What is WiFi Hotspot

What is WiFi Hotspot

Introduction

What is WiFi hotspot, A hotspot is a physical location where people may obtain internet access, typically using WiFi technology, through a wireless local-area network (WLAN) using a router connected to an internet service provider.

A WiFi hotspot is a wireless access point that you can connect to to use Internet connection. WiFi hotspot work just as your WiFi router does at home by providing wireless connection to the users in the covered range.

In current scenario, most of the public places like as Cinema theatres, Shopping malls, Coffee Shops are offers the WiFi hotspot and also many organization, some cities and business have begun offering the WiFi hotspot, which help people stay connected to powerful, fast Internet connections.

How does a WiFi Hotspot Work

WiFi Hotspot works by utilize an internet connection and using wireless equipment, like as modems and routers, to create a wireless connection, to which you can connect a tablet, smartphone, computer, or another device.

The WiFi hotspot speed, signal ranges are differing from one to another and it is also varying for depend on where you are.

So we will discuss in the following like – what is a WiFi hotspot? How does it work? Are hotspots safe?

Public WiFi Hotspots

What is Wi-Fi Hotspot
Public WiFi Hotspots

It may be created by a business for use by customers, such as coffee shops or hotels. And it is typically created from wireless access point configured to provide Internet access, controlled to some degree by the venue.

In some Shopping Malls, Cities or ISPs may also provide free public WiFi connections in some areas. These are usually free, but have restriction in some areas, like hotels and airports, you may have to pay for access to a public WiFi hotspot.

In its simplest form, venues that have broadband internet access can create public wireless access by configuring an access point (AP), in conjunction with a router to connect the AP to the Internet. A single wireless router combining these functions may suffice.

Private WiFi Hotspots

Private WiFi hotspots

It is often called tethering, may be configured on a smartphone or tablet that has a network data plan, to allow Internet access to other devices via Bluetooth Pairing, or through the RNDIS protocol over USB.

Even when both the hotspot device and the device’s accessing it are connected to the same WiFi network but one which does not provide Internet access. Similarly, a Bluetooth or USB OTG can be used by a mobile device to provide Internet access via WiFi instead of a mobile network, to a device that itself has neither WiFi nor mobile network capability.

Public hotspots are often found at airports, bookstores, coffee shops, department stores, fuel stations, hotels, hospitals, libraries, restaurants, RV Parks and campgrounds, train stations, and other public places. Additionally, many schools and universities have wireless networks on their campuses.

Mobile WiFi Hotspots

A portable WiFi hotspots is a pocket sized mobile router, which you can take with your setup an internet connection. Most portable hotspot devices use the 3G and 4G signals from network providers to enable the connection. Mobile WiFi hotspots therefore often need a SIM-card that provides the connectivity.

In simply say, did you know that you can use your Android or iPhone as a WiFi hotspot? By turning on this option, your phone uses its cellular data to create a WiFi hotspot. Then, you can connect to this hotspot with a PC or another device that does not have cellular data.

Another one important thing in mobile WiFi Hotspot, In-build mobile WiFi Hotspot is available in market which are constructed to turn a cellular data connection into a strong Wifi Connection so you can use that also. In this device helps to who are need access to a reliable WiFi connection.

Are WiFi Hotspot Safe

Most WiFi hotspot don’t encrypt the information you send over the internet and aren’t secure. In fact, if a network doesn’t require a WPA or WPA2 password, it’s probably not secure. Private WiFi hotspots, and prepaid hotspots, are fully safe.

For web browsing, checking email, and social media, though, public WiFi hotspots are usually very safe.

Security Issues

Security is a serious concern in connection with public and private hotspots. There are three possible attack scenarios.

1- There is the wireless connection between the client and the access point, which needs to be encrypted, so that the connection cannot be eavesdropped or attacked by a man-in-the-middle attack.

2- The WLAN encryption ends at the interface, then travels its network stack unencrypted.

3-Third, travels over the wired connection up to the BRAS of the ISP.

Depending upon the setup of a public hotspot, the provider of the hotspot has access to the metadata and content accessed by users of the hotspot.

The safest method when accessing the Internet over a hotspot, with unknown security measures, is end-to-end encryption. Examples of strong end-to-end encryption are HTTPS and SSH. Do you want to know more about encryption Software

Some hotspots authenticate users; however, this does not prevent users from viewing network traffic.

Some vendors provide a download option that deploys WPA support. This conflicts with enterprise configurations that have solutions specific to their internal WLAN.

Software Hotspot

Many WiFi adapters built into or easily added to consumer computers and mobile devices include the functionality to operate as private or mobile hotspots.

The use of a private hotspot to enable other personal devices to access the WAN (usually but not always the internet) is a form of bridging, and known as tethering.

Manufacturers and firmware creators can enable this functionality in WiFi devices on many WiFi devices, depending upon the capabilities of the hardware, and most modern consumer operating systems, including Android, Apple OS X 10.6 and later.

Final Words

In above article; we had seen the what is WiFi hotspot and how it is works and different types of methods. If you like this article information, please let us know the comments.

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