How to create your own portable wireless hotspot

When you don’t have access to a fixed broadband connection, it can sometimes be really handy to have your own portable wireless connection.

Sure – you can get a USB dongle for Internet access, but that’s not always the right solution. Here’s why a portable wi-fi hotspot could be the answer:

Why use a portable wi-fi hotspot?

• It creates a wireless hotspot, so that any wi-fi device can connect
• Handy for iPod Touch, games consoles, and portable devices without a USB slot
• Lets up to 5 devices connect to the Internet at the same time (try doing that with a USB dongle)
• It’s portable, so you can place it near a window for a better signal, and surf elsewhere
• An alternative to mobile phone tethering (connecting a mobile phone to a laptop

How to get a portable wi-fi hotspot

The product you’re looking for, goes my the name of “MiFi” – These are combined modems and wi-fi  access points. They contain a slot for a mobile phone SIM card, and then a SIM card is inserted, they connect to the mobile Internet and make that connection available to any wi-fi device that wants to connect in.

Leading the field in off-the-shelf MiFi products, is 3. They sell a well-specced MiFi unit that’s supplied with a 3 mobile phone SIM card, and some pre-loaded with a data allowance. You buy the MiFi modem for a one-off cost, then top up as needed. The screen on the MiFi tells you how much data you’re using, which helps work out when you’re approaching your limit.

The MiFi adapter is available from 3 stores, or online from http://www.three.co.uk/Mobile_Broadband

MiFi Portable Wireless Hotspot from 3

How does it work?

The MiFi box acts as a wireless modem – it connects to the mobile phone network and lets you access the Mobile Internet. Your wi-fi device can connect to the Mi-fi device as if it was connecting to a fixed Wi-fi access point., The Mifi works with:

• Laptops and Netbooks (Windows, Mac or Linux)
• Smartphones
• Media devices with wi-fi, such as the iPod Touch
• Games consoles with wi-fi (including the Nintendo Wii and Nintendo 3DS)
• Amazon Kindle eBook reader
• Pretty much anything that connects to the net using wi-fi

How much does it cost?

You have two choices:

• Pay-as-you-go: A one-off cost for the modem – typically between £50 and £70. Then you pay for the data on a top-up basis
• Contact: Get the modem free on a rolling monthly contract. At the time of writing, £16 a month gets you a free modem and 6GB of data a month

Obviously, for occasional use, and for those not into contracts, the Pay-as-you-go option works well. At the time of writing, costs for topping up a 3 MiFi are:

• 500Meg = £5
• 120Meg a day = 50p

To check current prices, go to the  3 Mobile Internet site

Alternatives?

The MiFi from 3 offers an easy off-the-shelf solution, and oddly, most of the other network operators don’t offer similar products, which you might think ties you to the 3 network.

There are other options though:

The 3 MiFi shown above is SIM-locked to the 3 network, but you can buy unlocked versions that you can use on any network – We found the Unlocked Wireless Modem Huawei E585 at Amazon

We’re using a different MiFi modem – the Novatel Wireless MiFi-2352, which supports any network. It’s slightly more expensive, as it’s not operator-branded or subsidised, but it’s a good modem. We’ve tested it with a variety of SIM cards, with good results. It supports 3G and EDGE, and is great at holding a decent mobile Internet signal. It also supports multiple profiles, so it great if you need to swap SIM cards.

Novatel MiFi 2352 with a SIM Card

We’ve used the Novatel MiFi with an o2 and a 3 SIM card. We also un derstand that the Mi-Fi with a GiffGaff SIM card, but as one of the comments below points out, you’re not supposed to use a GiffGaff SIM card in any device other than a mobile phone – a shame, as the GiffGaff cards offer unlimited Internet access.

Mi-fi Summary

The MiFi solution offers a good way of getting mobile data using wi-fi – we’ve been using the solution for a couple of years now, with no problems. The only issue worth bearing in mind, is batter life. Unlike a USB dongle, they rely on a rechargeable batter (or a mains adapter), so make sure you’re fully charged before you travel.

Got a Mi-Fi? Please add your comments below…