Although a mobile hotspot may not be your primary internet plan, it can save the day when there is a power outage or when you have an upcoming Zoom meeting and you don’t have Wifi.
Additionally, it is easier to fix the hotspot speeds on your android phone on your own unlike WiFi which you may have to contact the ISP. A simple fix like restarting your phone could fix your internet problem.
If your mobile hotspot has had unexpected drop in speeds, there are several ways to fix the issue without disrupting your work. Keep reading to learn tricks on how to increase mobile hotspot speed on android.
How to Increase Mobile Hotspot Speed Quickly (Quick Answer)
You can increase your mobile hotspot speed on android by switching bandwidths from 2.4 GHz to 5GHz, since 5.0GHz is faster than 2.4GHz and will deliver faster speeds. However, your android phone must have this feature to use it.
Follow these steps to get your hotspot to 5.0GHz:
- Turn on your mobile hotspot
- Tap for more options on the three dots at top of your screen
- On configure more options, tap on show advanced options
- Tap on the use 5GHz option then save
If you have tried this fix but it did not work, here are other troubleshooting tips to help you increase your mobile hotspot speed.
Add this VIDEO: https://youtu.be/ksKHoQvfC_8
7 Ways on How to Increase Mobile Hotspot Speed on Android
Restart the Phone
Performing a phone restart is a quick fix for most mobile hotspot issues, including slow hotspot speeds. If you are struggling with slow mobile speeds, here is how restarting your phone helps:
- It clears up the cache
- It frees up RAM
- It configures possible irregular mobile hotspot changes
If you have a new phone and you are not sure how to restart it, check the user manual that came in the box with your phone.
Change the Phone Network
Phones with several network options might have connection issues when you travel to a different area. Try switching to the network with the strongest connection in the area.
Another trick that boosts mobile hotspot speeds is turning the airplane mode on and off. This allows your phone to switch to the strongest hotspot connection bandwidth.
Turn Off Low Data Mode
When your iPhone or android is in low data mode, the hot spot becomes slow. The low data mode controls data usage on the hot spot when using demanding apps for a long time such as zoom or Netflix.
Disable Automatic App Updates
Automatic app updates on the Android phone or iPhone slow down hotspot speeds. Disable the automatic app updates to speed up the mobile hotspot. Follow these steps to disable automatic app updates on Android:
- Go to the Google Play Store
- Tap on your profile picture on the top right
- Choose settings, and go to network preferences
- Go to Auto-update apps and select “don’t auto update apps”
- Click done
Disconnect Some Devices
If your mobile hotspot has too many devices connected to it, it might be overwhelmed, leading to slow internet speeds for the devices. Hence, reducing the number of devices connected to your Android phone hotspot can help boost hotspot speeds for the remaining devices.
Close Active Apps On the Phone
If your phone is actively using an app that uses a good amount of data, such as streaming videos on YouTube, this can slow down the mobile hotspot speed.
Since your devices are competing for data with the active mobile apps, you will experience slow speeds. Close the active apps and check if your hotspot speed has improved.
Invest In a Cellular Signal Booster
When working in a remote area where your network’s signal is slow or inconsistent, a cellular booster is worth a try. When you have a boosted signal, this will reflect on the mobile hotspot speeds.
Also check: Wifi Boosters for Spectrum Internet
Is the Mobile Hotspot Secure?
The mobile hotspot is secure and much better than a public hotspot or wifi. However, the mobile hotspot may have some weaknesses.
Here is how to boost your mobile hotspot security:
Use a Strong Password
Use the WPA2 protocol to create a unique hotspot password. For instance, a password like 1234 is easy to guess and might expose you to hackers or unauthorized connections. Use lowercase, uppercase, numbers, and signs to strengthen the password.
Using a VPN
- Setting up guest networks
- Updating antivirus on your phone and hotspot devices
Conclusion
The mobile hotspot can be used as a reliable backup plan for Wifi or as the main internet plan. If the hotspot is consistent and strong, it is as good as wifi and can be used for making online purchases, booking plane tickets, Zoom, or any other internet needs.
If you are experiencing slow mobile hotspeed speeds, you can increase the hotspot speed with a simple phone restart, disabling low data mode, buying a cellular network booster, turning off background apps, or minimizing the number of connected devices. While the mobile hotspot is safe to use, it requires some extra security actions such as a strong password to keep you secure as you use it.