Mobile Wi-Fi, besides known as MiFi, uses your smartphone's mobile data connection to establish a wireless signal that compatible devices can share to get online. Information technology'southward particularly handy when you are travelling and not inside range of a standard Wi-Fi connection, or every bit a failsafe for flaky or overloaded home broadband.

A mobile Wi-Fi connection can be created by the smartphone itself, using a procedure known as internet tethering, or by a portable device called a mobile router or a mobile hotspot, into which you insert a SIM card.

When used frequently, mobile Wi-Fi routers can be the preferred solution because they won't bleed your smartphone's battery, there'southward no petty effectually with swapping SIM cards, and you won't need to get out your phone with whomever is sharing its internet connection. They tin also exist used with data-but SIMs (those that practice not offer calls and texts), which can get in cheaper to go online.

The divergence betwixt a mobile Wi-Fi router and a mobile information dongle is that a router does not physically connect to your device, and it can share a mobile data connection with more than ane device. These days, USB dongles are really useful only for devices such as erstwhile laptops and PCs that do non support Wi-Fi connectivity.

You lot can connect multiple devices: Some MiFi devices let you connect x or more devices to a unmarried hotspot, which will work out a lot cheaper than paying for a mobile data plan for each of those devices - but you'll want a generous data allowance.

Yous can connect Wi-Fi-merely devices to a mobile data connectedness: Tablets are nifty to employ at home, merely what about on the train, on the embankment or by the pool? Wherever you can get a phone signal, you can use MiFi to create a wireless network and get online from any Wi-Fi device.

You tin can relieve money on your next tablet: Buying a tablet with a 4G or 5G data connection adds around £100 to the cost, and that'due south before you lot consider the monthly fee for your information. Use some of that money to buy a MiFi router instead and yous'll never need to buy a cellular tablet over again.

You can reduce roaming charges: Most mobile operators offer free roaming in the EU (for now, anyway!), but fixed-fee roaming elsewhere, allowing you to take your home tariff with you for a set cost. Rather than paying this actress charge on all your devices, turn off information roaming on them and connect them all to a mobile hotspot. You lot'll pay this charge only once, but get all your devices online. Notation that 5G roaming is not widespread, but it is currently offered by Vodafone and VOXI.

You tin can avoid using slow hotel Wi-Fi: When visiting hotels that still accuse for Wi-Fi, you tin go the kids online all 24-hour interval and at a lower price than what the hotel would charge. Better still, you can avert using the aforementioned network as all the other guests, which is commonly deadening and often has poor signal in your hotel room. Sometimes these networks can as well be unsecured, so using MiFi volition be preferable.

You can add together 5G connectivity to a 4G device: Many of us have yet to jump on the 5G bandwagon, but where available it is seriously fast. Although your phone may be express to 4G, your data plan almost certainly includes 5G. A 5G mobile router will allow you to connect your 4G phone to the internet at 5G speeds.

You can get faster download speeds: Even if your device already supports 5G, you could potentially get faster download and upload speeds past switching to a MiFi that supports a faster connectedness. Just recollect that 5G is not yet available everywhere, and purchasing a 5G hotspot will push upwards the price.

Y'all can share storage across your own mobile network: If your MiFi supports a microSD card, yous can share that storage across all your devices, which is especially handy if they don't support expandable storage themselves.

What is the best mobile hotspot?

1

TP-Link M7350 - Best Overall Mobile Router

TP-Link M7350 4G Mobile Router

  • Pros
    • SIM-unlocked
    • Supports 10 devices
    • x-hour battery
    • microSD
    • Dual-band
  • Cons
    • Cheaper options are available
    • May be overkill for some
  • Best Pricedue south Today:

TP-Link's M7350 is a solid 4G mobile router that has the big benefit of existence network-unlocked. That means although y'all'll pay in full upfront, y'all tin can choose any data bargain from any UK network operator, and y'all aren't tied to a contract.

The TP-Link supports all three UK 4G LTE bands, with up to 150Mbps download speeds and 50Mbps uploads. It can create a wireless network for up to 10 devices, and supports a microSD card for shared storage and has an LCD that tells you the betoken forcefulness, how many devices are connected, how much data yous have used of your total limit, plus the remaining bombardment capacity.

