The internet has been around for decades now, but the rising demand for on-the-go connections calls for innovation. Thus, innovators around the world introduced mobile hotspots with impressive features. With the demand on mobile internet, telecommunication companies compete in offering the best mobile Wi-Fi Hotspots. But what are the things you should look for when buying an internet-on-the-go device?
When shopping for a mobile Wi-Fi, you have to consider two things. One, consider your destination. A mobile Wi-Fi hotspot allows you to connect to the internet and browse the web without worrying about costly data consumption. So, the coverage of the hotspot should be wide enough that you don’t need to buy a local Sim card or a new mobile Wi-Fi every time you travel.
Your usage is another essential factor. Most of the prepaid mobile hotspots have a data cap. If you are heavy internet user, consider a prepaid subscription that allows unlimited access. One of the mobile hotspots (Roaming Man) mentioned in this review has unlimited data for a flat rate.
Some mobile Wi-Fi hotspots, such as the Huawei and Netgear Nighthawk offer seamless sharing of files within the network. These devices feature an SD card slot that serves as a memory card. So, whether you use the device on your business travels or personal use, you will find an excellent device for your needs on this guide of the 10 best mobile Wi-Fi hotspots.
Ellipsis Jetpack 4G LTE Prepaid Mobile Hotspot
GTE and Bell Atlantic Corp created Verizon Communications as part of their diversification after their merger. The operation started in 2,000. For almost two decades, Verizon was the leading provider of postpaid plans in telecommunications. Now, it has ventured into the prepaid mobile hotspot to cater to a broader range of customers.
Ellipsis Jetpack is one of the best mobile Wi-Fi hotspots from Verizon. It boasts of a fast 4G LTE connection, the latest in the Wi-Fi Hotspot technology. It allows you to connect up to eight devices, whether it’s a laptop, desktop with a Wi-Fi-enabled accessory, or a smartphone. You can expect a fast internet connection without experiencing lag issues or interruptions. This device is perfect for travelers and people who are always on-the-go.
With a 2100mAh battery, the Jetpack will last for 10 hours of continuous and reliable connectivity. It’s so small and portable that you can carry it in your pocket. But despite its small design, it is packed with powerful connections. You will enjoy streaming your favorite series or browsing an important document in your email seamlessly.
Aside from the extended battery life and portable design, the Ellipsis Jetpack 4G LTE mobile hotspot is convenient to use. You can track your data usage and battery life by viewing the stats right from the UI of the mobile Wi-Fi. Besides, the portable Wi-Fi has LED indicators that tell you whether it’s switched on or off. Since it’s a prepaid device, though, you’ll need a Sim card issued by Verizon.
Alcatel Linkzone
Alcatel is a brand under the license of TCL Communication Technology. It is a trademark under Nokia. Throughout the years, the Alcatel brand has proven its capability to offer high-quality products. Although it started as a manufacturer of mobile devices, it branched out and produced one of the best mobile Wi-Fi hotspots.
Alcatel Linkzone requires a Sim card and is locked under the T-Mobile network. It supports FDD LTE and WCDMA bands. However, you must contact the network to see if these bands work in your area or any other, so you don’t waste money on a mobile hotspot.
Since the mobile Wi-Fi comes with a 1800mAh battery, you can browse, search, download, or upload in your social media accounts. Working hours are approximately six hours max with a standby mode of 300 hours. One great thing about this mobile Wi-Fi is its removable battery, giving you the option to change the battery once it exhausts its useful life.
The Alcatel Linkzone is an inexpensive mobile Wi-Fi with good speed and LTE signal. This device is excellent for people who are on a tight budget with their data consumption. It connects up to 15 devices that are within 150 feet in an open area.
Huawei E5770 Mobile Hotspot
Huawei Technologies has been popular for manufacturing phone switches and mobile hotspots for decades. It started operations in 1987 and has served more than 40 large telecom operators in over 170 countries. Despite the many controversies related to the company and its attempt to introduce a new wireless network, it remained adamant in its endeavor in providing high-quality products.
