Set up an Android phone as a WiFi hotspot - how it works

To share the data connection of your Android smartphone with other devices, you can set up a personal WiFi hotspot. So you can connect your laptop to the Internet even when no other free WiFi network is available or you don't trust public access.

Create a WiFi hotspot with your Android smartphone

This tip refers to Android 5 with the Samsung Galaxy Alpha and the LG G6 with Android 7. The individual steps for instructions can also be found at the end of the article in our picture gallery.

1. Open the "Settings" on the smartphone that is to act as a WiFi hotspot.
2. Under "Network Connections" or "Connections" there is the option "Tethering and mobile hotspot".
3. Via the item "Mobile hotspot" you can access the setup of the WLAN network.
4. Now you can either tap on an existing hotspot profile or configure a new WiFi hotspot using the three dots at the top right.
5. Set a network SSID - for example "My Hotspot" - and a password with a minimum length of eight characters.
6. Note: We recommend the encryption type "WPA2 PSK" under "Security". You should only set up an open network in absolute exceptional cases.
7. Now you can search for and connect to the WiFi hotspot using the device you want to use to access the Internet.
8. On many devices, you can also find the hotspot option in the notification bar when you pull it down.
9. Eight to ten devices are normally permitted. The exact number depends on the manufacturer.
10. Also note that the option consumes a lot of battery and your smartphone will be charged accordingly.

Use Bluetooth connection to share smartphone data connection

The Bluetooth connection can also be shared wirelessly to access the Internet. However, this type of connection is very slow, has a shorter range and should only be used if the WiFi hotspot function is not available.

1. Go back to "Settings" and the menu item "Tethering and mobile hotspot".
2. Check "Bluetooth tethering".
3. Now you have to make your smartphone visible under "Bluetooth" so that it can be found by the device that requires an internet connection.
4. This option is not quite as hungry for electricity as the WiFi hotspot, but it is tiring slow.

We will show you how to protect your smartphone in public WiFi in the next article.

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Go to "Tethering and mobile hotspot" in the "Settings" menu.

Here is the "Mobile Hotspot" option.

You can configure the WiFi hotspot by pressing an existing hotspot or the three dots at the top right.

Enter a WiFi name and set a password. You can then activate the hotspot and connect up to 10 devices to it.