How to Use Your Android Phone as a Portable Wi-Fi Hotspot

1. Go to the Settings screen on your Android phone. You can get there by pressing the menu button on your device when you're on the home screen, then tapping "Settings".
2. At the Settings screen, tap the "Wireless & networks" option.
   
3. You should see an option for "Portable Wi-Fi hotspot". Click the check mark beside it to turn on the hotspot and your phone will start acting like a wireless access point. (You should see a message in the notification bar when it's activated.) To adjust and check the settings for the hotspot, tap the aptly named "Portable Wi-Fi hotspot settings" option. You'll need to do this if you don't know the default password that will be created for your hotspot so you can make a note of it for connecting your other devices.
   • You can change the default password, security level, router name (SSID), and also manage users connected wirelessly to your phone in the Wi-Fi hotspot settings.

Find and Connect to the New Wi-Fi Hotspot Created

1. From each of the other devices you want to share Internet access with, find the Wi-Fi hotspot; this will probably be done automatically for you. (Your computer, tablet, and/or other smartphones most likely will notify you that there are new wireless networks to connect to. If not, on another Android phone, you'll find the wireless networks under Settings > Wireless & networks > Wi-Fi settings. See general Wi-Fi connection instructions for most computers.
2. Finally, establish the connection by entering in the password you noted above.

Tips and Considerations

• Make sure you turn off the Wi-Fi hotspot feature when you no longer need shared Internet access from the other devices, since this can drain your cell phone's battery significantly.
• By default, the portable Wi-Fi hotspot will most likely be set up with WPA2 security and a generic password. If you're using this feature in a public place or concerned about hackers trying to intercept your data, it's best to change the password to something else before broadcasting your signal.
• Keep in mind again that your cell phone company might charge extra for this feature and/or have data restrictions on its usage, so make sure you check your plan or with your carrier for more information.