Can I connect my laptop to my mobile internet data connection?

Lolli101

Hi clever users

Need help on this please. I don't have home broadband only got my mobile so is it possible if I turn on my mobile data internet connection can I set up my laptop to get on the internet via my mobile???

Sorry if its a stupid question but I've not had a computer since 2008 and its all so new now, tethering, sharing etc etc...

My son and I got our laptops on Monday, his is running smooth and I've already done something wrong and got problems!!

sealady

Yes you can, what you need to do on your phone is turn on Hot Spot and you can use it like that. What phone do you have?

bluesnake

often you can, but not on all phones. 2 ways turn phone unto hotspot, or use usb wire

Some providers do not allow it

Some may bill you big £

often there is a data limit. Even on my old virgin sim with a 1gig p/m data limt, was 1 gig divided by 30 day, and the peak was either 45meg per day anything over costs £. So be aware of auto updates of s/w and pictures

booler

I am doing precisely this right now because my Virgin Cable connection is down. I can connect (tether) using a USB cable connected between my phone and my PC. It should be an option in your phone's "Wireless and Internet" settings.

Lolli101

Thanks Sealady, Bluesnake and Booler.

I have Samsung Galaxy 3.

Just found on the laptop instructions to tether mobile either via USB or bluetooth or by turning it into Wi-Fi hotspot.

Think I'll read everything thoroughly before attempting anything so I don't do it wrong. Vodafone have an offer of extra 2GB a month for £10 thinking thats not a bad price to add to my plan so I wouldn't need broadband installed.

tyllwyd

If you and your son have both got new laptops, you might easily find that you get through a lot more data than you expect - if it is possible to do, I'd say that you are likely to save money & hassle by setting up broadband over your landline from the start.

[Deleted User]

Lolli101 wrote: »

Vodafone have an offer of extra 2GB a month for £10 thinking thats not a bad price to add to my plan so I wouldn't need broadband installed.

I think what you are proposing is rather for emergencies than for everyday internet use. As others have said, exceeding your data limit regularly is bound to cost far more than having a normal broadband connection fitted in your home.

Lifeforms

I did it on 3gb a month limit for about a month whilst I had moved and was waiting for a line to activate and broadband BUT i struggled, I found even basic browsing would take up a fair bit eventually. It's more for an out an about occasionally use, as well as an emergency no net at home for a few hrs/days.

Voda do allow tethering after x contacts, some stupid year or something, and you can buy extra data packs, but they don't carry over at the end of the month. I would suggest that you look at getting home broadband put in, or seek out a mifi typed unit and buy data card of reasonable levels. £10 depending where you get a card could easily get you 3GB or maybe 5GB for both of you to use.

booler

I agree that this is not the best way to get a connection and there are suppliers who will give you broadband for £10 a month or not much more. Having said that, I used it yesterday for about two or three hours and it was perfectly OK for email and stuff like that. The problem arises when you try to do anything that is data hungry. I noticed that it really struggled with YouTube.

Lolli101

Oh dear I feel like I've been given a good telling off by the clever folk after asking advice!!!! Maybe thats my fault for just asking a question without giving background information as to how the question evolved??
I hear you tyllwyd, Moneyineptitude, Lifeforms and booler loud and clear and potentially agree with you all that its not the best solution for home internet however currently 'needs must'.
I currently get with Vodafone 1GB a month and uptil mid Nov it was plenty. Then my Mum didn't have anywhere to live after selling her house, she didn't have enough funds to purchase 100% of a property so thankful to my mobile I started researching part rent -part ownership property. To say my mobile is 'slow' isn't the word for it, snail like, its filled with council, housing association, leasehold documents in pdf format and so many other pdf letter templates after finfing this fab site.
Long story, short, I moved her in my sons room mid March after Virgin Media had failed to install internet etc 7th March, she had no TV to watch, all her posessions in storage so Virgin did two further pre install checks and 19th April another failed installation! Still waiting to hear from them but I don't think I should be the one to sort it out, still no TV etc while I wait.
Didn't want to go to BT after Mum was with them since the 70's and when it came to final bill 4th March I tried to pay some but argued other charges, made a complaint, didn't hear anything apart from 'your info has been given to debt agents' so I decided to post my BT complaints on MSE and I finally had a BT Forum Moderator fix the issue and I'm now considering BT.
In the meantime I've added 2GB extra a month for £10.00 with Vodafone giving me 3024GB a month and considering my total monthly usage since mid Nov has been between 1GB and 2GB, I think its a fine short term answer and I'm not tied into a contract.
I did research comparables and Virgin were offering a minimum 2 month contract for £15.32 a month for 3GB plan, about what I'm paying.

Anyway sorry for this long winded post but felt I needed to justify my reasoning. Thanks for all your comments, I know you're all money saving fans so your advise was to try and guide me so I didn't waste money, for that kindness I'm thankful.

Oh by the way my sons got monthly unlimited internet so hes alright and Mums just had home internet installed so I'll be going round there to log in.

Thanks guys. X

Lolli101

Oh forgot to say I did manage to get on the internet after my earlier post and your instructions, quite proud of myself. :T