Mobile hotspot recommendations?

[lcm]

Works with a T-Mobile locked device?

Some Usmobile sims run on tmobile.
Ime any tmobile mvno will work in it

[Dovdovmoneytree]

I need to be away for 1-2 weeks and won't have wifi where I am staying (in Lakewood). What's the best way for me to get data for my laptop just for 1-2 weeks?

I have a T-Mobile hotspot (got it thru the T-Mobile Project 10 Million- was meant for students at home during Covid....). I can't imagine why it wouldn't work with the right sim card??

[JudahMcB]

I need to be away for 1-2 weeks and won't have wifi where I am staying (in Lakewood). What's the best way for me to get data for my laptop just for 1-2 weeks?

Why not:

T-mobile test drive, have someone who isn't an AH sign up, gets you 30gb for 30 days, no charge.

Might take some time for the device to ship...

[Dovdovmoneytree]

Why not:

It says it can take time to ship...I'm leaving Sunday.

Can I purchase a sim card with unlimited data and use in the hotspot from Project 10 Million (mentioned above)? Although I have not yet found a T-mobile sim card that'll work with a hotspot. Maybe need to go into a store, so far just checked online (Amazon...)

[JudahMcB]

Can I purchase a sim card with unlimited data and use in the hotspot from Project 10 Million (mentioned above)?

Is it a Franklin T9 hotspot? I don't have one to try myself but I've seen reports that it's locked to T-Mobile but you can use other T-Mobile MVNO (Tello, Mint, Ultra) prepaid SIMs without a problem. I'd test it first before buying an unlimited SIM.

If you are tech savvy you can find methods to root the T9 so it can be unlocked to use with all carriers. GIYF.

[Definitions]

I need to be away for 1-2 weeks and won't have wifi where I am staying (in Lakewood). What's the best way for me to get data for my laptop just for 1-2 weeks?

I have a T-Mobile hotspot (got it thru the T-Mobile Project 10 Million- was meant for students at home during Covid....). I can't imagine why it wouldn't work with the right sim card??

I'm assuming you don't have a smartphone? Or hotspot isn't available on it

[Dovdovmoneytree]

I'm assuming you don't have a smartphone? Or hotspot isn't available on it

I do have a smartphone (Moto G7 Power) and hotspot is available AFAIK (though I've never used it).
I was thinking of getting this https://www.amazon.com/T-Mobile-Prepaid-Unlimited-United-States/dp/B0776RRR9Y which has unlimited data.

But it says it doesn't work in hotspots, only in smartphones. Someone told me (idk if they're right ?) that the sim may work in the phone but not if used as a hotspot for my laptop. Didn't make much sense to me but what do I know?! Thanks again!

[JudahMcB]

I do have a smartphone (Moto G7 Power) and hotspot is available AFAIK (though I've never used it).

Well that changes things. You're much better off using your phone's hotspot if you aren't constantly on the road and can keep it plugged in to charge. Check your phone plan's hotspot data allocation. Even upgrading to an unlimited data plan for the month might be cheaper than paying for a 2nd SIM for the physical hotspot. Note that "unlimited" doesn't really mean unlimited these days and once you reach a certain amount of data it will throttle you to slower speed.

[JudahMcB]

I was thinking of getting this https://www.amazon.com/T-Mobile-Prepaid-Unlimited-United-States/dp/B0776RRR9Y which has unlimited data.

But it says it doesn't work in hotspots, only in smartphones. Someone told me (idk if they're right ?) that the sim may work in the phone but not if used as a hotspot for my laptop. Didn't make much sense to me but what do I know?! Thanks again!

When you use hotspot data (using a physical hotspot or the hotspot option on your phone) it tags the packets with a special tag so the mobile provider knows it is hotspot vs. regular mobile phone data. That's how they can track how much hotspot data you use. As long as the SIM and plan supports hotspot data (some don't) it should work in a physical hotspot. You probably have to activate the SIM in a mobile phone first though and then move it. No way to tell for sure unless someone can provide a DP for that SIM and plan.

[Dovdovmoneytree]

Well that changes things. You're much better off using your phone's hotspot if you aren't constantly on the road and can keep it plugged in to charge. Check your phone plan's hotspot data allocation. Even upgrading to an unlimited data plan for the month might be cheaper than paying for a 2nd SIM for the physical hotspot. Note that "unlimited" doesn't really mean unlimited these days and once you reach a certain amount of data it will throttle you to slower speed.

Being that I am almost always on wifi, I am on a fairly limited data T-Mobile pre-paid plan. I can likely upgrade  to an unlimited plan for the month, I assume??
I guess I can walk into a store and see what my best options are.

[Dovdovmoneytree]

When you use hotspot data (using a physical hotspot or the hotspot option on your phone) it tags the packets with a special tag so the mobile provider knows it is hotspot vs. regular mobile phone data. That's how they can track how much hotspot data you use. As long as the SIM and plan supports hotspot data (some don't) it should work in a physical hotspot. You probably have to activate the SIM in a mobile phone first though and then move it. No way to tell for sure unless someone can provide a DP for that SIM and plan.