The Huawei E5770 mobile hotspot features a 5200 mAh battery, which is quite impressive given its small size. With this capacity for a battery, this mobile Wi-Fi will last for 20 hours, with a standby mode of 500 hours. It’s practically an alternative source of power for charging your phone in a pinch.
This device offers the fastest 4G LTE connections, which is perfect for people and businesses who want to upgrade their current Wi-Fi Hotspots. Another fantastic feature is its micro SD slot that allows you to share files and photos within the same network.
Aside from the SD slot, the Huawei E5770 features dual-link connectivity that allows you to auto-direct your connection between WAN and LAN while traveling. It looks sleek and stylish with its leather texture and plating. It is portable and small enough that it can fit in your pocket.
Lastly, this device isn’t tied to a network, which is perfect for you if you want to save on international data charges. You can use local Sim cards since it has dual-link connectivity and can support a 3G connection.
Jetpack MiFi 8800L 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot
The Jetpack MiFi 8800L is a Verizon-locked mobile Wi-Fi. You can’t use other prepaid Sim cards with this mobile hotspot. But despite its limitation on the Sim card usage, it is one of the best mobile Wi-Fi hotspots you can buy.
This device has a vast map of connectivity. With over 200 countries on its list, you can connect without worrying about lost or intermittent connections. This device is perfect for people who are power users. You can do business and talk to your associates through video call even when you’re away.
The device also has a built-in VPN so that you can connect securely. With this VPN, you can control what others see and can’t see. You can track suspicious data usage from others, and the device has a multiband capability that allows multiple connections on 2.4Ghz and 5GHz, simultaneously.
With its 4400 mAh battery, you’re connected for 24 hours without the need to charge. If your other devices, like your smartphone or tablet, are low in battery life, you can use the mobile Wi-Fi hotspot to charge for a few minutes. This feature is perfect for emergencies.
The design features a 2.4-inch touchscreen interface that alerts you about signal strength, remaining data, and battery life. Through this colored UI, you can enter your password right from the mobile device, which means you can keep your mobile Wi-Fi secure. You can also share files with other people through the numerous USB ports.
The MiFi 8800L lets you connect to 15 trusted devices at a time, and you can share files over your local Wi-Fi connection by using a storage device.
Be sure to also check out our comprehensive guide on the best wi-fi routers under $100. Check them out.
Skyroam Solis
Technology veterans founded Skyroam in Silicon Valley with a mission of lowering roaming data costs and offering reliable internet connections. With these goals in mind, the company created a unique proposition for business travelers. Since its founding in 2008, it has achieved its objectives and is one of the leading providers of prepaid internet connections. The Skyroam company offers some of the best mobile Wi-Fi hotspots in America.
A unique feature of the Skyroam Solis is its virtual Sim card. The virtual Sim allows you to connect wherever you, whether you’re traveling to Europe, Asia, Africa, or Australia. The device has more than 130 countries listed on its coverage. So, you can expect to connect to the internet without buying local Sims or worrying about expensive, international data costs.
With this virtual Sim, you can choose to top-up your data mileage daily or monthly. This flexible data usage enables you to control your monthly usage. You can activate or deactivate anytime, anywhere, and topping up is convenient through the Skyroam portal. Despite being a virtual Sim, this device has a secure and encrypted connection for each connected device.
Although the prepaid Sim card has a daily cap of 500MB, you can still enjoy a 2G connection that is perfect for browsing email, social media messaging, and some web surfing. This device allows connection of up to 5 devices and will last more than 16 hours of internet connectivity. The battery has a 6000 mAh capacity that will enable you to charge other devices using the hotspot’s USB ports.
TP-Link M7350 V4 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot
The TP-Link company started its operations in 1996 and ranked no. 1 by IDC, an analyst firm for networking systems and hardware. It supplies more than 170 countries and billions of citizens around the world. With the growing demand for mobile on-the-go, the company diversified into the mobile hotspot arena. Now, TP-Link is one of the providers of the best mobile Wi-Fi hotspots, globally.
The TP-Link M7350 V4 is a reliable device that offers seamless compatibility with other 4G LTE Sim cards. It provides a dual-band capability that is perfect for travelers who don’t stop working. You can connect 10 devices simultaneously without affecting the connection speed.