Y'all can as well utilize the LCD to bicycle through a carte du jour that caters to such options equally toggling on or off data roaming, switching between 2.iv- and 5GHz output, and choosing betwixt 4G, 3G or a mixture of both.

A final choice displays a QR lawmaking that takes you directly to Google Play or the App Store to download the tpMiFi app, which lets you manage users, alter the range, share files and read text messages.

The TP-Link's 2550mAh battery should be skillful for up to 10 hours of 4G connectivity, but lasts days on standby.

2

Huawei Mobile WiFi 3s (E5576-320) - Best Value Mobile Router

Huawei Mobile WiFi 3s (E5576-320)

  • Pros
    • Supports up to x devices
    • Nicely designed
    • Simple to use
    • Affordable
  • Cons
    • 6-hour bombardment life is shorter than some
  • All-time Tolls Today:

Bachelor on contract through Three, the Huawei E5576-320 offers such great value that you'd be crazy not to simply buy the network-unlocked version outright.

This is a 4G mobile router that lets you connect upwards to 10 devices, with its 1500mAh battery offer a standby time of upwards to 350 hours and working time of up to half-dozen hours.

It's small, compact and easily portable - simply, more importantly, it'south functional, with up to 150Mbps download speeds and 50Mbps uploads.

There are no fancy extra features, with this affordable mobile router from Huawei instead concentrating on one primary task: getting your mobile devices online wherever you lot are.

iii

TP-Link M7200 - All-time No-Frills Mobile Router

TP-Link M7200

  • Pros
    • SIM-unlocked
    • Supports x devices
    • 8-hour battery
    • Quick to set upwards
  • Cons
    • Plasticky design
    • Hard to prise off rear panel
  • Best Prices Today:

TP-Link's M7220 is a no-frills mobile Wi-Fi router that supports 4G FDD-LTE/TDD-LTE and 3G networks. It'south SIM-unlocked, so yous simply unclip the back console, pop in your SIM, and switch information technology on. It's that easy to set up.

The 2,000mAh internal battery can last upwardly to 8 hours in utilise, but significantly longer on standby, and yous can share its 2.4GHz mobile Wi-Fi connection with up to 10 devices.

This is a rather plasticky device, and we were worried virtually snapping the rear panel when trying to prise it off to insert the SIM, but it's tougher than it looks. The Wi-Fi network proper noun and countersign are hidden under this console, nonetheless, so yous might prefer to brand a note of it than to have to go on pulling on and off the panel every time you want to share the network.

The LCD can't display stats about how much information you've used and so forth, only 3 condition lights go on things super-unproblematic: you can see how much battery remains, whether you're connected to the net and if it is sharing a Wi-Fi network.

Should you want to access more than settings you can utilise the free mobile app or connect to the router via its login folio on a browser, but otherwise the TP-Link keeps things uncomplicated for those who simply want to turn it on and become online.

iv

TP-Link M7450 - Best 4G Mobile Router

TP-Link M7450

  • Pros
    • Supports 32 devices
    • Dual-band
    • 15-hour battery life
    • microSD
  • Cons
    • Expensive
    • Might exist overkill for some
  • Best Prices Today:

The TP-Link M7450 is a newer, more advanced version of the M7350, only it's also more than expensive and nosotros remember the older model currently offers better value.

Like the M7350, information technology'south sold unlocked and should work with any major network, either in the United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland or away. It supports Cat6 LTE, with 300Mbps downloads (double the M7350) and 50Mbps downloads; you can pick between either the 2.4GHz or 5GHz Wi-Fi bands; and you can connect up to 32 devices simultaneously - way, way more than than most people will ever need.

Bill of fare navigation is unproblematic, and the clean UI makes the almost of the two buttons and pocket-sized screen to give you the info you lot need. For more than complex setup - including USSD support, useful for connecting to many strange networks - you can apply either the web portal or complimentary smartphone app.

