How To Improve Your Cellular Hotspot Speed

A mobile hotspot allows you to use your phone's data to enable other devices to connect to the Wi-Fi and gain internet access in areas where it may not otherwise be an option. Having access to a cellular hotspot is incredibly useful when you're on the road or trying to access the internet on a laptop, tablet, or other device that can't connect directly to cell signals.

However, there may be times when your mobile hotspot isn’t giving you the power you need, causing the internet connection on your other devices to be sluggish, slow, and unresponsive. Fortunately, there are many ways to improve your cellular hotspot speed that could give you the boost and power that your devices are looking for.

Close the Distance

One of the first things to try when dealing with faulty hotspot connections is to bring the two devices closer to one another. Physical proximity is essential when using a hotspot, and the PC or other device needs to remain much closer to the source than it would with a traditional router. Therefore, removing as much distance or physical obstruction as possible should always be the first step.

Connect Fewer Devices

A common occurrence that can slow down mobile hotspot speed is having multiple devices that are all trying to connect to the same phone. If you have a laptop, tablet, portable printer, and many other Wi-Fi devices all trying to connect simultaneously, it makes sense that a single phone may not be able to put out enough power to maintain them all simultaneously. Try disconnecting any extraneous devices to see if things run faster.

Don’t Use Bluetooth

There are plenty of instances when connecting via Bluetooth is a good option, but it’s not always the best choice when you’re trying to get the most out of your cellular hotspot. Wi-Fi speeds are faster than Bluetooth, so try to ensure your phone is connecting as a Wi-Fi hotspot over Bluetooth.

Improve Your Reception

Because your devices are trying to connect to your phone through your cell data, it makes sense that they won’t connect very well if your phone doesn’t have the most stable connection. Sometimes, attempting to use your phone as a hotspot in an area with a stronger and more reliable cellular connection is one way to improve your cellular hotspot speed.

If you’re attempting to use your mobile hotspot in a remote area, like in a car, one of Canada’s vehicle cell phone boosters may help give your phone the extra strength it needs.

Use 5G Whenever Possible

As some parts of the world don’t have access to 5G service yet, you should check if it’s an option in your area. If you see 4G or LTE in your device’s service bar, open your phone’s settings and check if 5G is a connection option. This method may drain your phone’s battery more quickly but can provide faster and more stable hotspot connectivity.

Turn Off Low-Data/Data Saver Mode

There are many situations when having your phone in data-saving mode is beneficial. This mode often prevents people from going over their monthly data limits or using too much data at a single time to try and perform tasks like downloading updates in apps or streaming video through services like YouTube or Netflix. Unsurprisingly, when your phone is actively trying to use less data, it may create a slower, less reliable connection for the other devices trying to connect to a signal based on your phone's data. Turning off the low-data mode can speed up service and make things run a bit more smoothly.

Reduce Phone Clutter

If you’re not sure why your mobile hotspot isn’t creating a strong signal even when you have a strong cellular connection, the issue may lie with what’s happening on your phone. Below are just a few of the simple things that you can test to try and reduce the clutter that could be slowing down your cell phone.

Close Background Apps

Leaving apps running in the background can take up a surprising amount of our phone’s bandwidth. Even if you’re not actively using the apps or features like location tracking, these background apps could be doing more than you think to slow your phone down. The effort that your phone puts into being a hotspot is competing with these open apps, so going through them one at a time and completely closing them down could speed up your phone and provide faster service.

Temporarily Halt Updates

Many phones use cellular data to automatically update apps on your phone. This technique may not make a lot of difference, especially if your apps are all up to their current versions. However, you may still want to go into your phone settings and see if temporarily disabling updates may help you get some faster reception throughout the hotspot process.

Disable App Refreshes

Similar to updates, refreshes may be using your phone data and hogging some of its bandwidth. You may want to consider opening your settings and either turning app refreshes off or going through your apps one at a time to disable the feature. You likely won't need the constant refreshes while trying to use your phone as a mobile hotspot or use the internet on other devices.

Restart Your Phone

The easiest solution is often the one that we don't consider right away, but sometimes, it may prove to be the most effective. If all else fails, try turning your phone off and on again. There are occasionally minor glitches in phone software, and as those bugs build up, they can slow things down. A simple restart can wipe out those glitches weighing down our phone's power and boot things up with a fresh start that may get things to work better than anticipated.

Whether you’re at home, in the office, or on the road in your vehicle, keeping steady and reliable cellular service is essential in today’s world. SureCall Boosters is here to help you establish, maintain, and strengthen your phone’s signal through all your daily needs. We have a variety of boosters to empower your signal and several helpful guides on how to get the most out of your phone. For any additional questions, comments, or concerns, don’t be afraid to reach out to a member of our team via email at Sales@SureCallBoosters.ca.