by Does your pocket now allow you to use broadband home internet service? Or have you moved to a new place? Now, how would you get Wi-fi without internet?
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What Is A WiFi Connection?
Wi-Fi doesn’t mean wireless fidelity, despite what you may have heard. In 1999, a marketing moniker for the IEEE 802.11b Direct Sequence protocol was coined as Hi-Fi (hi-fi, high fidelity), a term associated with high-quality music technology. A better approach to Wi-Fi is an umbrella that covers the types of wireless protocols based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards.
Radio waves and frequencies are used in Wi-Fi technology to transmit data over short distances. It is often used with wired or non-wired Internet connections to wirelessly connect multiple devices in the home, office, or public places such as airports, coffee shops, or schools.
The device is connected to the Internet through a two-way radio communication link between the user and the service provider. Wireless network detection is now built into all modern mobile devices and desktops.
Methods To Get Wifi Without An Internet Provider
Public WiFi (With a VPN!)
Depending on where you live, there may be many public WiFi hotspots around you. These are great options for accessing WiFi without an internet provider. Some can even approach them from home!
These hotspots may belong to businesses such as restaurants or cafes. Some are actually provided by the governments of some countries. There are also private WiFi hotspot networks that offer premium prepaid internet access that is much cheaper than using mobile data.
These WiFi hotspots can be very handy when you need affordable data, but they should never be used until a reputable VPN is installed on your computer or mobile device. Remember that everyone else on the WiFi network can see your device or computer and potentially access it.
Using Your Phone or Tablet As A WiFi Hotspot
Today, most smartphones and cell phone tablets can act as mobile WiFi hotspots. This feature shares your mobile data plan with any device connected to the same WiFi hotspot.
If you choose to go this route, there are a few important things to keep in mind. First, you use data from your mobile plan to provide data for all connected devices. Great if you have cheap data or an unlimited plan. If you have a small data cap or are paying a lot for data, this option might not be right for you.
If you decide to use this option to get WiFi without an internet provider, set a data limit on the device that acts as a hotspot, switch your Windows 10 computer to “metered connection” mode, and keep an eye on how much data you have left.
Of course, you also have to set a password for the mobile hotspot. You don’t want other people eating your data or using the same network as your device. Using a mobile device as a WiFi hotspot is also a huge battery drain. So connect a power bank or wall charger to counteract this effect.
One last thing to know is the mobile data provider’s policy on tethering. While this is less common, some mobile data providers don’t allow you to tether a device, or charge different rates for data when tethering. To be on the safe side, please double-check your program policies.
Cable Tethering To A Mobile Device
Why use WiFi if you only need to connect one device to the internet? Instead of creating a WiFi hotspot, consider using a USB cable to connect your phone or tablet directly to your computer.
This has some advantages over the WiFi hotspot method. No one can hack into your network, the computer will charge the device, and you can even get faster speeds than WiFi with a USB connection. However, everything else about data prices and bundling policies still applies.
Buying a Portable Cellular Router
Remember when we said that using your smartphone’s data plan over a WiFi hotspot can be expensive? Well, some mobile internet providers have seen a gap in the market and they will sell you a data-only SIM card that won’t work with your phone.
Instead, you can use these SIM cards with a battery-powered portable 4G router. They offer dedicated WiFi hotspots and also connect your devices together as a bonus. So wherever you go, you can use WiFi without an internet provider.
If your mobile data plan is good enough, you can simply use it for all your internet needs, whether on the road or when you’re home. Just plug in your mobile router to prevent battery drain.
USB Cellular Modems
An alternative to a portable cellular router is a USB cellular modem. Plugging it into a laptop or desktop computer will connect directly to the mobile data connection as well as your installed SIM card.
These modems are usually less expensive than portable routers because they lack all router hardware and battery technology. Some laptops can also act as WiFi hotspots themselves, which gives you the option to share your USB modem’s data connection with other devices such as smartphones and tablets.
Bum WiFi From Your Neighbours
When you don’t have your own WiFi network, you may notice other people’s WiFi hotspots around you. This makes it possible to simply ask other people if they can use their WiFi internet connection. We can’t guarantee that anyone will agree, especially if you’re a complete stranger. Neighbors you know may be more willing to do this for you. If so, here are some helpful tips.
From your perspective, think of this shared WiFi as public WiFi. You have no control over who connects to it, so it’s best to use a VPN service to encrypt your data and hide your activity.
You should also ask the person if their router supports “guest” networking. This is a separate WiFi network and doesn’t allow your device to mix with its device. It only gets you online. It’s perfect for your friendly neighbors and your own mind.
The Bottom Line
If you’re on a tight budget, then opting for the options above is ideal.
There are many other ways to get free wifi without an internet provider. However, we’ve narrowed down the best methods to ensure your reliability and safety. Therefore, all options presented in this guide are legal and safe.
We want you to know the perfect solution to get Wifi without any internet provider. However, broadband connections are still a cheaper, longer-term, and better option in most cases.
However, with the upcoming 5G and lower mobile data costs, you can expect that to change soon. Hopefully, this will increase internet speed and make it more affordable.
