Posted 26 November 2023
Mobile phone as a router
A cash strapped friend has a phone with one SIM socket, 15gb of monthly allowance, and no home broadband due to temporary housing.
They don't go over the 15gb every month, and so can't justify the extra expense of upgrading the package unnecessarily. They do have a data SIM that is a true pay as you use, and have swapped out when they have exceeded their allowance, which is inconvenient to say the least.
My thought is that they could use an unused phone as a WiFi hotspot in the home, thus saving their data for when they are out, switching back to data as the month ends to use the allowance.
The broadcast range will be no more than 30 feet in any direction, in an open plan apartment.
They could buy a dedicated mobile router, but that is an extra expense compared to an available phone.
So, would the scenario work to satisfaction?
Would potential damage occur to the borrowed phone being permanently used as a hotspot? I am thinking more of the battery life due to being left plugged in all the time.
What sort of speed could be realistically expected from the "router"? Enough to watch videos or the occasional movie smoothly?
They cannot have a fixed wire solution, and a contract router might not be available due to credit score. If viable then the pennies could be saved for a personal unit. So how long could this scenario comfortably last?
They don't go over the 15gb every month, and so can't justify the extra expense of upgrading the package unnecessarily. They do have a data SIM that is a true pay as you use, and have swapped out when they have exceeded their allowance, which is inconvenient to say the least.
My thought is that they could use an unused phone as a WiFi hotspot in the home, thus saving their data for when they are out, switching back to data as the month ends to use the allowance.
The broadcast range will be no more than 30 feet in any direction, in an open plan apartment.
They could buy a dedicated mobile router, but that is an extra expense compared to an available phone.
So, would the scenario work to satisfaction?
Would potential damage occur to the borrowed phone being permanently used as a hotspot? I am thinking more of the battery life due to being left plugged in all the time.
What sort of speed could be realistically expected from the "router"? Enough to watch videos or the occasional movie smoothly?
They cannot have a fixed wire solution, and a contract router might not be available due to credit score. If viable then the pennies could be saved for a personal unit. So how long could this scenario comfortably last?
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9 Comments
sorted byJob done and no hit to the battery.
I also read somewhere that there is a software, that charges phoe upto 80 percent and then stops it, till required again below the threshold.
Most modern batteries havea built in circuit breaker, doing the same thing, so should be OK.
This reminds me I need to flog my <3g modems!
The links for Sims are appreciated, but they live in Europe so each SIM would require UK activation before spending a stupid amount on postage in the hope that it arrives, which is unfortunate because our tariffs knock theirs into submission.
The same thanks for links to devices, but perhaps Santa might make them a late delivery.
Just for kix:
the standard UK solution that is way overboard for the indicated one-end-device application:
any old 4G/5G Android handset unlocked to the required network USB-tethered to any upper-lower or above Asus router.
Job done: all the features of wire-sourced broadband (plus integral VPN / torrenting options) but sourced from cellular.
Includes zero concern over the "any old handset" cos it doesn't matter - it's "any old handset".
If this was UK, throw CEX £6 and that's it, unless you need a USB cable at £1.
Example:
uk.webuy.com/pro…55u
I'd even suggest a grade C functional but busted screen / busted case Android handset could be added for near-zero / a few quid,
so takes total solution to under a tenner.
I had suggested a phone to them as an original thought, but my primary concern was for any damage that the borrowed phone could suffer, whether over heating or battery degradation. It might be an older phone, but it is still the property of a friend.
I was expecting it to work, but was looking to see what negative thoughts there were on the subject.
An unlocked UK box could be sent over, perhaps with a Lebara SIM (all the major networks from here are represented there) that would allow 3 months worth of use before binning it.
I upgraded the phone cheaply from time to time (for faster 4g) over the years, but only one handset ever actually stopped working (and that was a firmware issue rather than anything to do with heat, battery or overuse). (edited)