Droid X: The Missing Manual

Turning Your Droid X into a Wi-Fi Hot Spot

The Droid X can do more than just connect you to a hot spot. It can create its own hot spot, so that other computers, cellphones, and devices can connect to the Internet through it. That means, for example, that if you’ve got a computer that you want to connect to the Internet, but there’s no Wi-Fi hot spot or Internet service nearby, you can still connect to the Internet using your Droid X. So from now on, wherever you are, you’ve got Internet access as long as you’ve got your Droid X with you. The Droid X calls this setting up a 3G Mobile Hotspot.

Doing this, you can provide Internet access not just for one PC, but for up to five—that’s right, count them, five—devices.

Note

If you don’t have a 3G connection, you won’t be able to set up a mobile hot spot. So try doing this only when you see the 3G signal in the status bar.

To perform this magic, the Droid X connects to a 3G network as it normally does, using its 3G radio. Then it uses its Wi-Fi radio to set up a Wi-Fi hot spot, and lets up to five computers, phones, and other devices connect to it as well. They connect to it as they would connect to any other hot spot, and share its single 3G connection. So don’t expect blazing speed if several people use it simultaneously. Still, it’s a high-speed connection.

Be aware that this does come at a price. As of this writing, you’ll have to pay an extra $20 per month in addition to your normal data fee to be able to use this feature. And there may ...