7 min read
Tethering vs. hotspot: What’s the difference?
You’re probably familiar with the terms “tethering” and “hotspot,” but can you point out the difference between them? No worries if you can’t – we’re here for you. Essentially, tethering and a hotspot are used for the same purpose – to share your network with other devices – but they have their differences. Find them out!
Table of Contents
What is tethering?
Tethering allows you to share your mobile data with other devices – or connect to another device’s networks. In essence, it’s the quickest way to win the heart of anyone who doesn’t have their own access to the internet.
Tethering can work through three mediums – USB, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi. To start tethering with USB, you’ll need to connect the devices with – surprise – a USB cable. Meanwhile, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi tethering don’t require any additional gear.
If you’re using Bluetooth, make sure the devices are paired, then set up one of the devices to get its network connection through Bluetooth. Wi-Fi tethering is essentially the same thing as establishing a mobile hotspot. Just make sure your network is visible so other devices can find it and connect.
The key point of tethering – and a mobile hotspot – is that the connected devices have to be nearby to share the same network. So, if you’re tethering an internet connection from another device, don’t get too far from it!
What is a hotspot?
A hotspot is a Wi-Fi access point that lets you connect to a particular network, whether it's public or private. You're probably familiar with the sweet relief of connecting to your hotel's Wi-Fi after a hard day's hike. But do you know what's even better? Using your phone’s safer private network, and maybe even creating a mobile hotspot for your friends to join the secure scrolling squad.
A mobile hotspot uses cellular data to create a Wi-Fi network for other devices. They are typically safer than public Wi-Fi stations because you control their security settings. This means you can set a strong password to access the network or enable advanced encryption to avoid online snoopers.
It doesn't matter if you're using your home network or roaming on a foreign one, you can set a hotspot on an eSIM or a physical SIM regardless of your location. The important thing is to check if your phone is new enough to support mobile hotspot functionality.
Difference between a mobile hotspot and tethering
If you're wondering what's the difference between Wi-Fi tethering and a mobile hotspot, there's none. A hotspot is essentially a type of tethering, while tethering – or network sharing – can also be done through Bluetooth or USB.
In fact, the most popular ways of tethering are through a mobile hotspot and USB. So, let's look at how these two compare.
Is USB tethering faster than a mobile hotspot?
Yes, in most cases, tethering using USB is faster than setting up a mobile hotspot. With a USB cable, you transfer data through a direct, wired connection from one device to another, which is generally faster and more stable than a Wi-Fi network. This kind of connection is also harder to intercept – virtual snoopers may be skilled in catching wireless signals, but they have fewer chances to intercept data sent through the wires.
Does USB tethering consume more data and battery than a mobile hotspot?
Both USB tethering and a mobile hotspot consume the same amount of data. In the end, it depends on what you do online and how much data it requires rather than how you connect to the internet. But it’s a different story with battery consumption.
USB tethering typically consumes less battery than a mobile hotspot because it doesn’t need to power Wi-Fi to create a network – an action that strains your battery. And that’s not all – your phone usually charges from the connected device while tethering, which also reduces battery drain.
How to check USB tethering and mobile hotspot data usage
You can check how much data you used while USB tethering or sharing a mobile hotspot by following these steps:
Go to your phone's settings and tap the "Network and internet" or "Connections" option if you're using Android. If you have an iPhone, tap the "Cellular" or "Mobile data" option.
You'll see the amount of data used through tethering or hotspot under the "Hotspot and tethering" section on Android or the "Personal hotspot" section on iPhone.
So, is USB tethering better than a mobile hotspot?
Which one – USB tethering or a mobile hotspot – is better really depends on what you're looking for. If you seek an extremely stable internet connection and long battery life, you'd be better off choosing USB tethering.
But there's probably no need to point out that connecting through cables is only convenient when you're at home or in the office. Though a mobile hotspot is more demanding on the device’s battery, it gives you ultimate convenience when you want to connect to a secure network because it doesn't require any additional gear. Besides, with a mobile hotspot, you can connect multiple devices simultaneously – how's that for convenience!
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