The 3000mAh bombardment should give you an impressive 15 hours of working battery time. Y'all even get a microSD slot, which supports cards up to 32GB and tin can be used every bit a quick way to share files between devices.

five

Huawei 5G Mobile Wi-Fi Pro E6878-370 - Best 5G Mobile Router

Huawei 5G Mobile Wi-Fi Pro E6878-370

  • Pros
    • 5G support
    • Wireless power bank functionality
    • Top operation
  • Cons
    • Very expensive
    • Check 5G back up in your area
  • All-time Tolls Today:

Compact mobile routers that back up 5G are still relatively uncommon. They are significantly more than expensive than 4G routers, and 5G connectivity is non yet available everywhere.

Nonetheless, if yous are routinely inside reach of a 5G signal, a 5G mobile router could offering a cheaper way to access faster mobile data speeds on all your 4G mobile devices than having to upgrade each i.

Huawei's 5G Mobile Wi-Fi Pro is available network-unlocked or on contact through O2. Buying information technology SIM-complimentary volition allow yous to choose your own data package, stopping you being tied into a contract for longer than yous'd similar.

This is rather a chunky router with an 8000mAh battery within, but it can besides act as a power bank and offers 40W SuperCharge and both reverse wired (22.5W) and wireless (15W) charging.

Likewise housing a Balong 5000 flake, Huawei claims theoretical download speeds of up to 1.65Gbps.

half dozen

MyWebspot - Best Rental Mobile Router

MyWebspot

  • Pros
    • Slap-up for one-off utilize
    • Prepare to exit of box
    • Local charger supplied
  • Cons
    • Rental prices will stack up
    • Fair usage policy
    • No LCD or app
  • Best Prices Today:

Many of the options in this nautical chart are suitable for those who will regularly demand the employ of a mobile Wi-Fi router, but MyWebspot is more appropriate for those who take a one-off requirement.

If you're going on holiday abroad (potentially outside the realms of free roaming in Europe) and accept several devices to get online, the service allows you lot to hire a hotspot for use by upwards to five devices in more than 100 countries.

Daily charges are calculated based on where you are going and for how long. At offset glance they might seem steep, simply they are zero compared to what your mobile operator volition charge you once you overstep your data allowance. It can besides be very expensive to connect to Wi-Fi provided by some holiday resorts, which is oft tedious and time-limited.

The data is technically unlimited, but once you exceed the fair usage (1GB/24-hour interval in Europe, US and Canada; 2GB in United mexican states; fully unlimited in South East Asia; and 512MB everywhere else) the speed drops to an almost unusable 256kbps.

Setup couldn't be simpler. The device tin be delivered directly to your resort (or habitation if you adopt), then you lot turn it on, wait a moment for it to connect to a local 4G LTE network, and choice it up on your mobile device every bit you would any other Wi-Fi network using the SSID and password printed on the label on the back. On your way home you popular it in the mail service box using the prepaid envelope.

MyWebspot claims download speeds up to 100Mbps, and uploads of up to 40Mbps. In our testing in Lake Garda, Italy, we recordedan average download speed of 33.5Mbps, and upload speed of 26.8Mbps. Naturally these speeds volition decrease as you add multiple devices.

You'll get about 8 hours bombardment life from the Mi-Fi router, which is supplied with the advisable local charger for your vacation destination.

In that location's no companion app, which means even technophobes volition get along with MyWebspot, though it would be handy to accept some manner of monitoring usage across multiple devices given that there's no LCD screen.

7

Three Huawei 4G Plus MiFi - Best Value Contract Mobile Router

Three Mobile Router (Huawei)

  • Pros
    • Unlimited data
    • Supports x devices
    • Shorter contract options
  • Cons
    • 6-hour bombardment life is shorter than some
  • Best Costs Today:

If you'd rather purchase a mobile Wi-Fi router on a contract, Three has some of the best deals correct now. Information technology uses the Huawei E5783B-320, and pairs it with some cracking data bundles.

We like the fact yous can subscribe to a one-month rolling contract, considering the way the globe is right now no-i really knows how much they'll exist traveling over the next couple of years!

3 offers neat value on unlimited data, with the one-month plan costing £27 per month (plus £29 upfront), the 12-month plan costing £26 per month (no upfront cost), and the 24-month programme costing £22 per month (over again, no upfront cost). Purchase either the 12- or 24-month option and right at present you get the first six months half-cost.

