What is a hotspot?

What is a hotspot?

In fact, everyone will encounter a hotspot on a daily basis, so the question arises: how and when? It happens when you connect to it to send an email, or on Messenger or WhatsApp. You also connect to a hotspot when you use the Internet in a public or private place, using mobile devices like smartphones, laptops and tablets. Connecting to a Wi-Fi hotspot is one of the very convenient solutions, and it also has the very big advantage of not using cellular data to use the Internet. Hotspots are therefore increasingly becoming a very important part of public infrastructure. In order to meet their data needs, every day millions of people in Poland and around the world connect to hotspots, which are available to them in public and private places. What is a hotspot? You can find an explanation of this term and everything related to it in the article below.

The term hotspot-what does it mean?

Hotspot is a term derived from English, translating literally into Polish, it means “hot spot.” What is this hotspot? It is an open access point that allows you to connect to the Internet. A hotspot most often works via a wireless network, which is based, on the Wi-Fi standard. So it is a place that gives you the opportunity to connect wirelessly to the Internet, you can do this by using your own mobile equipment – smartphone, laptop or tablet. Of course, the great advantage of a hotspot is the ability to browse the Internet without using your own data package. Hotspots are divided into two types: public hotspots, which are available to everyone, and private hotspots, which are password-protected. You can also encounter a division into: hotspot (regular) and mobile hotspot.

Private versus public hotspot

As you already know, hotspot is divided into two types: public and private, so what are the differences between them? Here they are:

– A public hotspot, as its name suggests, is available for use by customers in public places. It is usually characterized by slowdowns and a fair amount of load. At the time when you need to connect your device such as a laptop to the network, and there is no hotspot nearby, you can use your smartphone for this purpose. Using cellular data, you can create your own mobile hotspot, but using this solution, you have to expect additional costs. To minimize them as much as possible, you need to control your consumption, and secure your hotspot with a password.

– A private hotspot, as its name also suggests, is only for a select few, that is, those who are in possession of the password. Without it, it will be impossible to connect.

Hotspot vs. mobile hotspot-what is the difference?

As you already know, a hotspot allows you to connect to the Internet without using mobile data. Among Internet users there are two terms: hotspot and mobile hotspot. They are often used interchangeably and are believed to mean the same thing, but there are significant differences, what are they?

1. Hotspot- is a physical location through which you can access the Internet. It is located in a public or private place, such as a coffee shop or hotel.
2. Mobile hotspot-the name itself indicates, it is a mobile hotspot. A regular hotspot is strictly tied to a particular location (e.g., a coffee shop), while a mobile hotspot can be created in different places using the mobile data that is on your phone. This is used, for example, to connect to one’s own Internet that one has in a laptop smartphone or tablet.

Is there a fee for the hotspot?

This is a question that probably troubles many people who have never used this service before. Hotspot can be both paid and free. So if you have to pay for this service, it is done in a very simple way, namely, you can pay the fee with a credit card or by purchasing the appropriate scratch card. Of course, free hotspots work, but the use of them may be associated with a limited range of available services, or the speed of the Internet, it can then be very slow.

Where can you encounter hotspots?

Free hotspots are increasingly popular, in fact, you can encounter them in many public places such as shopping malls, libraries, the centers of large cities, in offices, train stations or airports. Increasingly, they are also found in parks and on beaches. Private hotspots, which are password-protected, appear in restaurants, hotels, guesthouses, as well as in homes. It is worth mentioning that thanks to free Internet access in cafes and restaurants, these places have become favorite places for freelancers to work or for business meetings. There are many apps that help you find a free hotspot, this is very helpful, especially when you are in a place you are not familiar with.

Is the hotspot safe?

Unfortunately, it is important to keep in mind that using a hotspot can involve dangers, so it is advisable to follow certain safety rules when using it. The public Internet connection is often very poorly secured. This makes it vulnerable to hectoring attacks. The most common problem that occurs as a result of using a public hotspot is the theft of data, namely passwords, payment and credit cards. This can be prevented by:

• Install an antivirus program-this helps prevent data theft
• Do not enter sites and applications that ask you for your payment card details or password
• When using a hotspot, try not to do any online shopping.

How to use a hotspot safely?

In order to safely use a hotspot or a generally publicly accessible Internet (e.g., at a friend’s house) – especially if you use the Internet for work – you need to ensure a secure connection to the corporate network through a VPN tunnel. The solution works in such a way that all network traffic is encrypted – and contact with the Internet is made securely through the corporate router. At ITH, we recommend Fortigate solutions as secure corporate routers. Fortigate provides a dedicated application for mobile devices with which you can easily implement a VPN connection. ITH offers ITH NaaS Fortigate – that is, a router rental service together with its full support and SLA guarantee.

How to build a HotSpot?

We strongly recommend using the services of a company that is able to design the network, provide the equipment and then service it. We should also not forget about the issues of logging connections and storing relevant data for the services (e.g., in case our hotspot is used for a crime on the Internet). At ITH, as part of the ITH NaaS service, we are able to provide a complete solution, including Internet access. See a several-minute video describing the ITH NaaS service: https://youtu.be/RX9mp0z-hbU.

Select ITH

At ITH, we have an offering that has something for everyone. Our ITH Net service will be perfect for companies where many people use network access. The argument behind choosing ITH is that there is no long-term contract, with us you are billed monthly, which makes you decide for yourself until when you want to cooperate! Visit us and check out our offer today.

Summary

A hotspot is a “garnering point” that allows you to use the Internet without using your personal information. In fact, each of us will encounter hotspots in our daily lives. This occurs by connecting to them via Wi-fi. Using this option is a very easy way to connect to the Internet in a dynamic, fast-paced world. Connecting to a hotspot is very easy. Depending on where you are, you can connect to a public hotspot, which unfortunately can be disappointing in its speed due to the heavy load; you can encounter it mainly in shopping malls. In a restaurant or hotel, you are most likely to encounter a private hotspot secured by a password, it is not uncommon to have to pay for one. No matter which option you use, you should be quite careful not to have your personal data stolen.