The battery is a 2000 mAh capacity that will last up to 10 hours. The device has a user interface that allows you to monitor data usage, connection speeds, and battery life. It also features a micro SD slot so that you can share important files within the network. This feature is perfect if you are working with other team members.
You can also manage data usage, the daily cap limit, user connection, and messages through a dedicated tpMiFi app. Whether your smartphone is iOS or Android, you can download the app from the Play Store or TP-link website.
Netgear Nighthawk LTE Mobile Hotspot Router
Netgear Incorporated has a main office in California. Its operations began in 1996, and the company has been a leading provider of high-quality networking solutions. In its mobile hotspot segment, the company partners with AT&T and serves millions of data subscribers.
With the rising need for low-cost data connections, Netgear introduced their LTE mobile router. This LTE mobile router is an innovative networking solution for prepaid subscribers, whether they are business travelers or homeowners.
The Netgear Nighthawk LTE is one of the best mobile Wi-Fi hotspots in terms of simultaneous connections. It can tether up to 20 devices while maintaining secured internet access throughout the connected devices. You can set up passwords, block devices, or control access to specific websites. This device is a complete package for business travelers.
With its 5040 mAh battery life, you can connect to the internet for 24 hours that allows you to work on important business deals while traveling. You can expect no downtime because of its powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon and blazing fast internet connections.
With these amazing features, you can talk to your team via video conferencing without lag issues or connectivity interruptions. If you are sharing relevant documents, you can do it seamlessly by inserting an SD card with a maximum capacity of up to 256GB.
Roaming Man U2 Global
Roaming Man US is a business division of uCloudlink Network Technology Ltd, which offers internet service worldwide. It became operational in 2009 with a central office in Hong Kong and another headquarters in New York. The company caters specifically to travelers.
The Roaming Man U2 Global is a prepaid mobile Wi-Fi that allows you to subscribe to data with a flat rate. With this rate, you get access to unlimited data for a day. No matter where you go, you can enjoy fast and reliable internet connections. The device has comprehensive coverage, and the data connection is available in more than 130 countries. You don’t need to change Sim card every time you go overseas, which is perfect for business travelers.
The design is quite minimalist, which includes four LED light indicators that let you know the status and strength of the signal, battery life, and whether it’s switched on or off. The shape is like a small smartphone with thinner and smaller dimensions than standard phones. One edge has space for attaching a strap so that you can secure it to your wrist or backpack like a keyring.
The Roaming Man mobile Wi-Fi can connect up to 5 devices. The battery has a 3500 mAh that can last up to 10 hours of heavy internet usage. You can manage your business’ social media account, upload pictures and marketing ads, and surf the web without worrying about data cap limit.
Verizon Jetpack AC791L
The Jetpack AC791L is one of the first mobile hotspots offered by the Verizon company. Despite being an old version, it is still one of the best mobile Wi-Fi hotspots you can buy. It is very reliable when it comes to internet connections, boasting LTE speeds that are rarely down.
With its high-capacity battery, you can stay connected for 19 to 24 hours. You can also charge your smartphone and never miss a call from a business associate or partner. The user interface features soft-touch buttons and an LED screen display. The LED screen displays signal strength, message notifications, and data usage.
You can also connect to the mobile hotspot with up to 15 devices simultaneously. And with 200 countries on the list, you don’t need to worry about getting out-of-coverage issues. Moreover, you can set up guest connections where you can create a temporary password for connected users. You get to share while you maintain the privacy of your mobile Wi-Fi passwords.
Unite Explore Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot
This mobile device is tethered to the AT&T network and is under the Netgear brand. Like the Netgear Nighthawk, this device shows some promising features and internet connectivity that business travelers like you will enjoy using.
The Unite Explore features a powerful battery with a capacity of 4,300 mAh. With this capacity, you can use the device for nearly 24 hours. You can also charge your smartphone using a battery boost cable. The battery is the removable type, so you can replace it when usage life is exhausted.
The device has a touchscreen interface that shows important details, such as mobile data usage, battery life, and signal strength. It supports multiple network frequencies, including 3G, 4G and LTE, and global roaming without incurring skyrocket internet usage.