“Hi. Chris Parker here, founder and CEO of WhatIsMyIPAddress. This is Step 2 of the Safepath 5-Step Challenge. This step usually amazes people because they didn’t realize it was right under their thumbs the whole time.”
Get an Instant, Secure Connection for your Laptop By Creating a Private Hot Spot with Your Cell Phone
Your iPhone or Android Can provide a secure wireless signal in seconds.
Consider this dilemma.
You’re in a restaurant with your laptop and you want to check your work emails. The place you’re in offers free Wi-Fi, but you know it’s open to everyone and not a secure connection. And, you have to send off some very confidential information. You know you shouldn’t risk it, but…
Any security and privacy expert will warn you about using your laptop on an unsecure wireless connection, and virtually all public Wi-Fi hot spots are unsecure.
The solution may already be in hand in the shape of your smartphone. And one simple trick solves your dilemma.
Instead of using the unsecure public Wi-Fi, create your own private, secure Wi-Fi hot spot to connect to the internet using your smart phone. And don’t worry, no one will be able to use your hot spot without a password.
Creating Your Own Secure Wi-Fi Hotspot is Easy. Here’s How.
Find the related instructions below for your device type.
Get your iPhone and your laptop and turn both on.
On your iPhone:
Touch the Settings app on your phone. You’ll see Personal Hotspot icon toward the top (and you’ll see if it is off or on).- Touch the Personal Hotspot icon to the Personal Hotspot page.
- At the top of the Personal Hotspot page, touch the white (off) button to turn it on (it goes green when on.) It it’s already green, your hot spot is already on.
- Make note of the Personal Hotspot password on the page.
Note: Your phone’s Wi-Fi signal will be the name of your iPhone, such as “David’s iPhone”
On your laptop:
- Click on the Network icon at the top of your screen.
- Click on the name of your Personal Hotspot on the list of available wireless networks.
- Enter the password from the Personal Hotspot page.
- Open your favorite browser.
- When finished, turn Wi-Fi off on both devices.
Note: You can let others use your Personal Hotspot by giving them the password.
IMPORTANT: Be aware that you’ll be using your data from your mobile phone plan. Do your most urgent work, then wait until you can find a secure network.
Get your iPhone and your laptop and turn both on.
On your iPhone.
Find your phone’s Settings app and open it up.- First tap Network & internet, then Hotspot & tethering.
- Tap and turn on Wi-Fi hotspot.
On your laptop.
- Open your laptop’s list of Wi-Fi options.
- Find your phone’s hotspot name.
- Enter your phone’s hotspot password.
- Click Connect.
Up to 10 other devices can connect to your Wi-Fi hotspot. Android refers to using your phone to set up a hotspot at tethering. Note: These are instructions for Android 9, which may work for most Androids. If you have another version, look can look for help on this website.
Note: You may want to ask your carrier if they will charge you extra for tethering.
Step 2 is complete when you:
- Learned how to turn on the hotspot feature on your iphone or Android
- Connected your laptop to your phone’s hotspot instead of unsecure Wi-Fi