If you don't need this much data, 10GB and 40GB plans are likewise available, with the 10GB 24-calendar month programme starting from £12 per calendar month.

A huge do good of ownership from Three is that if you're going abroad 3's Experience At Home policy lets you connect to the web with no roaming charges in several foreign destinations.

Can I use whatever SIM in a mobile hotspot?

Technically, yes. If you have a significant or unlimited data allowance with your mobile tariff you could just take the SIM out your smartphone and insert information technology into a mobile router.

However, not all mobile operators support unlimited tethering (bank check your contract), various phone functions are not going to be available on your smartphone while it's missing its SIM, and you might regret the decision if yous are overly generous with that shared mobile Wi-Fi connection and run out of data some fourth dimension before the allowance renews.

You can now buy information SIMs or SIM-simply plans with big data allowances on PAYG or contract from all the United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland'south major mobile operators. Which option you choose is largely going to be based on how much information you need to employ, and how frequently you need to use it.

If yous want something just for when you go on holiday, choose a PAYG program and pay for data only when you need information technology. If you want something to get around a flaky dwelling house broadband connection or for use on your daily commute, choose either a rolling one-month contract choice or relieve a bit of money with a 12- or 24-month plan.

What are the best information SIM deals?

We'd propose looking for a deal from a well-known mobile operator that has reliable coverage in your area (or your holiday destination), with a big data assart, no restrictions on tethering, gratuitous or inexpensive roaming, and a low monthly or PAYG cost.

You can check network coverage in your area for 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G on the mobile operator'southward website. Employ the post-obit links to jump straight to a mobile operator's coverage checker: Vodafone, EE, O2, Three, GiffGaff, Smarty, VOXI, iD Mobile, Virgin Mobile, TalkMobile.

There are many more companies offering information SIMs than we have listed here, but all are what are known equally MVNOs, or mobile virtual network operators. This means they piggyback on another mobile network (Vodafone, EE, O2 or Iii) for connectivity. As long as y'all have coverage with the large iv, all the MVNOs should be covered in your area.

The best data SIM deals are ever changing. We've collated more in-depth communication in our often updated guide to the best SIM-only deals, but our preference currently falls to Three. All its SIMs support 5G.

At Three you'll observe a range of SIM options including unlimited data from £22 per month, or you lot tin cull i of iv PAYG packages that are valid for up to 12 months. For the latter, 24GB of information costs £60; 12GB of data costs £40; 3GB costs £16; and 1GB costs £ten.

Smarty, which too runs on Three's network, currently has a nifty deal on 50GB of data for £xv on a one-month rolling plan. Tethering is unlimited in the UK.

How practice I choose a mobile router?

There are three options when purchasing a mobile Wi-Fi router:

  1. Buy a device and data SIM bundle direct from a mobile operator in render for a fixed monthly subscription
  2. Purchase a network-unlocked MiFi router and add your own data SIM
  3. Rent a mobile router to cover just the menses you need (see MyWebspot, reviewed beneath)

Many people will automatically get to their mobile operator for a MiFi device, since it's an easy solution and you don't demand to pay anything up front. But this isn't always the best idea.

If you buy a MiFi router from a mobile operator information technology will probably exist locked to that network, preventing yous from shopping around for the all-time information deal. You volition also most probable pay over the odds if you choose to pay cipher upward forepart but necktie yourself into a two-yr contract.

Nonetheless, buy a network-unlocked router and shop around for a bang-up-value data SIM plan and you volition save money in the long run.

Note that the mobile hotspots offered by United kingdom mobile operators are typically made by Huawei, only too Netgear, HTC and TP-Link. If you know the model y'all can usually observe these devices bachelor network-unlocked through retailers such equally Amazon.

For example, Three'south Huawei 4G Plus MiFi is in fact a Huawei Mobile WiFi 3s (E5576-320), while its Huawei HomeFi is actually a Huawei B311. O2's Huawei 5G Pocket Hotspot Pro is actually a Huawei 5G Mobile Wi-Fi Pro (E6878-370), and its Pocket Hostpot Pro Netgear M1 is a Netgear Nighthawk MR1100.