I know. It doesn't sound nearly as exciting as something for a cruise or a new travel gadget, but hear me out. This little thing has become one of those items I don't think much about anymore because it's simply always with me.
I bought my first NETGEAR mobile hotspot back in October 2020, and I paid around $309 for it. That particular model has since been discontinued, but newer NETGEAR Nighthawk mobile hotspots are available now. After using one for nearly six years, I can tell you exactly why I keep paying for the service.
Why Do I Carry My Own Wi-Fi?
Because I got tired of asking everybody for theirs. 😂 Seriously.
I'm at a friend's house and need to get online. "What's your Wi-Fi password?" I'm somewhere waiting on an appointment and want to work on something. "Do you have Wi-Fi?" I'm at a restaurant and need to check something online. "What's the Wi-Fi here?"
Some people don't know their password. Some don't particularly want to give it out. Some public Wi-Fi networks require you to jump through hoops before you can connect. And sometimes there simply isn't Wi-Fi available.
So I started carrying my own.
My mobile hotspot connects through the cellular network and creates a private Wi-Fi connection that my devices can use. I turn it on, connect my device, and I'm online. No hunting for somebody else's password required.
It's Not Just for Traveling
I originally thought of portable Wi-Fi as something that would be especially useful when I was away from home. Turns out, I use it for a whole lot more than that.
I create content. I work on my blog. I'm on social media. I use my phone, tablet and computer constantly. Internet access isn't exactly optional around here. 😂
If our home internet goes down, I don't have to sit around waiting for it to come back. My hotspot stays charged and ready. I can connect to it and keep doing what I was doing.
That's probably one of my favorite things about owning one. It's not only portable internet when I'm away from home — it's backup internet when I'm at home.
Yes, There Is a Monthly Fee
Let's talk about that because I'm not going to tell you all the wonderful things and conveniently forget the part that costs money.
You need cellular service for a mobile hotspot like this. That means you'll normally have a monthly data plan through a compatible cellular provider.
Mine isn't free. Could I save money by getting rid of it? Absolutely. Do I want to? Nope. 😂
I'm willing to pay for the convenience and freedom of having my own connection available when I need it. That's a personal choice, though. Someone who rarely leaves home or doesn't need internet access while they're out may not get enough use from one to justify another monthly bill. For me, it's worth it.
It Can Connect More Than Just My Phone
Another reason I like having a dedicated hotspot is that I'm not limited to connecting one device. Depending on the model, these little boxes can support multiple connected devices at the same time.
That can be especially useful when you're traveling. Your phone can be connected. Your tablet can be connected. Your laptop can be connected. And if the King needs Wi-Fi too, well, I suppose I'll let him on my network. 😂
Instead of everybody trying to find Wi-Fi separately, you've essentially brought your own little network along.
There Are Places It Won't Work
Now for another important reality check. This is not satellite internet.
A mobile hotspot relies on cellular service. If you're somewhere that doesn't have adequate cellular coverage, the hotspot can't magically pull an internet signal out of thin air.
We've traveled through plenty of those old country back roads where cell service gets mighty questionable. If there isn't a usable cellular signal, you're probably not going to have usable hotspot service either.
That's something you need to understand before buying one. It's also why I don't consider mine a replacement for every type of internet connection. It's another option — and one that happens to fit my lifestyle extremely well.
What About Airplanes and Cruise Ships?
This is another place where expectations matter. I don't buy a mobile hotspot thinking I'm going to turn it on in the middle of the ocean and suddenly have my own private internet service. That's not how it works.
On a cruise ship at sea, you're generally dealing with the ship's internet service because you're away from normal land-based cellular coverage. Air travel has its own connectivity rules and services as well.
So when I call this one of my travel essentials, I'm talking about the enormous amount of traveling that happens before, after and between those situations — driving, hotels, restaurants, appointments, shopping, sightseeing and all the other places life takes me. And that is where mine earns its keep.
The Newer NETGEAR Nighthawk Options
The exact hotspot I purchased in 2020 isn't the model I'd tell you to go searching for today because technology has moved on. NETGEAR now offers newer Nighthawk mobile hotspot models with updated cellular and Wi-Fi technology.
If you're considering one, look carefully at the specific model, supported cellular networks, available data plans, battery specifications and number of supported devices.
Don't buy one simply because I own one. Buy one if it solves a problem you actually have.
That's how I feel about most technology. I don't need another gadget sitting around collecting dust. If I'm spending my money on something, I want the thing to earn its spot around here. My hotspot certainly has.
Who Would I Recommend One To?
I think portable Wi-Fi is especially worth considering if you're someone who travels frequently, works away from home, creates content on the go, uses multiple connected devices, lives somewhere with occasional home-internet outages, or simply doesn't like depending on public Wi-Fi.
And if you've ever sat somewhere thinking, "Good grief, I just need INTERNET!" Well... you might understand why this little black box stays in my bag. 😂
Almost Six Years Later, Would I Buy One Again?
Yes. That's probably the most important thing I can tell you.
I've had mine since October 2020. This isn't something that arrived yesterday and I'm suddenly declaring to be the greatest invention since sliced bread.
I've lived with it. I've traveled with it. I've used it when our home internet went down. I've carried it places where I didn't want to ask for someone else's Wi-Fi password. I've paid the monthly service bill. I've also experienced the limitation of not having service when there wasn't adequate cellular coverage.
After all of that... I'd still buy one again.
And that, to me, is a much better recommendation than simply reading a list of specifications off the side of a box.
Want to See the Newer Model?
Click here to get yours 👉👉👉 Nighthawk Mobile HotSpot
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Always confirm that the hotspot model you choose is compatible with the cellular carrier and data plan you intend to use before purchasing.
The internet may not technically fit inside my purse... but I've been carrying mine around in there since 2020. 😂📶👑
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