With an Internet dongle we can take the Internet with us and connect a laptop or any desktop PC, taking advantage of the data offer included in the SIM inserted inside it. An internet key (or Internet Key ) cannot normally be used on a smartphone (Android, iPhone or others) or on a tablet, limiting its possibility of use very much. In order to use the Internet stick with tablets and mobile phones we will have to use some special precautions, so that we can connect any device via Wi-Fi to it (including non-compatible PCs, with an operating system other than Windows and a Smart TV).
In this guide we will show you all the methods to use the Internet stick with tablets and mobile phones, transforming it into a portable access point wherever we are (even outside the home).
Use the Internet stick with tablets and mobile phones
In general, there should be no limitations in the use of the internet connection of a USB stick, but it is always worth checking the type of active data offer, so as not to run into nasty surprises while browsing; in this regard, we advise you to read our guide to the internet offers for rechargeable SIM, so as to choose the best one for our needs (at the moment Iliad beats everyone)Modem with USB port
The first method to properly exploit the keys is to connect one behind our modem or router at home, using the USB port on the back of the connection device.
By connecting the USB Internet stick to the port, we will be able to benefit from a backup connection whenever the ADSL or fiber optic network is not available, so as to always remain connected. Obviously the modem / router in question must be compatible with the stick and support the Internet connection from it. Once the key is connected to the modem, simply connect the tablet or smartphone to the Wi-Fi network generated by the device to be able to browse using the data offer (if there are no other telephone or fiber cable connections).
The best modems or routers with USB port and Internet stick support are:
- TP-Link TL-MR3420 3G / 4G Wireless Router (29 €)
- D-Link DWR-116 Multi WAN Router, Wireless N300 (32 €)
- AVM Fritz! Box 4020 International Wireless Router N 450 (51 €)
- Asus DSL-AC55U Gigabit Modem Wireless Router AC1200 (79 €)
- AVM FRITZ! Box 7590 International Modem Router (207 €)
Portable LTE modems
If we want to connect multiple devices to the LTE USB key when we are away from home, we will have to focus on the LTE portable modems, so that we can connect the key in our possession and create our itinerant Wi-Fi network, to which we can connect tablets, smartphones and any other device compatible with wireless connections.
These portable modems offer a USB port to connect the LTE key or, on the more advanced models, allow you to directly insert the SIM data inside them, so as to personally manage the connection to the cellular data network and the creation of the hotspot to let everyone navigate the devices; to this we add the presence of an internal battery, so you can surf the Internet without the need for an electrical outlet.
The best LTE portable modems are:
- GL.iNET GL-MT300N-V2 Mini Travel Router (22 €)
- GL.iNet GL-AR150-Ext-2 Mini Travel Router (28 €)
- TP-Link TL-WR902AC Nano Router AC750 Wi-Fi (34 €)
- D-Link DWR-932 Pocket Hotspot 3G / 4G LTE (€ 49)
- Huawei E5577Cs-321 Mobile Hotspot Mobile Router (€ 73)
Wi-Fi hotspot from PC
Do we have a notebook at hand, connected to the Internet via LTE internet key? Instead of using portable modems, we can create a Wi-Fi hotspot directly from Windows, so as to share the Internet connection currently in use. To quickly create the hotspot network on our Windows PC, simply install the free Free WiFi Hotspot program.
Once the software is installed, start it, choose a name for the hotspot network, an access password, choose the connection created by the LTE USB stick as a share to share, then click Start to start the hotspot on Windows, to which we can connect any type of smartphone or tablet.
To learn more about Windows hotspots and find other programs to create it, we invite you to read our guide on how to create a WiFi hotspot on Windows PC .
Wi-Fi hotspot from smartphone
We have an old unused Android smartphone or iPhone ">From the screen that will open, select Personal hotspot configuration, enter a name of your choice for the network and a secure access password, confirm and activate the hotspot by pressing the activation button next to Personal Wi-Fi hotspot .
If we have an iPhone instead, open the Settings app, go to Personal Hotspot (or Mobile -> Personal Hotspot ), choose a secure password in the Wi-Fi Password field and then activate the Personal Hotspot item.
Now we can connect to the hotspot with the iPhone name from any other device with support for wireless connections. To learn more, we recommend you read our article on How to use your mobile phone as a Wifi modem to surf the internet from your PC .
Conclusions
An Internet dongle should not be used on a notebook, but we can expand its functionality using one of the methods seen above, so that we can take advantage of its data offer to connect a tablet, mobile phone or any other device, even when we are away from home, traveling or on vacation.Alternatively, when we are on vacation, we can use an app to find the free Hotspot networks available in the big cities, as seen in the guide on the Apps to find free Wifi and free wireless networks on the map . If we travel abroad, it is a good idea to inquire about roaming costs (if applicable), as indicated in our article on how to save money with a mobile phone abroad outside Italy and on vacation .