Yeah, I guess that's why this individual said it may not work as a hotspot for the laptop, only for the phone. In the Amazon listing, it says it won't work in a hotspot.

[Jojo202]

Works with a T-Mobile locked device?

How do you know that your device is tmobile locked? The test drive works with us mobile

[Saulius]

When you use hotspot data (using a physical hotspot or the hotspot option on your phone) it tags the packets with a special tag so the mobile provider knows it is hotspot vs. regular mobile phone data. That's how they can track how much hotspot data you use. As long as the SIM and plan supports hotspot data (some don't) it should work in a physical hotspot. You probably have to activate the SIM in a mobile phone first though and then move it. No way to tell for sure unless someone can provide a DP for that SIM and plan.

I use my phone with Visible sim card as a hotspot. (uses Verizon network and is unlimited, although limited to one device)

The special tagging can be easily bypassed on android phones with adb, see:

https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/226580/how-is-verizon-suddenly-tracking-my-hot-spot-usage-on-android-and-how-do-i-disab
and also google "xda-developers bypass hotspot"

Make sure to modify ttl settings on your devices that connect to hotspot, changing ttl value from 64 to 65.

[JudahMcB]

I use my phone with Visible sim card as a hotspot. (uses Verizon network and is unlimited, although limited to one device)

The special tagging can be easily bypassed on android phones with adb, see:

https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/226580/how-is-verizon-suddenly-tracking-my-hot-spot-usage-on-android-and-how-do-i-disab
and also google "xda-developers bypass hotspot"

Make sure to modify ttl settings on your devices that connect to hotspot, changing ttl value from 64 to 65.

I hope you are also running a VPN on your Windows box because if you think just changing the TTL is enough for the vendor to know that you are not tethering......

There are many other ways for them to know your traffic is coming from a computer and not a phone. If you've ever monitored a Windows computer connected to the internet you'll notice that it constantly hits sites like windowsupdate.com, time.microsoft.com, ctldl.windowsupdate.com, etc. Not easy to turn these off. A smartphone would never reach out to these websites.

The question is do mobile networks even bother looking for these types of anomalies?

[Saulius]

I hope you are also running a VPN on your Windows box because if you think just changing the TTL is enough for the vendor to know that you are not tethering......

There are many other ways for them to know your traffic is coming from a computer and not a phone. If you've ever monitored a Windows computer connected to the internet you'll notice that it constantly hits sites like windowsupdate.com, time.microsoft.com, ctldl.windowsupdate.com, etc. Not easy to turn these off. A smartphone would never reach out to these websites.

The question is do mobile networks even bother looking for these types of anomalies?

All the years, my carriers never detected. (Ok, all my devices are Android, Macbook, or Linux & FreeBSD)  -- but if one would be paranoid, you could edit your hosts file (in Windows it's  C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc\hosts) and make an an entry
127.0.0.1     windowsupdate.com
127.0.0.1     time.microsoft.com

and problem solved. Windows updates can be definitely paused in the system settings, and I am sure there are settings to prevent updates over Wifi.

[JudahMcB]

All the years, my carriers never detected. (Ok, all my devices are Android, Macbook, or Linux & FreeBSD)"

You are clearly more tech savvy than the average reader of these forums. I just don't want anyone else to get the impression that you can easily circumvent hotspot restrictions without knowing what you're doing.

[Realshlomo]

I use my phone with Visible sim card as a hotspot. (uses Verizon network and is unlimited, although limited to one device)

The special tagging can be easily bypassed on android phones with adb, see:

https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/226580/how-is-verizon-suddenly-tracking-my-hot-spot-usage-on-android-and-how-do-i-disab
and also google "xda-developers bypass hotspot"

Make sure to modify ttl settings on your devices that connect to hotspot, changing ttl value from 64 to 65.

Cool method, definitely for the more tech savvy.

You are clearly more tech savvy than the average reader of these forums. I just don't want anyone else to get the impression that you can easily circumvent hotspot restrictions without knowing what you're doing.

A simple change in the APN setting deleting the word xcap and replacing it with dun has worked for quite some time.

[stooges44]

Don't want to use your phone as a hotspot?

I'm looking into hotspots now and what am I missing here? Is the hotspot market only for those without smartphones? I highly doubt that, does a hotspot offer something more then using your phone?

[Saulius]

I'm looking into hotspots now and what am I missing here? Is the hotspot market only for those without smartphones? I highly doubt that, does a hotspot offer something more then using your phone?

Using your phone as a hotspot can cut your phone’s battery life in half.  Hotspot can be placed in a location where one can get better signal.  Also, they say that hotspot data plans give much higher network priority than a smartphone's hotspot.

In some communities, smartphones are totally prohibited (the schools make the condition of acceptance of the children) -- only a Verizon 4G hotspot from YeshivaNet is allowed. With either Email Only, or Email Plus selected whitelisted sites. Last time I checked, it was 5Gb of data usage monthly for $49.95 (e-mail only) or $64.95 (E-mail + whitelist) a month plus $15.00 per Gb for usage over the cap.

[stooges44]

Thanks.

What about in remote locations where there's no cell service anyway? The hotspot will also have no service, right?