something with a brand name. But even then you have to understand things like CAT 4, CAT 6 or whatever and the frequency bands it can handle. 

 

There was some great threads about sim routers in this forum, like you say the different generations and stream aggregation, one guy really knew his stuff.

[Mickeymaus]

16 minutes ago, scottiejohn said:

He is talking MOBILE Wi-Fi not ethernet cables!!

In this case it has nothing at all to do with ethernet cables. I know, it is confusing. But CAT whatever is used for wireless phone/data connections too. 

[norbra]

I was using a 4g cheap phone from AIS,worked perfectly as a dedicated hot spot with a DTAC 30mbps sim

Lava 550