WiFi Hotspots on the Cheap

I can't count the number of times I wished I had a hotspot for my WiFi tablet. But few were critical enough, nor do they happen often enough, to justify the ridiculously high rates mobile phone plans charge for this service. Recently I found a way to get something close to this for free. It's called EasyTether.

It consists of 2 apps: one (the host) runs on your phone, providing the connection. The other (the client) runs on your tablet or other device, using the connection. It's not a true WiFi hotspot because the client and host do not talk over WiFi; instead they use Bluetooth or a physical USB cable.

The EasyTether host must be an Android device. It is usually (but not necessarily) a phone, since it must have some kind of internet connection. The EasyTether client can be an Android device or computer (laptop or desktop, Windows, MacOS or Linux). The client must have Bluetooth or USB host mode. Virtually all laptops and a few tablets (like the Acer A500) support USB host mode.

Why use USB when Bluetooth is easier and more convenient (wireless)? In a word: speed. Using Bluetooth for a network connection is slow; expect about 1 Mbps throughput. But it gets the job done. In most cases all you need to do is visit a web site or catch up on email. 1 Mbps is more than enough. You're not going to stream video over such a connection.

The app has simple step-by-step instructions, but here's a summary of how it works:

  • Pair the host and client over Bluetooth

  • Run EasyTether on the host device and check "Bluetooth" to turn it on.

  • Run EasyTether (Tablet) on the client device and select the host device from the Bluetooth list.

    • You're done. The client will now have a network connection provided by the host. It works perfectly with my Galaxy Note 2 phone, my Acer A100 and A500 tablets, and a MacBook Air running 10.8.4. It's an incredible value. For a one-time fee of $10 (the price of the Pro hosting app), you get an unlimited use effective Hotspot solution that othwerwise would cost around $20 every month.

    Here are some links to get started:
    EasyTether Lite (Host): to check whether it works on your devices
    EasyTether Lite.

    EasyTether Pro (Host): the full version
    EasyTether Pro.

    EasyTether Tablet (Client): for the client device
    EasyTether Tablet.

    In case you want to read more about it:
    EasyTether's web site